Summer, & Travel to (insert destination here).
Went on a summer trip which had actually been a long overdue mother-daughter bonding trip for just the two of us - and it was quite strangely different (the last we went anywhere was in 2019 for family) - for their aunt’s wedding in Manila, and then from an extended reception - to a much-needed family trip, in an island around Cebu - so that, although short, and one-city focussed, was turned up into quite a good passing of summer - to somehow relive the days when we all traveled as a family, instead of just two or three at a time (as families grew bigger) — and somehow, become more of a relief (to escape a bit) from a city we resided in, when the pandemic hit.
It used to be that families travelled when there was a wedding, birth, rarely on birthdays, or Christmas (like home leavers assigned to work in a country, at the end of the year) - this was none of those, but it was the best kind of trip when you travel without the pressure of anyone else’s bidding.
Now there are reasons for travel, beyond the escape - or beyond being dismantled in the cities you reside in (that only social networks could somehow connect to), or more substantially, yet sustainably - in all the cities you are connected to.
I digress the point to this article. Mostly, we are elated and delighted to be able to (in health, and weather) go about our way again- in the remains of what was the pandemic, and all the previous occasions of whatever treps and trolls had endured in the city of disenchantments had brought - and all the culturally appropriate collaborations - both in its ideals, and idylls.
What are the Elements of a Trip?
- Currency
Stocking up some currency from your last trip, on a “usual destination” or home destination -would be beneficial to getting organised for a trip -whether it’s a long haul or more permanent one. Some people like to keep several currencies on hand, for traveling, but i like to keep the ones that i travel to the most, and the rest just as “souvenirs” of a trip, or of a place that i just went to for travel.
- Wallets
Having a place to keep for every place you intend to travel to - new wallets for each place, is quite an organisation nightmare, but with e-wallets it’s actually simplified to as and when you travel proposition — and it serves as a converter (currency gets converted as in how you withdraw abroad from your home account on ATMs) as well as a currency keeper. This is good for wifi-rich, ATM-poor/ network-poor/ currency-exchange-counter poor countries. And quite handy to bring your own wifi/data bandwidth in case there are no ATMs anywhere.
- Luggages
- Letters of Travel
This is not as much of a sticky thing nowadays, bearing a passport - some countries have the passport card — just like an ATM card, or a bank card/ credit. It just files into your phone, but keep a proper passbook/ passport on you at all times, even when cards (within your country) are permitted for travel nationally/ locally -make sure that you can travel internationally without a book, otherwise it is safer to keep to a passport at all times.
- Air tickets
Even when you could or do book online tickets, there usually is a printout or receipt that you could keep (in case your phone went bonkers and died on you) and would establish the details that in the olden (a.k.a the 80s-90s) days your book agents would provide you a printout of, in your travel portfolios. Now, there a about 4–5 apps that i can book flights, car hires, and hotels or connects to airbnb’s that i have booked primarily and then just click on the recommendation algorithm or a tab that specifies where it’s best to fly in, and best to book a hotel room in-between flights — you can, at any point of travel (because, for exactly the same price, we are our own travel agents now).
- Eye masks, etc
This is probably a girl-thing, where you need to keep hydrating for destinations — but with a 3+ hour flight to a 17-hour flight, it is best to keep a plethora of things to do, as well as make use of the time on board and put a sheet mask to work. Where it usually does help keep your skin adjusted (and calmed) to the differing temperatures of destinations, airports, air-conditioned rooms, and the in-flight-arrid-weather’s corruption of sleep schedules when you do cross timezones.
It isn’t a vanity thing, it helps remind your skin — and senses that you are in congenial territory of being acclimated to the dry zones, and having something reminding your skin that not to panic and break out, is not pampering - it’s a health necessity.
- Earpods & Devices
It blocks out the continuous 13-hour crying of infants if you’re seated anywhere on row13 - or near those gaps and exits, that they reserve for putting up baby bassinets.
Either get a seat elsewhere — or make sure you are booked a good seat, away — or bring these.
- Timelines: From Calendar to Phone to Watch.
So, the most important part of travel - is your calendar.
Whether your trip was recorded on a pre-arranged diary or your travel calendar, or on a daily-watched app. How you organise it can mean shaving minutes off on a coordinated (timeing of a) flight, a tonne of dollars on any (unplanned) expense for unnecessary flights and Re-booking, and most importantly will keep all your attention to only the planned itineraries, of the sights on hand. This is especially crucial if it’s a work trip, it’s more important to get in the sights while you’re at it, when you actually have no time to gander away, (i tend to lavish on airport shoppes, so i know exactly where to get the goods in case i forgotten someone on the Christmas list), and know the features of every airport - in case i need a last-minute book.
Get organised.
