When someone tells me what to do, in any area of life, my reaction has long been to do the opposite. Perhaps it is my weakness, but I hate unsolicited advice. If I didn’t ask for your opinion, I probably don’t want to hear it. I am a stubborn redhead after all. It’s practical built into my genes. This is the excuse I tell myself.

Parental advice and travel is something that always tends to be advice I resist. It is the 14 year old in me in some regard. (Parents? I don’t have those.) When a pending travel opportunity came on to the scene for me this summer, I told my parents. Naturally the first questions are “How much do they pay?” and “Can you take someone with you?”. They don’t want me to be broke and alone, advice I resist, but understand at the same time. They’re parents. Years of traveling alone or with someone I believe prove I can handle travel. It is more of a comment on trust, but I still know, they are just being parents.

With Mother’s Day in the U.S. a few days away, it’s hard not to consider our moms. My Mom has been reminding me it’s Mother’s Day on the 13^th for several weeks now. While I don’t think one day is adequate to celebrate mothers, I do know that I tend to travel like my mom, with or without her. And while it might annoy me to no end to hear, “Be careful” and “Wear your sweater” at almost 25 years old, I know she means well. And when I travel, I tend to go how my Mom would. Perhaps it was her plan all along.

The Woman in Question

Take Breaks To Soak In The Scene

Last September, I was able to treat my Mom to a little three-day trip to New York City. We were hosted at some of the best hotels I have ever stayed. We took a movie and television tour of the city. We ate schnitzel sandwiches on bank steps with business people. We were New York City.

While the trip was a grand success, my Mom reminded me that travel should not be go-go-go constantly. You need to take time for breaks. In a city seemingly devoid of benches, we found Grace Plaza and took a break from it all. We stopped to people watch and rest throbbing feet. When I travel today, I am reminded of this saving Grace Plaza, that no matter how much I need to see and do, my Mom would call for a break and so should I. Take time to soak it all in. It sounds simple, but it is a traveler’s saving grace.

Soak in the scene

Get Excited About Packing

The packing love-hate relationship is a common conversation I have with people. They hate packing and I love it. I have long loved to pack for trips and I suspect my Mom has something to do with it. Weeks before she is set to go somewhere, she is already considering what outfits to bring. She thinks about the destination and what would be appropriate.

I have always believed that many travelers forget how important physical appearance can be when you travel. Throw on those cargo shorts and bandana and you are good to go. The places of the world don’t need you to look fashionable. However I strongly disagree. How you present yourself to the world can be a powerful, stereotype-breaking tool. Dressing for the place rather than dressing how you want is the utmost sign of respect to a destination. I believe my mom always gets excited about packing not just for potential outfit pairings, but to show appreciation. Why would you complain about an experience you are blessed to have?

The Much Debated Plane Outfit

Be Chatty

While I have rolled my eyes on more than one occasion when my Mom starts a conversation with a stranger while traveling, I admire her audacity. In New York, she chatted up the Schnitzel and Things food truck owner. She uncovered a story so undeniably New York, one of making it in the big city by feeding schnitzel to the masses.

When I was traveling around Ireland by myself, I had to become my Mom out of survival. If I didn’t get chatty with café owners and bed and breakfast employees, I would be completely alone. All of that pent up lack of conversation would have driven me crazy. I would smile and say things I probably never would say if I were traveling with someone else. In the process I learned not being chatty when you travel is a hurdle you must overcome to have the truest of experiences.

Go When the Going Gets Tough

Most mothers will tell you to stick out situations even if they are difficult. However I don’t believe in staying in places that make me miserable, advice I picked up from my Mom. A little confused after graduating from college, I went to go be an au pair in Italy, only to find a hallway as my room and no privacy. I left, much to the advice of my mom. I was completely miserable and unhappy. I packed up my bags and left for my Italian mother, Loriana, who welcomed me with open arms.

Those motherly qualities are universal. From my Italian host mom Loriana to my own Mom, they hate to see their kids unhappy. We only get one life and a set amount of time. Why spend it traveling to places that make us horribly unhappy? I go when the going gets too tough to bear and I have no embarrassment doing so thanks to the advice of my Mom.

Do you find yourself traveling like your Mom? What lessons on travel has she taught you?

You might say, my hair and travel are my trademarks. Blessed with the rarest hair color in the world, one only 2% of the population has naturally, I take great pride in being a redhead, even on the road. I have previously shared what’s inside my travel toiletry kit, but I still had a hole in that bag in terms of the shampoo and conditioner issue when I travel. I had heard about Lush solid shampoos and conditioners before and decided to give them a go on a test run this past week.

If your hair is long and tangles easily, traveling with liquid shampoo and conditioner is a necessity. I struggle with my bag being too heavy due to this necessity. I cough up $25 for a checked bag because I need at least two bottles of conditioner for a month long trip. Solid shampoo and conditioner seemed like the only alternative to these problems.

The Product

I purchased a bar of Seanik, Lush’s mineral-rich sea salt volumizing shampoo. At $10.95 a bar, I wondered if it would be worth it. A quick sniff and I was back to thinking I was Ariel in the Little Mermaid. With Irish moss seaweed and Japanese nori seaweed, the solid shampoo Seanik makes every shower seem like bathing in a blue lagoon.

I also picked up Lush’s Jungle solid conditioner at $7.95. The smell is something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, supposedly fruity and filled with cocoa butter. I am a conditioner queen so I was skeptical if this solid version would untangle these red tresses.

Pros For Travel

I had heard travelers say how much they loved Lush solid shampoos and conditioners for travel. The first day of using both solid bars, I was surprised to have very soft and shiny hair. You too could look something like this when you travel, if you want to that is.

An obvious advantage to using the solid shampoo and conditioner is avoiding baggage fees. You can feasible go carry-on only and still have enough shampoo and conditioner to last over a month. The solids make for a more economical decision. They also help free up space in your bag. The shampoo lathered really well for a solid and left my hair smelling like the sea all day.

Cons For Travel

For me, the conditioner did not condition. Day after day, I would try to get a lather going on the Jungle conditioner. It felt like nothing was going on my hair. The main problem came when I would go to brush out my tresses, nearly crying over the pain of untangling those locks that weren’t conditioned. I didn’t cry like a did when I managed to get a hair brush stuck in my hair at the age of 8, but you get the idea.

From a travel standpoint, these solid soaps take a long time to dry out and lather up in the shower. While traveling, I never really find the time for lengthy showers. I found myself spending longer in the shower just to work up a lather on the conditioner. Also as the soaps dry very slowly, if you were packing up and heading to your next destination after a shower, you will meet a gummy mess when you arrive. Perhaps it was the Lush soap containers, but my shampoo bar turned extremely soggy in its container. I tried to let the solids dry out each day, but often found the soap stuck to dish. At one point, I had to run to the kitchen for a knife to pry out the bar of soap. I don’t see how a traveler could deal with this, unless they were in one place for weeks on end.

Would This Redhead Recommend  Solid Shampoo and Conditioner for Travel?

That question is not so easy to answer. While I wouldn’t recommend the solid conditioner to anyone with long hair that tangles easily, the shampoo had its moments of shiny glory. I would travel with the solid shampoo, but certainly not the solid conditioner. Men or woman with short hair might find the solid shampoo and the solid conditioner just right for travel.

I would advise trying your own soap dish rather than Lush’s containers. When I placed the soaps in a different container, they seemed to fare better in the drying department. Overall, I am still left with that conundrum when I travel of how to tame this red head. In the meantime, I have to go wash my hair.

Note: This review was conducted completely independent to Lush. In other words, no one paid me to test these products out.

Have you tried Lush’s solid shampoos and conditioners? Have a brand you like better or have you solved the shampoo and conditioner conundrum for travel?

For me, the excitement of a new adventure begins when I start accumulating a pile of “trip clothes”. Within a few days, the pile grows, so much so that the suitcase comes out and the actual process, one I have been anticipating for weeks, officially begins.

However as much as I love to pack, coordinating colors, outfits and the like, I loathe the last part of the packing process, stocking the toiletry bag. I keep a collection of travel-sized products in a cosmetic bag the size of a small baby. Weeding through that collection to find the bare necessities tends to turn into several hours of work. Over the years, I have turned my hate into something more productive and useful.

If you are like me, struggling with this last stage of packing, I have come up with a solution that has aided me when I pack and travel, the pre-packed toiletry bag. These are my permanent travel toiletry bag fixtures, those that will always travel with me, all set to go even when I’m not traveling.

Travel Size Bar of Soap

I used to travel with several 3oz tubes of body wash. They took up unending space in my jam-packed Ziploc bag and in my toiletry bag. After traveling for years now, I have made the move to a bar of soap. Not only does it cost less than body wash, but a travel sized bar lasts me a whole month of travel. Whenever I think my supply of these beauty bars are low, I grab one at the supermarket. They usually run under a $1 or just over a $1. If a last minute trip presents itself, I am ready to go in the cleanliness department. I don’t have to worry about searching for tiny bottles of body wash and losing space in my liquid bag.

Travel Toothbrush

In all of my years of travel, I can’t believe it took this long to make the transition from hauling my large toothbrush around the globe with a cumbersome case around it to a travel sized toothbrush. I would always have trouble fitting the lengthy toothbrush into small cosmetic bags to take on the plane for long haul flights. Now I always keep this mini-tooth brush in my permanent go-to toiletry bag. The brush itself is not too small like some travel toothbrushes can be. The last thing I want to do when I get home from a long trip is unpack, especially my toiletry bag. I don’t have to for my toothbrush at home never leaves its cup in my bathroom.

Mini Pain Relievers

For some reason, I always need an Advil when I travel when I have forgotten to pack one. To solve this lapse in memory, I always have a mini-bottle of pain relievers in my permanent toiletry bag so that I am never without basic medicine. My medicine cabinet at home doesn’t always make my travel checklist so buying smaller mini bottles of pills help with my forgetfulness.

Travel Hairbrush

My hair is long, fine and tangles easily. You wouldn’t think fine hair would be an issue, but I have a lot of it. I had always packed my large hairbrush for I have never found travel sized hairbrushes that didn’t pullout my hair every time I tried to brush. However this mini hairbrush gets the job done. Combing my hair doesn’t turn into a sob-fest and I still save the room in my bag. I can throw this hairbrush virtually anywhere in my bag and I know I am covered when those airplane seat tangles make me look like the bird lady in Mary Poppins.

Slipper Socks

On long haul flights or car trips, I would scramble to find some socks to put on my feet when it turned cold. The problem with big, bulky socks is that they look like socks. When you slip off your shoes on a flight, you become that person with stinky socks and feet. Instead I now travel with these slipper socks from Old Navy. They look very similar to flats, but provide that warmth and comfort you need on plane rides. They also have grippers on the bottom so that I am not slipping and sliding around the airplane on less than cleanly surfaces.

Small Loofah

There is nothing worst than packing up a large loofah when you travel. It doesn’t dry quickly or even ring out quickly. Also it is a drag when you get home and have to unpack more toiletries and items you will need to shower with after 24 hours of travel. I keep this small loofah permanently in my go-to toiletry bag. It is small enough that I can ring it out on a towel when I travel and it is dry. Also I never have to worry about trying to suds up that bar of soap with a creepy hotel towel.

Solid perfume

Nothing can make you feel cleaner while traveling than a nice spray of perfume (or cologne for men). I have long tangled with this mess. I have split bottles of travel-sized perfume and broken glass. I have filled up travel spray bottles and wound up smelling like a grandma. To solve the problem and still come out smelling like roses, I pack a solid perfume. This one from Crabtree & Evelyn eliminates any of the mess of a regular glass bottle or perfume or the bulky body splash bottle.

 What’s in your permanent travel toiletry bag? I can always use more tips on how to make the toiletry packing process easier. If anyone has solved the travel shampoo and conditioner dilemma, please teach me your ways.

When you go into battle, you must leave no patch of person uncovered, except the eyes. The window to the soul is not afraid of a little cold. I begin with the thickest of socks. Next comes the jacket, one I purchased in Slovenia, more like wrapping oneself in a down comforter. I add the one pair of gloves I brought, gloves that would become my second layer of hands. Next, I adorn the one hat I packed, a red wool beret I got in France. It was the easiest hat to pack and a hat I didn’t think I would be wearing every day for two weeks. I then add a silver scarf, probably more decorative than warm. You can only make out my eyes once the hood goes up on my down comforter. I’m ready to step outside in Eastern Europe.

Can you spot me in this picture? My uniform for two weeks

From the minute I touched down in Munich, one of the worst cold snaps in history took hold of much of Europe and Eastern Europe. The freezing temperatures wouldn’t rest literally until the moment my plane took off back to the United States. Most of the places I visited, you would be a fool to wander outside for more than 5 minutes. Traveling became more tiresome. An attraction would sound appealing until the cold came into the equation. I am no baby. I can handle the cold, but not this cold, temperatures below zero for highs and in the teens if I was lucky. That sort of cold starts to wear on you as the days go on.

Travelers can plan and plan all they want, but the weather is never something you can count on. Weeks leading up to my trip, forecasts predicted mid thirties and forties for all of my destinations. I can handle mid thirties. In the end, I had to get on with my trip, even if the weather was less than ideal. If you find yourself in the midst of the coldest of fronts or the hottest of waves, here is how I dealt with the weather.

Pick Up and Go Somewhere Else

I reached southeastern Hungary on my way to Romania. I woke up ready for a 5-hour drive over the Carpathian Mountains, only to see reports that most of Romania’s national roads had been shut down. I had already read driving in Romania was difficult without the weather. As I watched stories of people having to be airlifted out of isolated villages, I decided I didn’t want to make the CNN homepage. So I packed up and headed for green pastures, Vienna.

It might look pretty but I don't want to have to be air-lifted out of its beauty.

When the weather becomes so unbearable, there is no reason to stick it out. I had to eat two hotel nights in Romania, but frankly it was worth it. I could have taken the risk, but in my mind, that would have been pure stupidity. Sure, it was disappointing, but you aren’t going to have a great time battling through 10 feet of snow and possibly getting stranded. Know when it is time to pack up and move somewhere else.

Be Flexible and Refundable

One thing I learned from my battles with the weather in Eastern Europe last month, travel planning in the off-season should be flexible. Because I had each and every night planned out, when I was forced to be flexible, it ended up costing me several hotel cancellations. Next time, I will only book my first few nights and have a general plan of where I will go after. I won’t book two weeks in that manner again for you never know about the weather.

However in that light, I learned just how important “refundable” rates are. You might pay a few dollars more for these prices, but if you are traveling, it can be a nice saving grace. At first I thought I had to keep up these reservations because they were non-refundable, but my mental state and safety were not worth the price. Even if you are the type that has to have a plan, at least make sure your accommodations, tours, etc. are refundable.

Utilize Subways for Touring and Stop in Cafes Like It’s Your Job

Part of the reason I headed to Vienna was how easy it is to get around without wandering in the cold. The Underground in Vienna was right next to my hotel, making it easy to pop up into a portion of the city and pop back down to head to another. I could see the city without dealing with the cold. To make the trip more bearable, I also stopped in any corner cafe I saw, warming up with a hot beverage and people watching.

I think you get the best feel for a city when you wander its streets. I couldn’t wander many cities and towns for it was just too cold. With bad weather comes biting the bullet. Get a metro map and figure out your plan of action in the cozy corner of a cafe while sipping on a cappuccino.

Pack More Accessories

Any picture I see of myself from my two-week trip in Europe, I look like I never changed. I promise I did. I only packed one hat, one pair of gloves and one scarf. If I could do it all over again, I would have packed several hats, several scarves and several pairs of gloves. Also, if I could do it all over again, I would have packed neutral colored accessories to go with everything. A red hat only goes with so much.

Oh look! It's that same red hat!

I always tend to ignore accessories when I pack, but for cold weather, they can be all the difference in being warm or being miserable. Accessories also have a way of changing up your outfit in the cold so you don’t look like a hobo who hasn’t showered in weeks.

The right accessories for the cold

How do you deal with the weather when you travel?

Need to get out of the cold? This post was made possible by Aqua Resorts, Hawaii’s premier boutique hotel chain that offers a large number of Honolulu hotels for all types of budgets.

Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary stay with Roomorama in exchange for this review. These are my opinions about the experience. Yours may vary.

 When the Hungarian version on Matt Damon greets you at your accommodations in Budapest, you know you are going to have a good stay. Who doesn’t love Matt Damon? Roomorama, a service that handles short-term rental accommodations contacted me to try their service on my trip through Europe. While I will always be a hotel girl at heart, I have enjoyed renting apartments when I travel. Being a homebody traveler, it is nice to have those constants you have at home when you travel.

What is Roomorama?

 Launched in January 2009, Roomorama lists apartments, rooms and home accommodations from owners from around the world. Hosts can list their properties free of charge and guests can send out inquires to different properties to see if they can stay for a few days, week or longer. Basically an online booking agent just for apartments, Roomorama presents properties you might not find on other sites for they are real apartments. You get the chance to live as the locals do, but with a price tag. It’s not couch surfing.

How Does It Work?

 My experience with Roomorama was very positive. Once I decided I wanted to use my stay for Budapest, I began searching for apartments. I didn’t want to feel like I was staying in someone’s house though. I like the privacy of a hotel, which is why I was a little skeptical about using the service.

Once you find a place you want to stay at, you make an inquiry with the host to see if it is available. If you don’t want to send a personal message, Roomorama will send their own simple message. I made an inquiry to one property and never heard back. I was starting to doubt the service a bit until I received an email from Roomorama saying they would nudge the host for me to spur action. I still never heard a word from the host, so I began making other inquires and I’m so glad I did. I stumbled upon Green Dream Apartment, right in the center of Budapest. I made an inquiry to the host Greg and within a day, I heard back that the apartment was available. Once the host confirms, you can send payment and you are good to go.

What I Liked

 As I mentioned, my host Greg truly made the experience. Good at communication, he greeted me promptly at the apartment and literally showed me everything within the space and how to use it. My Green Dream Apartment, Green Dream Island, came fully equipped with laundry, WiFi, TV, iron, extra blankets and bedding and even its own laptop computer. Greg even had traditional Hungarian candy and wine waiting for me upon arrival.

The apartment itself lived up to its name by being a dream. The host runs the place with far better service than many hotels. While an apartment set up, I liked that I was in the middle of a real local building, where there was even an old woman next door who made sure to give me those long, local stares.

I think Roomorama really excels with communication. Throughout my entire booking process, I was receiving emails from the company, offering assistance. If a host doesn’t get back to you, Roomorama will nudge them. Once you book, Roomorama helps you contact the host yourself and sort out all of the details of your arrival.

What I Didn’t Like

 When I was searching for properties, I noticed two sides of the spectrum for Budapest. I would either find very expensive accommodations or very cheap accommodations. Some properties will charge you an arm and a leg for an extra person. Also there is a Roomorama fee added on to the price after you make your selection for an apartment. It would be nice if this were included when you make your initial search so that you aren’t surprised when you click on a property and see a far greater price.

I also wondered what that Roomorama fee was for exactly. In my case, I know I could have booked directly with the owner for less on the company website. However, I realize the fee probably covers security. You have the peace of mind that your money is handled safely and securely. You pay the host by giving them a payment code so they never have your credit card information on file.

Overall

 I would recommend anyone to try Roomorama. It is a nice way to live like a local, have far more amenities than a hotel and it also appears to be very cost effective in many cases. Mostly though, I would recommend the apartment itself I stayed in, Green Dream Apartment Budapest. After reading through all of their reviews on TripAdvisor, it is clear Greg treats every guest with such kindness and care. I maintained my privacy, had everything I could think of amenity-wise and had the chance to live as they do in Budapest.

Have you used Roomorama? What did you think of the service?

The night before I leave on a big trip, or any trip for that matter, is usually a chaotic scene. I prioritize poorly. I start deep cleaning my apartment before I have even decided what to pack. I commence painting my nails in a hurried fashion, only to have them look like the work of a person blindfolded. And yet, every time I schedule new travel plans I always promise myself, “This time, I will be organized”.

While traveling is an exciting experience, it can be a stressful one before departure. I usually have a million and one things to accomplish, things I put off for more impractical tasks like scrubbing the kitchen sink. I hate to come home to a messy home, especially after experiencing random hotel rooms for weeks. Then there is work. I always seem to have so much to do before a big trip. Emails have not been returned. Articles are still not written. I always swear to myself I will not procrastinate when I have the extra time, and yet I always do. Throw into the mix packing. I have always loved packing, but I never seem to do it right. It is a mad rush to figure out what will fit at 2AM when I have to be up in 3 hours. And for my upcoming trip to Europe, I made a pledge to myself that I would organize, not procrastinate and have a relaxing evening before I take off the next morning.

What I hope to look like the night before a big trip

Just as you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, I doubted I could do this. While I still have loads of work to do, an apartment to clean and a bag that needs to be packed with all manner of winter for Eastern Europe, I have already avoided the stresses of last minute trip preparation by imploring the following techniques. If you too find yourself a crazy mess by the time you get to the gate due to last minute trip prep, you might want to consider trying these tips out for yourself.

Pack One Area of Clothing A Day Beginning The Week Before Departure

A late night packing session hours before you leave might be the most stressful of pre-travel scenarios. This time for my trip to Europe, I started packing last Saturday. I began laying out different potentials to see what would work and what wouldn’t. For me, it is best to focus on one area of clothing per day. Figure out what pajamas you need to take one day and set them aside. The next day might be pants and the next day could be sweaters. I usually go through my layers of clothing so that I don’t forget anything: underwear, pants, tank tops, shirts, sweaters, jackets, socks and shoes. By breaking up my packing over the course of a week, I can do a little bit here and a little bit there without feeling overwhelmed.

Utilize Layover Time

My layover in Chicago will lend me around 5 hours of time. While I would probably love to sit and read magazines for those 5 hours, I have already set my mind to getting ahead on work. Sometimes in the excitement of a new destination, we forget to charge all of our electronics or use the time wisely. I have been guilty of this fact on more than one occasion. If you have free time before your planned exodus from home, don’t waste it, right down to the hours before lift off. I also find on long haul flights that if I am exhausted when I board the plane, I have a better chance of sleeping. Layover time is not the time for just sitting and relaxing. Accomplish something while you can still move around freely. Using time wisely can be facilitated by knowing your airport of layover residence extensively by using apps like Gate Guru. Also, coughing up the price of a day pass for airline lounges can also be worth it if you want a quiet place to work on your layover.

Set Goals and Place The Frivolous Last On The List

I have to paint my nails and toes whenever I leave on a trip. Perhaps it is the 14 year old in me, but it is one of those frivolous things I generally do at the 11^th hour before a flight. This go-around, I have set goals based on their importance. Finishing work and returning emails must come before the frivolous. Cleaning my entire apartment will be last on the list. By setting goals, I only spend the most allotted time to the things of greatest importance. If it’s 6 PM on Friday and I have crossed off the most pressing items on my list, I can then move on to the frivolous.

How do you avoid that last minute travel prep stress and chaos?

When I search for a ticket for long haul flights, I am usually hungry to find a good deal. This is becoming harder and harder these days as the trolls behind airlines up the price as I debate whether to purchase. There isn’t time to hesitate or think things through when someone wants to make a profit off of you.

On my upcoming trip to Europe, I realized I was far too focused on the price of my long haul flight. I neglected key elements for booking a flight, one that can determine a good 10 hours or a bad 10 hours up in the air.

Learning to fly, with make-shift wings

A Good Seat Can Mean The World

When booking long haul flights, your seat is everything. When I booked my ticket, I took the last seat on the plane, the only one available. On long flights I prefer to be by the window. I believe that it allows more privacy and a nice make-shift pillow to lean against.

The problem with airlines is that they tend to pick a seat for you if you don’t choose yours at booking. As you book your ticket, have Seat Guru open to see the advantages and disadvantages of where you are about to select to sit. There have been far too many times that I have forgotten to check the seat of where I have selected. I then have found a strange metal box taking up all of my legroom or a seat with a great shot of the smelly lavatories. If you are spending hours upon hours on an airplane to cross oceans and continents, your seat should be as comfortable as it can be.

Check The Type of Plane and Airline

Before pressing purchase, research just what sort of plane you are flying. While most airlines have updated their planes for long haul flights to include personal entertainment screens, you would hate to book a flight that hasn’t been updated in ages and features that one giant screen that no one can see.

Make sure you aren't flying something like this

Using search engine sites to book the best airfare can sometimes put you on five different airlines in one journey. The longest flights should always be the best and most comfortable. A quick search of the airline and type of plane will tell you exactly what you will be getting on board.

Consider The Time of Day for Leaving and Arriving

Last month, I came back to Denver at 4PM. I then sat in traffic for two and half hours to get home. When you arrive home or to a new destination, it is important to consider just what time of day you will find yourself. Rush hour morning and evening traffic can make that long haul journey that much more tiring.

If you are leaving in the morning hours from virtually anywhere, that wake up call will be even earlier with traffic to the airport. I try to book flights that are not at heavily trafficked hours to make the day seem shorter and less stressful. If I am worried that I will miss my flight due to traffic on the way to the airport, then I didn’t examine my travel itinerary the way I should have at booking.

Weigh The Advantages and Disadvantages of The Airports of Connection

For most long haul flights of a reasonable price, you are generally going to have to stop somewhere. Sometimes these stops can be for hours, leaving you in a strange airport to wander and roam. If you have a choice of connections, where you will make your stops for long haul flights, be sure to pick the airport you can appreciate for a few hours.

For example, on my way to Ireland, I had to spend four hours in Chicago O’Hare. While I’m sure there are better gates, my section of the airport lacked places to charge phones or to get a decent meal. Most of us want to have quiet places to charge our laptops, phones and iPads before making the long journey overseas. A good meal is also important before boarding a flight for 10 hours if airplane food isn’t your favorite. If you have to spend time in an airport as part of your long haul, do your research about the airport and the terminal you will most likely be in for several hours.

Besides finding cheap airfare, what other things do you watch out for when booking long haul flights?