On The Move

TRAVEL WITH SHOWCOOK Discover the art of travelling with Leslie Back.

ON THE MOVE
WITH SHOWCOOK

Travelling today is no longer a casual and leisurely affair, on the contrary it is full of pitfalls and needs a serious plan of action! From the essential paperwork to perfect packing Leslie Back gives you the nuts and bolts.

'Travellers,' says Leslie Back, 'appear to fall into two categories; the bring everything you might need and the bring only what you use. Where do you fit in?

Do you carry all you own and a soupēon extra, or are you one of those rarefied creatures that strolls up to the check-in counter – cool, calm and collected, just the elegance of chic luggage and a relaxed expression?

Preparing to travel can be easy and untrammelled or a muddled nightmare!

NUTS & BOLTS!

Do some research, learn about your destination. Check the weather patterns and local dress codes, this will help you with your packing. The Internet provides invaluable information on almost every travel subject.

Have a friendly travel agent who will go the extra mile to get you the best value. By using the Internet one can make direct contact with hotels and often get special deals not available to travel agents. However when it comes to those interesting little gems, there are superb discoveries to be made equally there are hilarious stories of quaint adorable hotels that were less quaint and less adorable on arrival! So be cautious and make careful enquiries.

Prepare a checklist of ‘to do’ items and tick them off as they are completed. Keep this list for future trips.

When booking your flights, consider the following. Consult your travel agency about flights – early booking can result in special deals being offered. When you see tempting offers of especially cheap flights, the catch is often the timing of the return flight, you need flexibility for these deals to be effective.

Most airlines allow you to pre-book seats, however they cannot confirm them in economy class, although you often do get the seats you request.

The choice of seats depends on individual preference. A window seat will afford you hours of looking at clouds and sky. You will only see scenery on take-off and landing. But you will be hemmed in and moving about will involve acrobatic feats over one’s neighbour’s legs. Just a trip to the loo will be a mission.

Moving about and exercise is essential. You can exercise in your seat by moving your toes, legs and feet. Not sitting with your legs crossed, and changing your position in your seat regularly can avoid the danger of immobility. Wear loose fitting clothes and drink plenty of water or non- alcoholic beverages. This prevents dehydration, which makes the blood stickier and more prone to clotting.

The aisle seat allows you to move easily. Attempt to book a seat near the bulk-head or emergency exit (be prepared to man it when necessary!). You will have no one in front of you and lots of extra leg-room.

If you follow a special diet, state this when you book your flights. Meals that follow religious requirements are lactose-free, vegetarian and even fat free are available on most flights.

When you are in transit and have long hours to wait, this is where showers and rest are a so valuable. Check whether the airport has a transit area with a hotel or shower facility e.g. Schiphol has both! The shower facility is available at a cost on arrival or you may get these through KLM Royal Dutch Airlines if you are travelling to USA or Canada from South Africa.

Lounges and shower facilities for economy class passengers are not easy to come by, however British Airways are offering them for full economy class fares. For travellers that are prepared to pay, you can access the Premier Club lounges at major airports in South Africa. The cost for international and domestic lounges differ. If you are a member of Diner's Club they provide their members with lounges at certain major airports internationally.