The objective? Make your holiday travels as Live More as possible. The process – not so easy. So we have relied on some great advice from those who have been monitoring and commenting on the many ways/means you can make your holiday travels easier. The basic rule of thumb: PLAN AHEAD – CHECK OFTEN – ADJUST AS NEEDED.
Let’s take these on one by one…PLAN AHEAD! Dude, if you’re booking a tic the day before Turkey Day, expect delays, frustration, and possibly missing mom’s great turkey dinner. PLAN AHEAD. Thanksgiving week and weekend are BY FAR the most travelled days of the year, be it by PLANE, TRAIN, AUTOMOBILE, BOAT, BIKE, OR ON FOOT(which all you slackers/or well fit, who didn’t plan ahead are probably doing together). As such, simple advice follows from the gurus who know much, much more than I. (Maybe we can zipride to Toledo together on the 24th).
CHECK OFTEN! Ok, you have a couple days vaca off from school and you know that leading up to vaca, those days, will be HECTIC!! Work deadlines, final exams, mom’s b-day (nah – you’d do that on Turkey Day), the “whatever” of traveling depending on how, where and how far you are traveling. Guy/Gal, you HAVE TO pay attention to what is going on outside of the 5-mile perimeter of your life. Global warming aside, this is the coming of the winter months.
Sure, you live in FLA/SoCAL but you know what? You’re going to Minni—-! Did you forget that? Maybe you’re not, but ya gotta fly through Minni—-! These sportsteam betting sites will probably give better odds that you will win than your flight will be on time. Think ‘bout it?
Simply put – check the weather (constantly, particularly if driving because holidays at truck stops are not a highlight), check your flights (constantly, because spending holidays in airports is only a slight step up from truck stops), and be adaptive. Which brings me to…ADJUST AS NEEDED!
This is actually where the fun starts, believe it or not (except with those small, tired, children that REALLY want to see grandma). There are things you can, and cannot, control – air traffic, the weather, road traffic, stressed out fam, and your frantic emotions – on occasion. There are some things you can control, such as the two previous items mentioned – PLAN AHEAD and CHECK OFTEN.
If you succeed with these first two tasks – numero tres comes easy. You have PLAN B!! Weather and traffic issues are probably numero uno during this time of year. There are many apps to help you monitor these situations, take full advantage. All airlines have online information on flight departure and arrival delays – not flawless, but it can help to avoid unneeded time at the terminal. Road conditions can be monitored through most states via dialing 511. There are also smartphone apps that you can download through simple searches. Amtrak has real time data on all their lines as well.
Lastly, you need the “bail plan.” If things go south, well…maybe you should, too! – nothing like warm weather in the winter time – think about it! Then again, a nice staycation with the fam ain’t so bad either.
Live More! Travel More!