by Lesley Mason

Created on: February 17, 2008   Last Updated: October 18, 2008

Ever wondered why some people always seem to have a great time on their travels, while others find it not so much a vacation as just a different kind of stress?

There are two main keys to stress-free travel: Planning and Attitude.

PLANNING

OK, so this is a holiday and not a military campaign, but if you do the planning stage properly, you will enjoy the trip a lot more.

Plan your packing: make a list of everything you want to take with you. Nothing stresses the traveller more than finding they have forgotten something important. I speak as someone who has camped with a well-stocked group of bikers, who could have provided a campfire feast if they could have mustered a tin-opener between them.

Having made your list, halve it. You won't need even that much. Be honest, how much of what you take (a) do you actually use and (b) would you really miss if you didn't have it? Remember light luggage is easier on the mind. Or think of it as leaving space for souvenirs.

Refine the list to: needs and would-likes. Never take more than you can carry. Pack by priority and then let it be.

Your door-closing checklist should be: tickets, passport, cash & credit cards. If you've got those, you'll be fine you can replace or live without everything else.

Plan the trip: read the guide books before you go and know what you want to see. This is especially important if you're travelling with other people (a group, friends, family). You'll all have different interests, so try to have the arguments before you go. Agree what you are definitely going to do. Write everything else down on a wish list. If there's more than you can possibly fit insort out the priorities and write everything else down on small slips of paper, fold them & put them in a resealable plastic bag. Then while you're away have a couple of "lucky-dip days" where you just pull something out of the bag. If you make sure everyone has the same number of wishes in the bag to start with, it's equal chances and adds a bit of spontaneity.

Time Out. If you're travelling with someone else (yes, even if it's your honeymoon) remember that being with someone (however much you love them) 24 hours a day is poisonous. Factor in time to be alone. Whether you need to sit on the balcony with a book for half an hour a day or take the sunrise walk on the beach by yourself, or go to the shops, or going for a run, or even just a few minutes finding your own space in today's particular historic site or hilltop vantage point, so that you can

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>