Thanks to Jane Moore for this terrific and useful post. Jane’s mantra is: travel, eat your greens, move your body. Commit for a month and drop her a line to let her know how you feel! She loves exploring unfamiliar places and writing about her experiences on FitWellTraveler.

There are many reasons to take a vacation. Visiting old friends and family, touring popular sites, or just going to find those out-of-the-way restaurants that serve the best local food are all great reasons. But above all else, a vacation should be relaxing.

That’s the point! You need that downtime to recharge your batteries so you can better deal with the stress of work. But what happens when your vacation is the thing causing you stress? It’s not like you won’t have any fun, but still, a vacation is supposed to be relaxing.

And with a little planning ahead of time, it can be. You just need to be careful about three major sources of vacation stress: travel, lodging, and your place back home.

Getting There Is Half The Problem

Air travel can be really easy — or really stressful. Yet it’s often the best way to get to your destination. So what can you do to make it less stressful? It helps to know your rights as an air passenger.

USA TODAY explains that there are some valid reasons for delayed or canceled flights. Weather and mechanical problems can ground flights, and that’s no one’s fault. If your flight is delayed, be prepared for a longer stay in the airport. Make sure you have any toiletries and medications handy as well as enough money to eat there.

But what happens if your flight is overbooked and you get bumped? As Money explains, the airline must get you a new flight after asking for volunteers. If this happens, you can get money if the new flight puts you in more than one hour later than originally planned.
Lodging And Safety Concerns
You managed to keep your seat on the plane, you’ve landed, and you’ve arrived at your hotel. Your vacation is about to start — unless the hotel lost your reservation. What can you do when your hotel has no record of you? There are several things:

• Bring a printed copy of your confirmation email proving you made the reservation and they confirmed it.
• Stay calm and start by asking them to just fix the situation. You may even wind up with an upgraded room.
• Keep polite no matter how stressful this is. Giving into anger and frustration just makes more stress for everyone.

Check out this article for more ideas on getting your hotel room.

Once the hotel is sorted out, it’s time to finally enjoy the sights. This is one of the best parts of the trip! But to make sure it doesn’t get stressful, you need to be smart about things. Safewise.com recommends keeping your cash and credit cards separately and making a copy of your passport or driver’s license. You never know when a thief might strike.
Will Home Be A Distraction?
Thieves aren’t just a problem for tourists. When you’re traveling, your home is more likely to be robbed. While there is no way to guarantee a safe home, there are a few ways to make it unappealing to criminals.

• Set lights and electronics (like you TV) on a timer.
• Ask your neighbors and friends to keep an eye on the place.
• Make sure all your doors and windows are locked, including those in your garage.

Many have dogs at home to deter criminals, but is keeping them home when you travel a good idea? That depends on your dog’s needs, but you often can. Of course, you will need to have a pet sitter their to take care of them.
You Deserve To Relax This Vacation
Going on a trip should be restful. By taking a few steps for your flights, hotels, and home, you can focus on what you need — that relaxing break from it all.

Buon viaggio!

Image Source: Pixabay