‘Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, then it’s not yet the end …

Don’t stress about travel. Its not worth it. Life is stressful enough. Things will go wrong with travel. – its inevitable. There are some things that can help:

Time

Leave enough time for your check ins etc. I add an hour to my check in time at Los Angeles compared to Melbourne Australia.   Avoid flying on the day of an important meeting or wedding. Also choose flights with longer layovers. If you have the choice between 60 and 90 minutes, take the longer.  I also aim to avoid getting the last flight out of anywhere if it is important that I need to be at that destination by a certain time. Generally, if you miss a connection, there are alternatives but not the last flight!

Anxieties

Many travel with anxieties. This helpful blog has some very helpful hints on Claustrophobia on planes – apparently up to a fifth of fliers may have that feeling. Also useful for trains and subways (I hate rush hour in London on the Piccadilly line!)

For dealing with a general anxieties (eg fear of flying),  my friend Rod introduced me to a technique called Tapping which my sister and other friends swear by.

Danger

I was talking to a woman this week who said: “she was scared stiff” of her impending trip. From terrorists to pickpockets, she feared them all. In 46 years of travel to 57 countries (including three war zones and a country in the midst of a coup), I have had few major problems. The odds are that one will be safe. Avoid expensive jewellery, look like you know where you are going, safeguard your valuables and watch your surroundings. Learn local customs and try and follow them.