Your Top Holiday Problems Solved: How to Avoid A Bad Experience on Holiday

You may have had 10 glorious days on the beach, eating out at quaint cafés, indulging in the culture, but one bad experience can affect the whole holiday. We know how a little problem can add up to a big negative on it when it’s all over. The next time you head on holiday, we have the perfect solutions to some of the top problems people have while they’re overseas. One ounce of prevention saves the whole vacation.

Jetlag

There’s nothing worse than landing in some remote place, ready to make the most of the time you have there, and feeling like you have permanent brain fog. That jetlag can ruin your first precious days on holiday and rob you of feeling like you’re getting the full experience.

Next time you take a flight, plan ahead with these simple steps.

• If you can, try to sync your body to the new schedule as early as you can. Eat when you will eat on holiday, sleep when you’ll sleep on holiday.
• Try to avoid sleep interrupters like excessive salt, caffeine, or alcohol on the plane. They can mess with your normal patterns and halt your efforts to adjust to the new time zone.
• If you land in the daytime, stay awake until a reasonable hour to go to sleep. Try and stay in sunlight as the sun naturally keeps your body awake and helps reset the rhythm of sleep you normally have.

Sunburn

If you’re holidaying in a sunny spot like Costa Dorada in Spain, then you’ll have excessively sunny days to enjoy your time. But don’t fall into the tourist trap of ignoring your skin. This can lead to painful burns, blisters, and worse if you chronically get sunburnt.

Be smart with the sun by always wearing some form of sunscreen on all exposed skin when you’re out. Even if you tell yourself that you’ll “only be out for 10 minutes”, that can set a dangerous precedent.

Also, cover up with a shirt and a hat when you’re outside. The habit of keeping covered up will protect you even if you forget to apply sunscreen.

If you’re really suffering, go to the local chemist/pharmacy and ask for a soothing balm like aloe vera or calamine lotion to negate the discomfort.

Lost Luggage

Standing around at the luggage belt, realizing that your bags aren’t coming out can be really depressing. You have no control over the issue, but you still feel frustrated and helpless that your bags got lost.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to prevent lost luggage, but you can prepare yourself for the situation in the event that it does happen.

Keep copies of your important travel documents with you at all times. Be sure to file a report at the airport with a complete list of everything you packed, including toiletries. Check that your travel insurance covers lost luggage before you go so that you aren’t left out of pocket or stranded for clothing while on holiday.

Keep your bags as recognizable as possible. If your luggage looks like everyone else’s, tag it with a ribbon or a bright colour so nobody mistakes your luggage for their own.

Food poisoning

If you’re exposed to a whole new cuisine on holiday, you might suffer from an upset stomach. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve eaten something bad, but possibly just that your gut isn’t used to the new food that you’re trying on holiday.

Try to avoid shady-looking food stalls. It might be romantic to eat at a street stall, but they aren’t subject to the strict food guidelines of restaurants and cafés.

Order fresh food when possible. If you’re really concerned, stick to fruits and vegetables with a skin that you can peel. Avoid ice that you can’t be certain isn’t contaminated.

If you do lose your passport, report it to the police first in case it’s been stolen. That police report number will help every step of the way. A call to your insurance company will reveal if they cover the expenses you incur for getting a new passport.

Lost Passport

You know that frantic feeling of searching through your luggage, your pockets, and the accommodation for your passport, only to come up empty-handed? That’s the worst and it can really ruin a holiday if you need to visit a customs office or an embassy to have it replaced.

Take photocopies with you and keep them separate when you travel. Try to keep your passport safely with you wherever you go.

If you do lose your passport, make a report to the police first in case it’s been stolen. That police report number will help with every step of the way. A call to your insurance company will reveal if they cover the expenses you incur for getting a new passport.

Disappointing Hotels

When you’re ready for your holiday and you walk into your hotel room to drop your bags, you would hate to be greeted with a disappointing room that doesn’t meet your expectations. It’s hard to find good hotel rooms online that give an accurate idea of what to expect when you check in.

The solution is to use a reputable source for accommodation or get alternative options like renting a private villa. You know what you’re getting and the site is legit and verified by previous users who’ve stayed in these places.

It’s much easier to enjoy your stay if you love where you sleep. A private villa eliminates that disappointment that you’re bound to experience with a cramped, smelly hotel room right next to the elevators of a crowded hotel. Far better to have the entire place to yourself while you relax and take in the holiday.

Your holiday experience can be just solid 10/10 days, but one bad day can ruin it all. Take steps to resolve and prevent these problems and you’re guaranteed to come home from your holiday feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready to book another holiday.