More travel hacks you need to know
With more of us travelling than ever before, it follows there’s plenty of global nomads out there who have learnt a thing or two along the way and have secrets to share.
Here we reveal some of their tricks of the trade.
Access airport lounges
To shake the fatigue and monotony of long haul flights, you can’t beat the oasis of a full-service airport lounge. But if you’re not flying Business Class, don’t have a pricey annual club membership with an airline or don’t fly enough to earn the required frequent flyer status, you can still enjoy the perks of a ritzy lounge.
Most airlines offer a single-use entrance fee for non-members – Qantas for example is $49 domestic, $69 International – and many of the busier hubs, like Singapore’s super-efficient Changi Airport offer pay-per-use public lounges. Check out the various services and hourly prices for your next Singapore stopover here.
Block the middle seat
When you’re travelling with another person, book the window and aisle seats.
If the plane’s not fully booked, chances are that middle seat will stay vacant because no-one wants them and they tend to be filled last by the allocation system. If the seat is filled, simply ask if you can swap – no-one is going to insist on staying in the middle!
Avoid razor cuts
If you have ever given yourself a nasty cut from a disposable razor when you dive into your toilet bag, help is at hand. Just ‘seal’ the end with a binding clip and you’re good to go.
Pack smarter
If you are travelling from a warm climate to a cool one, try carrying your heaviest winter clothing item – or even wearing it – to save space and precious weight in your check-in bag.
Be a consummate travel planner
If you have the discipline and a refined bucket list, try planning your travels one to two years in advance.
Most travel and tour companies jump early to fill seats/cabins releasing new season brochures accompanied by significant earlybird specials that can save you thousands.
If you know where you want to go and when, it’s much easier to have pre-planned and be ready to grab a bargain when itineraries are first released.
Arrive unwrinkled
To keep your collars nice and stiff when packing, use your belt to loop inside the collar and voila!
Chance upon a deal
Before you book an airline ticket, it’s worth ‘Googling’ your preferred carrier to see if there’s any specials going.
It’s not only discounted fares but incentives for membership fees or family benefits etc are also often promoted.
The easiest way to find out is Google “Promo Codes QANTAS” or any other airline or cruise company for example. You might be surprised what you find.
Protect your clothes
Packing shoes when you travel can be a pain. They take up valuable room, can dirty your clothes and, ahem, may even leave an odour in your bag.
The easiest way to overcome the soiling at least is to grab that trusty shower cap from the hotel bathroom and wrap them in that. Pocket as many shower caps as you can when you travel for this very purpose.
And remember, pack things like socks and underwear inside your shoes to save space.
Tidy your cables
All those charger cables, headphones and various leads we travel with these days can be a bit of problem to find and untangle in a big suitcase. Thrown them in a glasses case and you won’t have to search again.
Published under license from Well Travelled.
