It’s the night before D Day, t-minus 13 hours and 37 mins until take-off and you have absolutely everything ready to go. You’ve already packed and re-packed (and then packed again). Your passport and ticket are at the ready, safely locked away in the gorgeous travel wallet you purchased just for the occasion. You’ve rationed yourself small nutritious snacks for the plane ride and most importantly, you’ve set your alarms early enough to get to Starbucks at the airport, check in and find the perfect plane read.
Not you? Me neither. Let’s face it, the lead up to dream trip departure is a haze of thinking about the things that need to be done and then getting sidetracked by your excitement. If we’re getting real on a whole new level, for many of us it’s just not in our DNA to plan ahead. That being said, there’s good news and there’s bad news; the bad news is that there’s no changing this (sorry, DNA is for life according to science) but the good news is that you don’t need to change it. Instead, you need to embrace your last minute nature!
So for all fellow kindred disorganized travellers, whether you’re headed to Europe or Asia, North America or South America, Australia, Africa, or the exotic Middle East, you can ensure your Last Minute Travels are stress-free and seamless with these five tips:
5 Tips for Last Minute Travel
1. Eliminate booking dramas by following the TFN rule
When going to book your travels it’s important to remember how (and when) to follow your instinct. You should follow your instincts when you’re bitten by the travel bug and catch yourself dreaming of faraway places (those instincts are never wrong, no matter what your bank account says) but when it comes to nearly everything else in this process, you need to pivot 180 degrees away from your instincts. Here’s why: your first instinct will be to pick your places, wonder about the cost, check the flights (and let’s face it, most likely book them because ain’t nobody got time for price comparisons), then you’ll leave your tour booking to the last minute and annoy your boss somewhere in there for forgetting to give enough notice for leave.
The key is to just follow the right order of events, in whatever timeframe you choose to do them. TFN. And before you ask, no this is not the title of Kanye’s next album, it stands for Tour, Flights, Notice. Check the availability of your dream tour and book it without hesitation, because no matter what, you will always be able to organize flights (when there’s a will, there’s a way) and after those are booked, give your notice for work leave (but make sure to pick your timing well and suck up to your boss, because after all, it is a last-minute trip).
2. Be wise & diarise
It is the common practice of organized people to record travel details and dates in a book often referred to as a “diary,” however we’re not them, so just try to aim to put the dates and times in your phone when that post-it you wrote it all on eventually turns up…
3. Checklists ARE your friend
So if you’re anything like me (and I have a strong inkling most of us are cut from the same cloth here), you would’ve actually put a lot of thought into your packing…It’s just unfortunate that the execution is what always lets you down. Regardless of the time frame in which you are booking, you will have purchased outfits specifically for each travel occasion (i.e a French Riviera outfit, A Burberry-esque outfit for London, a divine hand beaded kaftan for the 6-hour stopover in Dubai).
In packing as you usually do (aka an hour before you leave for the airport) you run the risk of forgetting these essential items, so what do you do? The truth is that checklists are your strongest ally in a process that can be only described as the “Hunger Games” approach to packing. Writing a list of things you 100% need can ensure that you don’t get on a plane having packed 2 jars of nutella but forgotten your allergy medication. You’ll find that the things that you’d like to pack and the things you NEED to pack are difficult to differentiate, which is where you have to eliminate certain players from the packing game.
For the other types of disorganized packers, like those of us who prefer to rock the same outfit worn different ways for 3 weeks straight, the checklist will still be your friend. If anything it’ll inspire you to become a little creative with your packing when you see the room left over after the essentials. In following the checklist, you can be sure that you don’t even have to wear one item of clothing back-to-front or inside out the entire time.
Here’s what we all are likely to forget: Phone charger, socks, enough pairs of underwear, toothbrush and solution for contact lenses.
4. Give your bags a Biggest Loser style weigh in
You are bound to try and cram as much as you can in your bag in your quest to be as prepared as a scout leader. Preparedness is good! But over packing is bad because you’re running the risk of having your bags weigh in 10 kilos over the maximum limit.
To save a hefty added-on baggage fee or alternatively, the embarrassment of having to open your bag and hand out 7 scarves, 2 pairs of the same boots (in different colours of course), an animal onesie and a litre of sparkling water to your mortified mother, try and weigh your bag on a scale at home. Just like the biggest loser, there might be some tears shed and depending on your packing efforts, feelings of accomplishment or shame, but keep at it until you get close to your goal weight.
5. Did I mention checklists?
As the plane is taking off you start to feel uneasy. You find yourself wondering, “have I left the stove on?” The solution is to smash out another checklist on the household things that need to be done before you leave. This list will save you from having to call your mother–after she has graciously schlepped home all your rejected luggage–and ask her to do a drive-by your house to check that it hasn’t burned down.
Here’s what we are all likely to forget: Telling a trusted neighbour to keep an eye out for attempted burglaries, organizing someone to feed your fish (don’t make your beta pay the price for your free-spirit), double-checking the doors are all locked and the windows have all been shut.
So whether your plans are set in stone or you are still seeking out last minute travel inspiration, just ensure that the stress doesn’t take the fun out of your eleventh-hour spontaneity. By simply following a few simple steps, you can embrace how your scattered, excitable mind works while still managing to pack your passport.
You really can have it all.
Comment below your tips for last minute travel!
