Travel is a fact of life, whether for business or for pleasure. For many business people, frequent travel is a frequent event. Over time, seasoned travelers have been able to come up with ways to simplify being on the road. However, in today’s changing economy, many people are experiencing job and career changes. As a result, the friendly skies are full of those who are new to business travel and finding themselves overwhelmed and exhausted. And since am in the tourism sector I took the advantage of the changing situation to find out the tips that make travelling much easier or less time-consuming. 1. Make a list of all the products you use throughout the course of an average day. (Shower gel, deodorant, shampoo, moisturizers lotion, hair spray, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, etc). 2. Take your list with you to the store and purchase one of every product on your list in a trial size. Also buy a small inexpensive hair dryer that’s for ladies, a mini shower scrubbier and an extra small comb or brush. At the same time, purchase a travel case large enough to accommodate all these new items. 3. After shopping, put a handful of cotton balls, swabs and safety pins into three separate baggies. Pack your new travel toiletries and your baggies into your travel case and keep it packed this way and stored in your luggage at all times. 4. After you return home from each trip, refill your travel size toiletries then put the newly replenished bag into your suitcase until your next trip. You will never have to pack toiletries for travel, if you always keep this bag packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. 5. Roll clothing into cylinders when packing. It takes up less space and it will help keep wrinkles down. Also, roll socks and underwear up and stuff them inside your shoes. Not only will it make more space in your luggage, but it helps keep your shoes from getting crushed. 6. Pack clothing that resists wrinkling, such as polyester blends, wool blends, microfibers, silk, and rayon. Avoid packing 100% cotton or linen when possible. 7. To avoid having to bring two pairs of dress shoes, choose one neutral color and build your wardrobe around it. Don’t bring outfits based on both black and brown, because then you’ll need both black and brown shoes and belts. 8. Bring one suit and several pieces to change its look. Men can wear the same suit with varying color shirts and ties. Ladies can create several different outfits from just one skirt, one jacket, a pair of coordinating pants, and a few blouses. 9. Call your hotel ahead of time to ask if they will provide personal items such as an iron, clothing steamer, and hair dryer. If so, you’ll have extra room in your luggage for other things. 10. Carry on you your important documents, toiletries, medications, and one change of clothes in case your luggage gets lost and then here comes the most essential of all is to get a big wallet that takes passport, tickets and receipts all together in one place that way traveling can be simpler and go smoother if you create an effective system and follow it consistently. One might wonder why am insisting on light packing but of all the traveling skills that you might acquire travelling light is one which is likely to result into a relaxed productive, stress-free travel experience. My reasons being, Security: with a greatly reduced need to check baggage or otherwise entrust it to the care of others, you are much less likely to lose your belongings to theft, damage, or misrouting. Economy: you don’t have to pay porters and other to carry your staff for you. You eliminate extra baggage charges and many airlines now charge for all checked baggage. You are more able to take public transportation rather than taxis. You can even walk! All of which also bring you into more intimate contact with the people and places you have come to visit. Flexibility: less stuff means greater mobility, which gives you more travel options. You needn’t arrive at the airports as early for check in which takes forever and needs early arrival. You can more easily deal with delayed transportation and missed connections because you can choose alternatives without worrying about what will happen to your belongings. Serenity: if there is a bottom-line; it’s that travelling light is simply a better, more hassle-free way to go. We’ve always seen hapless folks at the airport, with too much baggage worried that they have lost track of something or left something behind. The one-bag traveller copes by operating from a solid, familiar foundation, with fewer unnecessary things to worry about. umurungiritah@yahoo.com
