Author: Hannah Leigh

If you want to combine your love of traveling with your love of writing and literature, here are some destinations you NEED to visit. You can walk the streets where some of your favorite writers found inspiration, and become inspired to write a best-selling novel of your own!

1: London, United Kingdom

It might seem obvious, but this is a must-see city for any book lovers and aspiring writers! From Shakespeare to the wonderful JK Rowling, many writers have lived or set their stories in London, leaving a strong literary presence in the city. Filled with history, culture, and a unique atmosphere, London is sure to inspire anyone!

Plan your trip to London properly and check out our list of London’s top literary attractions. Or, even better, if you were hoping for a traditional London pub crawl, check out our article on the best literary pubs in London!

2: Paris, France

Another obvious example, but one you should consider nonetheless. Paris is known for being a rich cultural center for all the arts, and literature is no exception! This city has inspired numerous writers from all over the world: Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Ivan Turgenev, and more! There’s just something about Paris that tickles the imagination, that brings out the artist in us, letting our creativity fly!

3: Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is Japan’s former imperial capital, and it is now known as one of the country’s cultural centres. That fact led America to remove it from the atomic bomb target list because the Secretary of War wanted to preserve said culture. It’s a place filled with temples, shrines, gardens, and a delicious cuisine. If that doesn’t inspire you, I’m not sure what will.

Plenty of poets have sat in the beautiful gardens of Kyoto and found inspiration, and it’s the perfect place to sit and write or read your favourite novel.

4: Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is filled with magical and yet mysterious sights. The Prague Castle, the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock… It’s no wonder that the historical capital of Bohemia is the fifth most visited city in Europe! Its past as one of the cities behind the Iron Curtain also adds a layer of intrigue to an already marvellous destination. From fantasy to mystery, this city is sure to inspire any writer, and intrigue any fan of the Gothic.

5: Alexandria, Egypt

Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria has been around for millennia, becoming an international cultural centre. Museums, Opera houses, gardens, universities… You name it! This is the place to go if you want a mix of ancient history and modern innovation, with centuries of human ideals gathered in just one location. Be it for a story set in a futuristic landscape or centuries in the past, you’re bound to find something to stimulate your creativity.

6: Hamelin, Germany

Hamelin is a German town known for being the setting of the story Pied Piper. The fairy tale is said to be inspired by a historic event that starts the town’s records detailing how the children of the town had left a century before. While historians have long debated what exactly might have happened, the truth remains a mystery. To this day, the town still holds performances of the tale to this day, and the memory of that mysterious tragedy lives on.

7: Colmar, France

Colmar is situated in the northeastern region of Alsace, very near the French and German border. In fact, it belonged to the German Empire from 1871 to 1919 before it was returned to France after World War I. As a result its architecture mixes French and German influences, making it seem like a town straight out of a fairy tale. This is a must for anyone who loves stories that mix the historical and the fantastical.

8: Hallstatt, Austria

Historically wealthy due to its salt production, Hallstatt is a small town nestled between the Hallstatt Lake and the Dachstein Mountains. It is so small that it can be toured in just about 10 minutes! This is what perhaps makes it an ideal location for writers: the small town atmosphere, the isolation, and yet the beautiful architecture and contact with nature means that not only will you have inspiration all around, but you’ll have a peaceful environment to write.

9: Helsingør, Denmark

“To be, or not to be: that is the question.” Though those words were written by our good English friend Shakespeare, the setting of Hamlet is Kronborg castle, located in the Danish city of Helsingør. The play is performed annually at the castle’s courtyard. But if you’re not a fan of the Bard’s work, fear not, for Helsingør has plenty to offer for all sorts of writers. During the Industrial era the city was known for its shipyard and has since worked to redefine itself as a center of culture. Its many sights are sure to inspire writers of any genres!

10: Sighisoara, Romania

This city should be well familiar to vampire lovers. That’s right, the last – but by no means least – destination on our list is Sighisoara, home to the infamous Vlad the Impaler! While some might argue that this fact alone already makes Sighisoara a perfect destination for aspiring writers, there’s also a lot more to it than vampires. The walled Old Town, for example, is so well preserved that it has become an UNESCO world heritage site. Its nine towers make for an imposing and awe-inspiring sight, creating an atmosphere that is filled with something so unique that it’d be amazing to replicate in a story.

If you’ve travelled anywhere lately then the chances are you’ve heard about Airbnb. It’s become one of the most popular and easy-to-book lodging options, and it’s growing every day.

But does this mean that Airbnb is set to be the future of travel? Is your experience staying at an Airbnb location that much better than staying at a hotel? And does the daily growth in Airbnb’s popularity mean that Airbnb – and other services like it – are going to push the chain hotels and family owned bed and breakfasts out of business?

Let’s see.

What is Airbnb?

Before we can examine the pros and cons of this new way of traveling, let’s get a little more familiar with it. Airbnb is an online hospitality company founded nearly ten years ago that provides short term rental options for travelers. The company prides itself on its often unbeatable prices, and homely accommodation options.

Rental options vary from houses and apartments to villas, and even castles! You can choose between having the whole place to yourself, having your own room in someone else’s home, or sharing a room with a stranger.

How quickly is Airbnb growing?

Though they started out as a small business in San Francisco, they now advertise and take bookings for nearly 3 million properties in 191 different countries!

Why is Airbnb so Popular?

Airbnb’s popularity has hit the roof lately, so why is it that people love it so much? Here are some of the reasons why Airbnb might just be the future of travel.

Travel like a local

Airbnb tell their customers that by booking with them they can “belong anywhere”, promoting the idea of becoming part of the local community while traveling.

Airbnb fans love being able to stay with a local who knows the area. They also love how this arrangement allows them to meet new people and experience their travel destination through an insider’s perspective.

It’s a more homely stay

Airbnb homes are exactly that, homes. So travelers can enjoy the personal touch of a local home. There’s no standard-hotel room, no perfectly designed lobby that makes you feel like a tourist. Whether you have the entire place to yourself, or if you’re staying with a host, Airbnb locations are meant to feel like home.

You can make use of the kitchen

One of the major disadvantages of staying in hotels is that it means you have to eat out all the time. With Airbnb, you’re staying in actual home with a kitchen that you can make use of whenever you fancy a bite to eat.

Cooking at your temporary home is obviously much cheaper than buying out all the time, and it means you can explore the local supermarket and eat like a local.

Airbnb is usually cheaper than hotels

Regardless of whether you choose to stay in a room in your host’s home, or book an entire place to yourself, Airbnb is usually much cheaper than hotels or even bed and breakfasts.

Hosts set their own rates per night, but for the average stay, several weeks in an Airbnb might cost the same as only a couple of nights in a hotel. And of course, the self-catered element of Airbnb stays makes the cost of your entire trip cheaper.

Travelers have also found that when traveling in groups, Airbnb stays can even be cheaper, and much more luxurious than hostels.

You’re not paying a big corporation

Whilst Airbnb of course takes a percentage of what you spend on your booking, most of what you pay will go to the local host. Why does it matter where your money’s going? It’s just much nicer to know that your money is going to a local family – it’s as though you’re doing your bit to give back to the local community.

There’s a home for everyone on Airbnb

Whether your budget is $10 or $1000 a night, Airbnb has a whole range of accommodation types. So whether you’re looking for budget accommodation, or luxury lodgings, you’re bound to find somewhere that’s perfect.

Are there any disadvantages to using Airbnb?

Nothing is perfect so of course, with Airbnb’s growing popularity, there has been the odd bad review, and the occasional flaw pointed out. Here are some of the disadvantages of using Airbnb (notice how there’s not nearly as many disadvantages as there advantages though!).

You don’t feel as pampered as you might in a hotel

If you love the feel of staying in a hotel, with staff ready to see to your every need, a maid to make your bed each morning, and maybe even sports or swimming facilities, then obviously Airbnb can’t offer you that.

Airbnb causes some problems for locals

Airbnb has also encountered a lot of criticism as its popularity continues to grow. There are areas where locals have complained that landlords using their properties for short term rental have contributed to the rise of long term rental rates, creating a shortage of affordable homes.

There are also those who claim that as of recently more Airbnb locations are showing up in “trendy” neighborhoods, meaning that locals are pushed out and their community changed.  This causes problems not just for the locals, but also for travellers who were expecting to stay some place where they could interact with locals. Instead they find themselves surrounded by other Airbnb guests.

The quality of your stay depends on your host

Airbnb doesn’t actually own any of the properties advertised on its site, so any issues you have will be down to your host. There will of course be hosts that you don’t get on with, perhaps they’re rude, or their property isn’t up to scratch, or maybe they have some pretty backwards views (there have been reports of hosts being uncomfortable with homosexual couples).

To be honest though, that’s unfortunately something you could get anywhere, in hotels, hostels, you name it. Often, it’s just luck of the draw, and remember you can always read reviews before booking anywhere on Airbnb, so you can do your best to make sure you don’t end up with a nightmare host!

Is Airbnb the future of travel?

There’s no denying that Airbnb is continuously on the rise. People are loving the homely and affordable accommodation option, and with cheaper accommodation available, more people are able to travel all over the world.

The cheap price of Airbnb stays definitely contribute to its popularity, and could mean that Airbnb is set to overtake hostels as the typical budget accommodation type.

And on the other end of the scale, travelers have the chance to stay in their dream home, and explore the more luxurious listings on Airbnb.

So Airbnb is definitely set to play a huge role in people’s travel experiences over the years to come, and despite it having a few flaws, Airbnb is here to stay, and might even change the way of travel.

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.77″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”http://travellifestylemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Vegan-Infographic.png” _builder_version=”3.0.77″][/et_pb_fullwidth_image][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.77″][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Do you want to know more about traveling as a vegan?” text_orientation=”center” title_font_color=”#17892a” content_font_color=”#6b6b6b” button_one_text=”Yes, tell me more!” logo_image_url=”http://travellifestylemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Vegan-Travel-Ebook-Cover.png” image_orientation=”bottom” _builder_version=”3.0.77″ background_color=”rgba(106,165,28,0.22)” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_color=”#158213″ button_one_icon=”%%40%%” button_one_url=”http://travellifestylemagazine.com/travel-resources/vegan-travel-ebook/”]

Traveling as a vegan can take a little more thought and planning than people first realise.

If you want to be truly prepared to globe trot as a vegan, make sure you get our vegan travel eBook, where you’ll find no less than 20 tips on how to make vegan travel a little easier!

[/et_pb_fullwidth_header][/et_pb_section]

Everyone loves the idea of a road trip with their closest friends. It’s the ultimate adventure, hitting the road just to see where it ends. Then there’s the cheesy throwback songs that make for hours and hours of singalong car journeys.

It’s hard to imagine that it could get any better than that, but that’s when you start to consider the idea of a road trip in a country you’ve never been to before.

It’s one thing to take a road trip from your home town, in your own trusty vehicle, but starting somewhere completely new, and driving a route you’ve never driven before, in a hire car, that’s adventure.

The only trouble is that planning a road trip in a country that’s completely foreign to you can be a little more tricky. You need to go through the hassle of hiring a car, getting all your fellow road trippers to the starting point, and figuring out a route worth driving.

To help you plan a successful road trip in a foreign country, here are a few tips and pointers to guide you through the process.

Choosing who to take with you

An important part of planning your road trip is choosing who you want as your fellow road trippers. We all have certain friends or family members that we love to bits, but wouldn’t want to spend hours in a car with.

Driving can be stressful at the best of times, but when you’re driving a completely foreign route in another country, you want to be surrounded by those that, yes make you laugh and keep you entertained for the hours of monotonous driving, but also those that you can trust to be supportive, sensible, and helpful when you need them.

Choosing a driver

Once you’ve decided on your road trip group, you’ll need to decide on who’s driving. You might decide on just one of you, or maybe you want to switch up the driving responsibility, to avoid stressing and tiring out any one person.

When choosing a driver, you want to choose someone that’s confident driving in a foreign country, possibly on the opposite side of the road, depending on where you go.

If you’re all fairly young, it can be a good idea to delegate the most experienced driver as the driver of your trip. You should also look into the minimum age for hiring a car at your destination. Some countries won’t hire out cars to those under 21, and some will incur a ‘young driver charge’.

Hiring a car

Road tripping in a foreign country will usually involve hiring a car, and if this isn’t something you’ve done before, there are a few things to know beforehand.

Choosing a hire car company

There are thousands of car hire companies out there, and to avoid any problems with your trip, it can pay to go with a reputable company. You hear all sorts of car hire horror stories from those that tried to save a few bucks by going with independent and unheard of companies.

Different companies will offer car hire in different places, but if you’re looking for a few safe and reputable ones, try Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz or Sixt. These are all safe options to go with when hiring a car.

Protecting yourself

Car hire companies love to make money where they can. A simple scratch could end up costing you hundreds. So our advice is, always opt for that extra insurance they offer you when you pick up your car (and believe me, they will offer it!). It might be an extra expense, but you’ll have that added protection, and you can enjoy your road trip without constantly fretting about the car.

Also, take a quick video of your hire car before you drive off in it. If there are any existing scratches, bumps, dents or marks, make sure you have evidence that they were there when you picked up the car. It might sound pedantic, but you don’t want to be paying for anything that wasn’t your fault.

What do you want from a route?

The next decision you’re going to need to make when planning your road trip is what route to take. This can be pretty difficult to work out and plan, especially if you’ve never even visited the country you want to road trip through. Here are a few things to consider when planning what route you’re going to take.

Scenery

Even if you’re traveling with the most interesting of people, a boring drive is still a boring drive. If there’s nothing to see but road for miles, you might want to consider taking a different route that’s a little more scenic. Sure, a scenic route might take you a little longer, but having those photo-worthy spots to stop off at along the way can make all the difference.

If the route is interesting to drive, you’re less likely to get tired, bored and irritable. Instead, you’ll all marvel at the amazing sights along the way. There’ll be plenty more opportunities to pull over for a selfie, and that’s plenty more opportunities for the driver to have a break.

Gas stations

The last thing you want to happen on your road trip is for your fuel gage to drop to low, and there not to be a gas station for hundreds of miles.

When planning your route, check out how many gas stations there are along the way. If there’s loads, great. If they’re few and fair between, you might need to be a little more sensible with your fuel (no more wheel spins or doughnuts!).

Civilisation

Depending on where you’re heading on your road trip, you might find a route that’s beautiful and scenic, but there might not be any civilisation for miles.

Fair enough, you might be looking for a getaway, but what if you break down, or need to stop to use a restroom? What if you get a little peckish, or decide you want to stopover somewhere rather than driving through the night?

Check that there’s at least some nearby civilisation on your route, whether it’s a nearby town, or even just a motel or garage. It could make all the difference in your journey.

A worthwhile destination

Generally, the point of road trips isn’t just to drive aimlessly. If you want your trip to have direction, you want to have a worthwhile destination, somewhere that you’re all looking forward to arriving at.

Without an exciting destination, the drive is going to get boring pretty quickly, and before long you’ll start asking yourself where you’re even going.

Pick a good destination and you’ll have an exciting car journey there, with something to look forward to, and you’ll have plenty of stories to go over and memories to relive and recount on the journey home.

To sum up…

Whilst it might be easy to hop in a car and go when you’re starting from your home town, it takes a little more planning before you can set off on a road trip in a foreign country. It might be more effort during the planing stage, but it will be well worth it when you set off, trust me.

If you want to see just how amazing a road trip in a foreign country can be, check out the video of our Croatia road trip – you might just be inspired to start planning your own trip!

Croatia is becoming more and more popular as a travel destination, so we decided to check it out for ourselves.

We took a road trip from Zagreb, to Plitvice Lakes National Park, to Skradin and Krka National Park. And I think it’s safe to say, that if you want to see everything Croatia has to offer, a road trip is the way to do it.

Here’s a video of our travels and adventures through Croatia!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jysPoc5f4Qk[/embedyt]

 

If you fancy a roadtrippin’ your way through somewhere new, check out our Planning A Road Trip In A Foreign Country post!

For most budget travellers, hostels are a huge part of the travel lifestyle.  Even those who prefer luxury travel experiences will likely experience hostel life at least once on their travels.

Hostels are the best accommodation option if you want to travel without breaking the bank. But there are a few things you should be prepared for if you’re heading to a hostel for the first time. If you’re completely new to hostels, you might find some of these a tad shocking – but that’s not to say you won’t thoroughly enjoy staying in a hostel nonetheless!

1. You might have to make your own bed

   If you’re used to plush hotels, this might come as a bit of a shock. Usually, when you check into a hostel, you’ll be told what dorm you’re in, and then you’ll be handed a bundle of linen – with which you make your own bed!

   

2. You might get bed bugs

   Most people are really shocked to hear that hostel beds are often riddled with bed bugs, but if it’s of any consolation, you’re just as likely to find them in hotel rooms too.

   Whether or not you get bed bugs depends largely on where you’re traveling to. In some places, they’re part of the hostel experience, but in other places they might be unheard of. Even if you do end up sleeping in a bed with these critters though, they’re not actually that bad. You’ll wake up with a few bites, and you might spend the day itching and scratching, but other than that, they’re not actually too bad!

3. People will have sex in your dorm room

   This is one thing that you really do need to prepared for, especially if you’re someone who’s uncomfortable even saying the word… Half the people you’re sharing a dorm with will be too drunk to care about going anywhere private, and the other half will be ‘free spirits’ who are so at one with their bodies and natural urges that they won’t hesitate to get down to business in front of anyone and everyone. They might try and be discreet, but you’re still going to hear everything.

   

4. People will have sex in the bathroom

   It’s not just dorm rooms that people have sex in either. Those that are a little more bothered about disturbing those in their dorm room might take it somewhere a little more private…like the public bathroom. So think twice before going for a wee in the middle of the night.

5. There’s no alone time, or privacy, in a hostel

   If you’re a fairly private person, or you value your alone time, you’ll need to prepare for 24/7 socialising. From the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to sleep, you’ll be surrounded by chatty and excited travellers.

   Even the most introverted of travellers often enjoys the social atmosphere at least a little though. Hostels are the perfect place to make new friends from all over the world.

   

6. You’ll only get one, very flat pillow

   If you’re looking for luxury, generally, you’re not going to find it in a hostel. When you make your own bed, you won’t have much to work with. On one hand, this makes it super easy to make the bed, but on the other hand, you’re going to have to put up with the flattest pillow you’ve ever seen. If you like a bit more volume to your pillows, try stuffing some of your clothes under the hostel pillow – it works a treat.

7. Lots of hostels won’t have air con

   Most hostel goers are familiar with the nightmare of hostels without air con. If you end up in one of these hostels, it’s fair to say you’re in for a fairly hellish night (or nights if you’re there for a while!).

   You’ll be laying in your bed bug riddled bed, sweating buckets, and struggling to breathe in the thick and humid air. Meanwhile, your room mates will probably be making the matter worse by having rampant sex, adding more heat and sweaty smells to the room. Moral of the story? Book hostels with air con if you can! And if you can’t, getting insanely drunk might be the way to get through it.

8. Hostels showers can be pretty grim

   There’s a reason people take flip flops to wear in the shower. Hostel showers can often be as luxurious as standing in a puddle of toilet water. Hundreds of people use hostel showers each week, so you’re looking at germs from hundreds of travellers, and quite frankly, you don’t know where they’ve been. It’s also not unheard of for those that stumble back drunk to vomit in the shower, so prepare yourself for that.

   

9. You’re going to meet some creepy people

   Ask any hostel goer, and they’ll have some story about a creepy guy or girl that they spent days trying to avoid. Every hostel has its fair share of creepy visitors – maybe they’ll stare intently at you over breakfast, or tell slightly psychopathic stories. Either way, it’s probably going to freak you out.

10. You’re going to meet some lovely people

    As well as creepy people though, you’re going to meet some lovely people – people that you’ll be convinced are now your best friends, or the love of your life. But just prepare yourself for the fact that most people in hostels move on after a few days, and you might never see them again.

11. Don’t expect decent Wi-Fi

    If Wi-Fi is a vital part of your daily existence, you might need to wean yourself off of it for a while whilst staying in hostels. It’s rare to find a hostel with decent Wi-Fi, especially if you’re in a remote corner of some distant country.

    And when you do find a hostel with Wi-Fi, you’ll probably find that it only works in public areas – like reception. And you can bet money on the fact that people will be huddled around the Wi-Fi hot spot like penguins.

So to sum up…

So now you know some of the shocking normalities of hostel life. On the surface, I’ll admit, it sounds pretty grim. But you’d be surprised at how enjoyable life in hostels can be, despite all this. You sort of learn to accept a lesser quality of life, and sometimes that means you enjoy yourself ten times more. Bed bugs become laughable, flat pillows become the norm, and really dire situations become a good story to tell later down the line.

Traveling as a couple can be quite a different experience to traveling solo or with friends. It has a completely different vibe. It can be an incredible experience, and one that helps you grow as a couple. However, there are some things you should know about traveling as a couple.

There will be times when you’ll want to do separate things

Remember, both you and your partner are different people, with different interests. So the chances that there are going to be points where you both want to do different things, and that’s okay!

If you’re traveling long term, you’ll need to learn to be together, but apart. What I mean by that, is that yes you’ll be traveling together, but it’s okay for you to split up sometimes. That way you can both see everything you want to see, and mingle with people you want to mingle with. You might not be together during the day, but it’s coming back to each other after your individual adventures that counts. Then you can tell each other about your days, and doing so might even bring you closer.

You’ll further discover your independence within the relationship

One thing that couples often struggle with, is finding their independence within the relationship. It’s easy to start to view yourself as a girlfriend or boyfriend, and forget to focus on your individual identity.

When you go traveling with your partner, you’ll rediscover your individuality. You’ll experience things both together and as individuals, and in doing so you might even find that you fall in love with each other all over again.

You’re probably going to argue

Traveling can be stressful, especially if it’s your first time traveling together. And naturally, you’re going to have arguments. Maybe you’ll be tired or jet lagged, and you won’t be able to help getting irritable and snappy. And that’s something you’ll need to be prepared for as a couple.

Even if you argue, you’ll need to find a resolution when traveling together, and you’ll need to make up afterwards and go back to being there for each other. Just don’t view arguments as the be all and end all of your relationship.

Your travels probably won’t be as party or drinking-orientated

When you travel as a couple, the vibe of your travels will be slightly different to that of solo travel trips, or travel trips with friends. When you travel alone or with friends, your trip has a tendency to focus around drinking and socialising. But when you travel with your significant other, you might not be as enthusiastic on the drinking front. You might find that you replace the partying travel lifestyle with cultural and adventure experiences.

Your relationship might be put to the test

Traveling the world with your partner will put the pair of you in situations you’ve never come across before. There’ll be more people around, new temptations, and new opportunities – all of which can challenge your relationship.

That’s not to say that you can’t get through these challenges though. In fact, if you manage to face any struggles and challenges together, you’ll come out of it stronger than ever.

You’ll go through ‘honeymoon stages’

Traveling together is exciting, there’s no denying that. And it can feel like the most romantic thing in the world. You’ll be living the dream! So whilst you might have arguments along the way, you’ll go through periods that feel like honeymoon stages – you’ll feel more in love than ever before. The trick is to carry that love on when your travels come to an end.

To sum up…

Traveling as a couple will put new strains on your relationship, but it will also bring you closer together than you’ve been. Make sure you deal with everything your travels throw at you as a couple, but also remember to fulfil your individual needs, and (excuse the cliché) ‘find yourself’ along the way.

There are so many amazing moments and memories that come with a traveling lifestyle, but one of the not-so-amazing parts of traveling is jet lag. It gets even the best of us, and sometimes it lasts for days. It’s not even just the tiredness that affects us, in fact, it can even cause indigestion, tummy troubles, loss of appetite (which is a real shame when you’re in a new place with new food), and lack of concentration. And the worst part is there seems to be no getting around it! But, there are some things you can do (or not do) to get over it as quickly as possible. Here are 25 do’s and don’ts to help you defeat the dreaded jet lag.

The Do’s

1. Do set your watch to your destination’s time before you take off

   Before you’ve even taken off, start getting used to the new time zone. Set your watch, and/or the time on your digital devices to the time zone of your destination. The sooner you start getting used to it, the sooner you’ll get over the jet lag that comes with it. This will also help you plan when to sleep or not sleep on the plane.

2. Do eat healthy foods

   Both on the plane, and afterwards, when you’re feeling the effects of jet lag, eating healthy foods can help you overcome symptoms of jet lag. Stay away from heavy, carbohydrate-rich foods, especially on the plane, as these are just going to send you to sleep. Protein rich foods, and fruits and vegetables are always a good idea. They’ll give you the energy you need to stay awake.

3. Do get some sleep at the right time

   If you want to make the most of the days you have at your destination, or if you want to get back on your feet as quickly as possible after coming home, you’ll need to make sure you’re getting some sleep at the right time. It might be a little difficult, and you might find yourself waking up during the night, but do your best to get as much natural sleep, at the right time, as possible.

   This also applies whilst you’re on the plane. If you’re flying during your destination’s night time, try and get some shut eye, even if you’re not all that tired.

4. Do pack a sleep mask

   This is essential if you want to get some good sleep on the plane. If your flight is during your destination’s night time, it’s important to try and get some rest in then. The only trouble is, the lights are often on, or the light is shining in from the outside, or someone next to you is using a particularly bright laptop. Any small detail like this, and you’ll find it near impossible to get any sleep at all. So pack a sleep mask, and you’ll be able to shut out all of the distractions, and create complete darkness – exactly what you need to get a good rest.

5. Do pack headphones

   You’ll also want to block out noise, as well as light. Noise can be just as distracting, if not more. Whether it’s a screaming child, the dinging seatbelt sign, or the tipsy chattering of a hen party, any noise is going to keep you up when you should be sleeping.

6. Do get enough water

   If you don’t drink enough water whilst you’re struggling with jet lag, this dreaded tiredness will start to resemble an awful hangover. The last thing you want when your body clock is already messed up, is the added symptoms of dehydration.

7. Do get out in the sun (and wear sun screen)

   By getting out in the sun, your body will soak up all the goodness and vitamin D that comes with each ray of sunshine. Plus, the more natural light you expose yourself to, the less likely you are to start feeling like it’s time for a nap. The natural light will reduce your body’s melatonin levels, melatonin being what makes you feel tired of an evening.However, if you’re going to get out in the sun, make sure you wear sun screen. The last thing you want when you’re already feeling jet lagged is

8. Do keep busy

   Keep yourself busy and you won’t have time to worry about feeling jet lagged. On the day you arrive in your destination, and the days afterwards, pack your days full of fun activities. If you’ve only got a limited number of days at your destination, you don’t want to waste them nursing the symptoms of jet lag, so keep busy and don’t let jet lag ruin any of your precious holiday days.

9. Do keep active

   Sometimes getting active is the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling jet lagged. But a bit of exercise is one of the best things for getting over the awful timezone tiredness. As well as taking your mind off your adjusting body clock, the more active you are, the quicker your body will adjust to the new timezone.

10. Do use caffeine strategically to keep yourself awake

    Sometimes, jet lag hits you hard, and you might need a little help keeping yourself awake. Most of us are fans of coffee or at least tea, and these caffeinated drinks can be a God-send when you can barely keep your eyes open.

    Obviously don’t go overboard, as caffeine isn’t great for you. But a few coffees throughout the day can be the perfect solution to staying awake until it’s time for bed. Another bonus to using caffeine strategically is the ‘caffeine crash’. Normally, this is the bane of every coffee drinker’s life, but you might actually welcome it when you’re jet lagged. By the time it reaches bedtime, your caffeine crash will have kicked in, and you might just sleep like a baby, despite your adjusting body clock.

The Don’ts

1. Don’t drink alcohol when you’re feeling jet lagged

   Jet lag has a tendency to feel a bit like a hangover, so you really don’t want to add an actual hangover on top of it. Plus, alcohol dehydrates you, and if you want to get over your jet lag as quickly as possible, you need to stay hydrated.

2. Don’t drink the night before traveling!

   The no drinking rule also applies to the night before you travel. If you want to be tactical about getting over jet lag, you’ll need to start helping your body adjust on the plane. But if you’re hungover and dehydrated when you fly, your body is going to be focused on recovering from the previous wild night. And trust me, it’s going to take a lot longer to recover from a hangover AND jet lag, than just jet lag.

3. Don’t forget to eat

   To get over tiredness, jet lag in particular, you want your body to be at its strongest. And to be at its strongest your body needs fuel – food. Otherwise, you’ll be running on empty, and your body is going to struggle to adjust.

4. Don’t eat junk food

   Whilst making sure you eat enough is important, that’s not to say that you should scoff down anything and everything that takes your fancy. Try and steer clear of junk food, as tempting as it can be, and instead have a healthy alternative.

   Junk food doesn’t do your body any favours. You’ll actually feel more tired and unwell after eating it, and your body won’t have the nutrients it needs to effectively battle the symptoms of jet lag.

5. Don’t just stay indoors

   If you stay indoors when you’re feeling jet lagged you’ll end up giving in to your tiredness. It’s difficult to stay active and busy when you’re indoors. In fact, it’s much more tempting just to slob out on the sofa, and maybe have a nap. So rather than staying indoors, get out and about! That way you’ll recover from jet lag much quicker.

6. Don’t arrive at night (where possible)

   If you can choose what time you fly, try and avoid arriving at night. Arriving during the night can make jet lag much worse. The first thing you feel when you get somewhere new is excitement, and the last thing you want to do is sleep. So if you arrive at night, the chances are you’re probably not going to get a great night’s sleep.

7. Don’t take sleeping pills

   Sleeping pills can actually make you feel more jet lagged in the following days after you land. Your body needs to adjust naturally, and sleeping pills can cause confusion in your body’s adjustment. So if you can get to sleep without them, it’s often best not to take them.

8. Don’t drink too much coffee

   Whilst coffee can be used strategically with jet lag, it’s important not to overdo it. Drinking too much coffee can interfere with your body’s adjustment. It can make it difficult to get to sleep, or if you have a caffeine crash in the day time, you might just end up falling asleep before it’s even dark.

9. Don’t have a nap on arrival

   If you arrive during the day and have a nap, you’ll find it much more difficult to get to sleep at the right time later on. If you want to get over jet lag as quickly as possible, you’ll need to get used to the new timezone as soon after arrival as you can. The best way to do this is to get a good night’s sleep at the right time. So if you nap, and then can’t sleep at night, you might just drag your jet lag out for another day.

10. Don’t think about it too much!

    You know when you get a cut, or a graze, and you know how it hurts more when you think about it? It’s exactly the same with jet lag. The more you think about it, the more you’ll feel the effects. So do your best not to think about it! Don’t count the amount of hours you’ve been awake for, or think about what time it is back home. Just tell yourself that you’re already used to this new timezone. It’ the age old remedy of ‘mind over matter’.

So to sum up…

There are a whole load of things you can do to get over jet lag as quickly as possible, or at least make the symptoms a little more bearable. From thinking a little more carefully about your diet, to getting active, and avoiding having a nap, you can easily overcome the dreaded jet lag without it affecting your travels too much. You’ve read the 20 tips, so now it’s up to you to take action and defeat this timezone tiredness!