Travelling with family during rainy season can be fun and relaxing. But don’t forget to take care of your and loved ones’ health during monsoon travel.

Be it common cold, cough, malaria, dengue, chikungunya or typhoid, monsoon season means relief from the severe heat and arrival of diseases. While at home, you can still have things under control as you know the surroundings. But if you pack your bags and jet off to another destination for a family holiday, you need to follow some tips. That’s because a traveller without precautions and hygiene will catch any of the diseases common during monsoon.

To help you with health tips to follow while travelling during monsoon, Dr Manoj Sharma, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.

Health tips for monsoon

In a lot of places, schools are still closed for holidays, making it the perfect time for travelling with family. Monsoon has already arrived and it only adds to the beauty of a place. That’s unless you get stuck in a traffic for hours. Travelling with family increases your happiness and helps to relax. However, if you don’t pay attention to small details related to your and your family’s health, the holiday can just stress you out. Here’s what to do:

1. Drink clean water

Finding clean water during travel can be hard, especially if you are travelling by road or heading outside a city. Always go for bottled water that is packaged by a good brand. If you have no option, boil the water that is available to you before drinking it, suggests Dr Sharma.

2. Avoid junk food

Street and junk foods are all tempting, but you must avoid having those mouth-watering pakodas and burgers on the way to your holiday destination. Turns out, street food corners tend to be a source of many bacterial monsoon diseases.

3. Add a disinfectant to bath water

Carry a bottle of disinfectant that suits your skin and add it to a bucket of water that you will be using for bathing. Avoid the bathtub or make sure the hotel housekeeping staff cleans it properly.

4. Iron damp clothes

We carry limited clothes while travelling, so it is possible that they will get wet considering the season. So, if you have wet clothes, make sure to iron them before wearing. This way you won’t feel uneasy in wet clothes.

5. Buy and eat local but with caution

It is good to eat local produce, but make sure to wash them first. While travelling during monsoon, try not to eat anything that is raw or half-boiled as these may have germs or insects.

6. Follow hygiene

It’s true that Covid-19 has taught us to focus on hygiene. But don’t give this healthy habit and make hygiene a priority while staying in hotels, homestays or other properties. Make sure to change bedsheets every day and follow hand hygiene.

7. Enough sleep

Watching the sunrise and attending late-night parties might be part of your itinerary. These are fun, but Dr Sharma says that they disturb our sleep cycle. Try to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours every day whether you are home or on a holiday.

8. Maintain distance from sick people

If you see someone sneezing or coughing, maintain distance. It won’t take long for viruses and bacteria to spread from one person to another.

But if you or your family member does fall ill despite taking precautions, don’t buy over-the-counter pills. Travel with a small medical kit and know your and your family’s triggers of falling sick. So, make your and family’s monsoon travel a healthy and fun one.

Here are 10 travel tips by seasoned flight attendants to make your summer travel experience smoother!

Summer vacations are exciting, relaxing, and the best that life can offer. But as fun as the vacations are, summer travelling can be a nightmare. Well, married flight attendants Rich Henderson and Andrew Henderson, have some advice for everyone. The couple have worked on major US airlines for roughly 10 and 20 years respectively. The two, along with Essence Griffin, have shared 17 tips to survive summer travel.

If you can, travel early in the day

Travelling first thing in the morning is the best way to avoid rippling cancellations and delays throughout the day. Usually, the airport and airline system resets itself overnight so you are unlikely to face the aftershocks of the previous day.

“You face less delays and less weather if you can get on the first flight of the day versus waiting until late afternoon,” says Andrew.

“The earlier on in the day, the less delays you’ll encounter,” Griffin echoed.

“I mean, nobody likes a 5 a.m. flight,” says Rich. “But I tell you what, they’re way easier than the ones later in the day. There’s just fewer issues, there hasn’t been a chance for things to go wrong.”

Book off-peak travel days

Most passengers seek to travel during peak times such as Friday evening or Monday morning. As a result, “these are both going to be really busy travel days,” explained Andrew. “So if you can go on Tuesday, you’re less likely to encounter as many people or problems that you would if you chose Friday at 5 p.m. when work is letting out.”

Leave buffer time in case of events

Leaving a day buffer between your flight’s arrival and the big event will ensure delayed flights don’t wreak havoc on your plans. If you are travelling for a wedding or a cruise departure, for example, a buffer will help avoid any last-minute difficulties before the event.

“I see often people are trying to make the most of their time by cutting it really close. And that really just adds so much stress to your travel,” says Rich.

“Leave yourself a buffer if you’ve got to be somewhere – if you can make it work, go a day early. Because that way you know you just take all the unpredictability out of it, you give yourself time to be delayed and that sort of stuff won’t stress you out as much.”

Avoid tight connections

“We always see people running from plane to plane through terminals,” says Rich. “They’ll give themselves a minimum window of connecting time.”

A minimal transit time might be the cheapest option but avoid picking that. Instead, it is advisable to spend a little extra or explore other airlines.

Andrew highlighted the importance of longer connections, particularly for international flights. If flying long haul, it is best to double whatever you consider to be the “normal” connection time.

“Particularly if you’re travelling to Europe from the US, because all of those flights leave in the evening, and the weather has had time to build up,” he says. “We see a lot more of those going delayed.”

Read the fine print of your airline booking

Policies vary for different airlines. Familiarising yourself with the policies of your chosen airline will help you understand what it can and can’t offer you in the event things don’t go to plan.

According to Rich, this is especially important if you’ve booked with a third-party booking agent as you can be traveling with multiple different airlines and not even realize it.

Since different airlines offer different amenities, this will also help you prepare yourself in terms of what to expect from your journey.

“Be prepared, always read the fine print, always know what you’re getting into, who you’re flying on,” says Rich.

Download all the apps: airline, airport and flight tracker

Airline apps can be extremely beneficial for the duration of your journey. If you’re worried about them hogging space on your phone, simply delete them after the trip.

“If you don’t have the app, you are definitely flying blind. I would never travel without downloading the app for the airline I’m flying on,” says Griffin.

“It’ll tell you when you’re boarding, if you’re running late you’ll know if the flight’s still there, if it got delayed. You’ll see seat changes, gate changes, information about your boarding passes, upgrades…”

Rich also recommends downloading the apps for your departure and destination airport, as well as apps that track flight arrivals, such as FlightAware.

These apps sometimes update before the airplane/airport overhead announcements. Having this intel on your phone avoids you from sitting at the gate or on a grounded airplane wondering what’s going on.

“You can see delays coming, you can see where your plane is coming from,” says Rich. “That helps alleviate a lot of the stress for people. Staying informed and staying connected and educating yourself about what’s happening will definitely help your journey.”

Arrive at the gate early

Arrive at the gate well on time before your flight leaves. While this may seem obvious, Griffin shared that she’s often seen travellers arriving at the gate, takeout coffee in hand, in disbelief that they’ve missed the flight despite having been at the airport for hours.

“Usually boarding starts 30 minutes prior. And most of the time, they want to have that door closed within 10 to 15 minutes before departure,” she says. “And once the doors are closed, that’s it.”

Keep an eye on the flight time and boarding announcements from the minute you arrive at the airport. Check your airline and airport apps for updates. Waiting near the gate can help you avoid running across the airport but you should keep an eye out for last-minute gate changes.

Avoid the customer service line in case of cancellations or delays

Instead of waiting in a line of frustrated passengers, use your phone for searching options online or to call the airline helplines.

Griffin also recommends speaking with the gate agents over the customer service team. Often they have intel they can pass on, and can help you resolve numerous situations.

“If you’re at your gate and you’re waiting and there’s delays, you can always talk to the gate agent right there,” she says. “They have the power and knowledge to get you on different flights.”

Pack snacks

Relying on eating meals on your flight can leave you disappointed and hangry in case your flight is delayed or food is minimal.

“Don’t rely on the airline as your primary source of food,” advises Rich. “If you can bring granola bars and different packable foods like that, or get food in the airport? I say definitely do it. And then if there is food available on the plane, that’s kind of just a bonus.”

“Bring something for you so that you’re not relying on the airline to meet those needs. Because they don’t always, unfortunately,” says Rich.

“You may have a perfect experience where you get all your food and all your amenities and needs are met – but you’re going to be a lot happier on your journey if you are prepared for all the things that could go awry during your journey.”

Griffin also recommends carrying reusable water bottles in your carry-on.

Dress for the journey, not the destination

A go-to piece of advice by Andrew, take into account the inflight ecosystem while dressing. As well as being comfortable, you also want to allow for any eventualities. If your flight ends up getting cancelled or delayed overnight, you might have to disembark and reboard.

Airport fashion is one of the most important things that is getting so much attention these days, and people are actually finding it difficult to decide what they should wear at airports that will give them comfort, so here we have compiled some tips that you can take for your next trip to make it hassle-free.

Airport appearance is now the most crucial appearance of all time, and everyone is very mindful of it. Airport travel necessitates a careful balance of comfort and sophistication. Consider these airport attire recommendations to highlight your design sense while prioritizing comfort.

Just like your favorite actress, whom you most admire. So, if you’re going somewhere nearby or somewhere else this weekend, here are some fashion ideas you should keep in mind, especially when it comes to your appearance.

Comfortable Yet Fashionable

For long flights, choose comfortable attire, such as jeans, leggings, or loose-fitting pants, with a warm sweater or jacket. For added style, wear a distinctive item, such as a scarf or hat.

Pack A Multi-Purpose Jacket Or Blazer

A well-fitted jacket or blazer is one of the best ways to complete any look. It is significant since it elevates airport looks by adding refinement and versatility to clothes, making them great for frigid airports or planes.

For a new airport appearance, embrace modern athleisure clothing, especially tech-infused pieces like infrared-powered athleisure. Choose trendy yet comfy clothing to create an athleisure-inspired combination that will take you from the airport to your destination in style.

Carry-On Bags

Choose a beautiful, functional carry-on bag or backpack that matches your clothing, is airline-compliant, and has plenty of compartments for organizing items. A well-designed bag improves both your airport appearance and functionality.

Take Care Of Your Appearance

Maintain a clean and well-groomed appearance at the airport by emphasizing hair, nails, and skin care and packing essential grooming tools.

Travel With Confidence

Choose high-quality sports and athleisure clothes from brands that make you feel comfortable and confident to get a confident airport style. To exude confidence when traveling, embrace attractive designs, superb fabrics, and attention to detail.

Confortable Footwear

Long security walks require comfortable footwear, with classic white sneakers and innovative patterns providing style and support, assuring effortless travel and an attractive image.

While travelling is fun, your comfort depends on how well you packed. Unlike in the 90’s when you would pack a few t-shirts and cargo shorts and call it a day, style is the theme in the minds of today’s travellers, mostly because of social media. Taking into account the need to save on space, the main goal is to pack versatile attire fit for hiking, dinner or casual events.

We know travel packing can be challenging, so here are some useful tips worth keeping in mind next time you plan to travel!

Fashion Tips for Men

If you’re going on a winter vacation or you’re travelling to a colder climate, consider packing merino travel clothing, a clever way to stay warm, be stylish and save space. Bring along a jacket, even a leather one, to add extra class to your style. If you’re off to a beach vacation, a classic and versatile piece like a linen blazer is a great idea, as this can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. They say the shoes a man wears speak volumes about him. While travelling, the most important thing to bring is a pair of shoes that are both comfortable and stylish. Although this task might not seem easy, there are many online websites where you can find a great assortment of super chic yet very confortable shoes, like Luisaviaroma for example that has a whole section of men’s Prada shoes. For the days you want to change things up a bit, bring along a pair of loafers or better yet, espadrilles. You can walk for miles in them without straining your feet while staying classy for all planned activities. Get a portable steamer to help keep those pants and shirts wrinkle-free because let’s face it, no one wants to walk around in wrinkled clothes.

Fashion Tips for Women

Women are luckier when it comes to packing for travel, especially when going to warmer climates. A colorful dress is a staple piece that is stylish and comfy for basically any occasion: relaxing at the beach, walking around town and going to a romantic dinner. Be sure to pack mostly cotton dresses since they don’t wrinkle as easily as opposed to linen. If you love boots, you might want to pack ankle boots which are great space-savers and are comfort for outdoor activities like hiking while also looking stylish as you go club hopping. A simple plain tank top is worth packing along with a pair of fitted jeans and a flattering skirt. Tank top and jeans is perfect for outdoor activities, while for a dinner date, tuck the tank top in your skirt for a more put-together look. Always bring along a black dress, which is always great for any occasion, formal or informal. What’s more, black goes with almost every other fashionable outfit, be it a blazer, cardigan, scarf or other signature accessory. For footwear, pack low-heeled shoes that range from elegant sneakers to some simple flats since you need the comfort without compromising on style.

Although most travellers tend to ignore the importance of style while packing, it’s worth considering if you want beautiful pictures. Moreover, when you look good, you feel good!