5 Ways to Make Your Vacation More Fun,
More Relaxing and More Enjoyable… Guaranteed.
ZZZippy Tips for Keeping Your Traveling Fun & Simple
TODAY'S TOP STORIES
1. Dump the Luggage
Most everyone hates to pack for their vacation but those are the same people (most all of us) that over pack
What a hassle. First you begin the long selection process, what do I take and what do I leave? Now it’s time to start emptying the closet, and the drawers. Oh, and don’t forget the folding and packing, and shifting and arranging, and repacking and rearranging and refolding. Boy, what a great way to start your vacation. Now it’s lugging time. You lug the luggage out of the bedroom. Then you lug it outside. Now you’ve got to lug it into the car (and attempt to stuff it and force it until it all fits (and still have room for passengers). You ever wonder why they call it luggage?
Wait neither the fun, nor the lugging, is even close to finished yet. Now you get to unload the luggage, parade through the airport with it and of course try to check it at the counter. Soon on the plane it goes… and the entire time you’re hoping it will show up the same time and place that you do. Oh wait, you have lots more lugging! Once you arrive, and just in case it does, now you get to stand forever (or a little longer) at the airport luggage turnstiles waiting, pleading, whining and hoping that your luggage comes out of the little secret hole in the wall, somewhat unscathed. Boy is this fun!
So finally you and your luggage make it (maybe) to your final destination. Now you‘ve got to get it to a cab… and pack it in again. Of course once you get to your hotel you’ll need to unload your luggage or pay someone to do so (remember the more you have the bigger the tip).
Then finally you get it to your room and you can begin to relax and enjoy your well deserved vacation, but wait, now you’ve got to unpack, unfold hang and stuff your stuff into the drawers and small closets that await it. However as you know there’s never enough drawers or closet space for all of your stuff so you keep some of it in the… yes, your luggage.
For the first time you can relax, that is unless you realize that you are going to have to reverse and repeat the entire process when you get ready to check out. My, oh my, this is a vacation.
Let’s make this the your new, Number 1 rule of having more fun when you travel- keep your luggage as light as possible by taking as little as possible. Get rid of the heavy boots and coats. Dump the 15 pairs of shoes and travel lighter. The smaller the baggage the less hassle you have. The less hassle you have the more fun you have. Here’s the very best way to ensure you always follow this rule: ask yourself before you pack- am I packing this because I need it… or because I want it. For everything that you answered “I need it” pack it. Forget the rest.
Believe me you’ll survive without it. See isn’t this more fun already?!
Check out: ZZZippy’s The Only Things You Really Need to Pack
2. Be Pre-Prepared
The best way to enjoy your vacation is to
take care of the monsters while they’re small
Well you’re already ahead of the game because you know how to pack and that is already going to make your travels so much better you will hardly believe it. Now the next thing to do is to be aware of the other issues that making traveling (and therefore vacationing) a lot less fun and a lot more aggravating. The best way to do this is to ensure that you take care of the little things ahead of time; otherwise they become huge, irritating, frustrating issues that can literally ruin your vacation. So here is the best way to avoid those little monsters.
First make a list of all of the “necessities” for your trip
• Driver’s license and or passport
• Bathroom supplies
• Travel Documents- including airline tickets,
transfers, gate number, etc
• Show Tickets, entry tickets and/or any other
tickets or passes that you need
• Cell Phone
• Phone Charger
• Written itinerary if you have one
• Cash or Credit Cards
• Medicine
• And any other necessities
The next task is shopping, not till you drop shopping but shopping for any of the things that you feel are necessary to make your trip more fun and less hassle. When doing this remember your bathroom bag items like toothpaste, floss, deodorant, hair brush, shaving kit, etc. The time to think this through is not 5 minutes before you need to be boarding the plane. By taking a leisure shopping trip for the things you absolutely need you will avoid headaches and absolute frustration.
Next, pre-pack your bag. That’s right, start packing a day or two ahead of time. You can continue throwing things in your bag leisurely thereafter. Imagine the morning you are ready to go on your wonderful vacation and as everyone else is scurrying, yelling and cursing, you’re sipping your coffee and contemplating your relaxing journey.
Finally do an inspection of your goodies. Again, at least a day or two ahead of time inspect your list and make sure that you’ve remembered everything. Check your bag to ensure you haven’t overlooked something. If you have meds make sure that you have enough for your trip. Review that bathroom bag. Check your itinerary and make sure that everything is complete and that you’re ready for some much deserved fun.
Being Pre-Prepared means less hassle, less aggravation, less quarreling and much more enjoyment. It’s the perfect way to start your vacation.
3. Get Your Worm
They say that the early bird gets the worm…
well what are you waiting for?
I’m not suggesting that you start getting up before sunrise during your stay. I’m suggesting that you get things going early to start your vacation. First get to bed early the night before. Why not, you’re already packed, you’ve done your last minute shopping (ahead of time), you’ve checked your itinerary and you’re already to go. No need to stay up until wee hours in the morning, stuffing those suitcases; or stressing over what you might have forgotten. You’re already done because you are Pre-Prepared! Good for you. Now, get some sleep so that you can rise and shine early enough to start the first day of your vacation the right way.
Now, let’s get some breakfast, or at least some coffee and do it casually. Relax, sip your coffee, review your plans and your items (just to make sure) and now you can be leisure as you get ready to partake in some serious relaxation and enjoyment.
Now through your bag in the car, and get to the airport early because you already know that when it comes to airlines, airports and security issues, you can only count on one thing… that is that you can’t count on anything. But no sweat, you’ll arrive early enough to get through what you need to get through without all (at least most) of the drama… because you’re early.
If all goes well you will arrive at your destination rested, relaxed and ready for that well deserved vacation. If all does not go according to plan at least you will be a little more calm and well rested and pretty much ready for anything.
4. Make Your Plan…
Break Your Plan
Develop an amazing vacation plan and
then break some of that plan
Personally, I like to make a plan and stick with that plan until I achieve exactly what I want to achieve. However, you’re on vacation, so remember it’s important to plan your vacation somewhat carefully… but it’s also important to realize that breaking that plan or changing the plan can be a good thing. A vacation plan is a very different kind of plan.
Start out by making a great plan. Get a good feel for what you and your traveling companions want to do. Purchase your tickets (ahead of time), make some reservations for entertainment, shown and dinners. Of course you need to lock down hotel reservations and even some transportation, but leave room for nothing. That’s right; leave yourself plenty of fudge room when it comes to your plans. Sometimes vacations are harder than work because we want to squeeze in as much fun as we possibly can no matter how taxing and difficult that might be. Did that just make sense? Of course not but that’s what Americans do.
Let’s do it a little differently this time. Make a good plan. Plan for great fun, great food and maybe some great adventure, but leave room for nothing because sometimes to get the most out of a vacation we need to get a little of nothing out of it.
5. Force Yourself
to Enjoy the Journey
This isn’t something you do every day
so practice living in the moment
Most people do not travel every day, nor do they vacation every week. For the most part people are not used to relaxing and enjoying the personal time they have earned. This may be the toughest part for some people, the part where you sit back, relax and take everything in. The fact of the matter is most people struggle enjoying their vacations because they don’t know how. But you my friend are ready. You’ve taken the hassle out of packing and lugging, you got pre-prepared so that you did not need to worry the entire first day of your trip; and you were able to be leisure on your travel day which is pretty much unheard of. Plus you have a well thought out plan! Wow, now all you have to do is take it in, capture the moment and have the greatest vacation of your life… regardless of what you do, or don’t do.
You are officially a world-class and may I add,
very accomplished, vacationer!
