Relax Anywhere

How to choose your Holiday 

 

Choosing a destination for your next holiday is not always easy. Sometimes we all feel we need to escape our normal routine and have some time off but choosing where and when to do this is not always straightforward. It can feel quite overwhelming when considering where to go, even without other contributing factors to consider such as your budget and the time of year. If you have the sudden urge to ski in August for example, you’re going to have to travel much further than if you prefer a relaxing week on a warm beach. There are other annoying factors also, the current sky-rocketing price of fuel has increased the cost of flights too. Recent rail strikes have caused travel problems for millions whether they use the trains or not as the roads also much busier.

If you’re anything like my Dad, you might feel that organising a holiday is just too much effort hence why he just doesn’t bother. Now I am going to try and persuade you to go-ahead and plan your break and help you to not feel overwhelmed or disheartened when considering your options.

Personally, the hardest part of booking a holiday is deciding what type of holiday I want to go on, and considering the fact there are three of us in the family all with very different tastes and opinions of what makes a good holiday, that does require more planning. We don’t always get it right either, we once booked a week in Orlando spent a fortune on park tickets, only for the 8-year-old to be very underwhelmed. When considering this afterwards, it’s really me and my husband that enjoy being thrown around on rides and our kid is not an adrenaline junkie.  We also went on a Cruise during the same holiday, although we all made the most of it, it was a frustrating trip at times. My husband does not do well sitting still, and the sea days were particularly difficult for him. I love nothing more than sitting on a balcony watching the sea and reading a book, but the boys will tolerate that for an hour maximum. We learnt from this particularly expensive error, and our next holiday was two weeks of compromise, and we all had a fantastic time. Although it involved an epic amount of travel (8 flights in total), three different destinations, city, jungle and coast, it was incredible, and we all got to experience a bit of what we love.

When choosing a destination, you must consider the likes and dislikes of your party and I hope, if travelling with others, you have similar tastes. If, like me, you’re a bit deficient in imagination and find it difficult to choose where to go, first consider the type of holiday you want. If your idea of a relaxing holiday is a beautiful beach where you can lie in the sun, read a good book, take an afternoon siesta every day and enjoy some good food in the evenings, then it is not difficult to find a holiday destination within a short flight of the UK, particularly during the summer months.   Outside of this season, you will need to travel a bit further towards the equator to find that warmth.  If a simple beach holiday suits your preferences, then use a website such as sky scanner and see what flights are available, which are cheapest etc. Considering whether you want a lively atmosphere or somewhere a bit more peaceful and use these factors to aid in your decision making.

If a week or two lying in the sun is not your cup of tea, and you know you want to go somewhere but have no idea where to begin, I have some tips for you.  Consider your interests when you’re at home. What do you do to relax when you’re not at work. What are your hobbies?  If you’re an active explorer, enjoy hiking up mountains, kayaking down rivers, then build on these interests when considering your destination. Perhaps you’re interested in history or architecture, art or nature. Use a search engine to help give you some ideas on specific locations.  Pop into your local book shop and spend an hour looking through the Lonely Planet Guides for inspiration.

Don’t be put off by the enormity of the task of planning a holiday. If it does seem like a lot of effort, perhaps speak to a travel agent, and book a simple package holiday that way, the only thing you will need to think about, is getting yourself to the airport and you can relax knowing accommodation, transfers etc are all taken care of for you.

If booking a package holiday seems like too much expense, just take things one step at a time. Make a to-do list before you book anything and always consider your budget. It is not just flights and hotels you will need to fork out for, but food, other transport, and activities also.  The following list might help you get started.

• The very first thing you should do, is check your passport is in date. Previously, if renewing your passport early, they would give you 10 years plus the time of the early renewal. However, most countries will only allow 10 years (for an adult) from the issue date and require a minimum three or six months remaining on your passport.
• Once you have picked your destination, book your flights/travel there first.
• Once you know exactly when you will be arriving, book your accommodation. Consider whether you would prefer self-catering, you will get extra space and privacy from an airbnb/rental for example or ask yourself whether you want the convenience of everything a hotel has to offer.
• Consider the transfers from the airport to your destination. don’t be afraid to investigate public transport such as metros, buses, and trains – we have saved a small fortune using these in the past, and there are often fantastic links from airports to the popular destinations at a faction of the cost of a taxi. If you do decide to opt for the convenience of a taxi, do a google search first to get a rough idea of the cost, and agree the price before you get in the vehicle.
• Don’t forget to organise your airport parking and for added convenience consider the meet and greet option, where you literally drop off and collect your car right from the terminal entrance, this option often doesn’t cost as much as you might imagine.
• Double check any lingering covid restrictions on the gov.uk website.
• Another essential is your travel insurance, I personally have it included with my bank account, so I don’t have to think about it, but it is always worth double checking it will cover you for specific holidays/activities.
• Consider the currency required, will you travel with cash, or perhaps use a credit card, or a prepaid currency card.
• Will you need a VISA for your country of choice? Gov.uk can help with this also.
• Will you require any travel vaccinations before you go? Check out the website fitfortravel.nhs.uk where you can search by destination and see which vaccinations you may require. Some vaccines can be provided by your GP, but for others you may need to find a local Travel Clinic.
• Finally, consider your own health. Make sure you remember to carry your medications with you. If you’re not in the best of health, chose a destination close to decent medical facilities and not somewhere very isolated.  Consider the terrain of the area, are there lots of stairs, rough ground etc. Take a supply of pain killers, mosquito repellent, plasters, antiseptic, suncream etc. You don’t want to spend an entire day of your holiday travelling into town and searching for a pharmacy.

Before travel on holiday don’t forget to check

Your Pocket Nurse Health Advice for Travellers

 

Remember also, a holiday does not have to be abroad and/or involve a flight. We have some gorgeous places in the UK that are worth exploring. Alternatively, why not take the Eurotunnel over to France or Germany? or a ferry to Spain? or even a Cruise from Southampton? The whole point of a holiday is to have some time to relax doing what you love, whether that is being adventurous, active, exploring, educational, or doing very little lying on a sunbed. Planning and going on holiday does not need to be stressful, dedicate a rainy day, some good coffee and be grateful we can plan everything from the comfort of our home and a laptop.