Channel your Inner Zen for a Better Travel Experience

Whether you are on a family vacation, a business trip or a press trip, you are bound to run into some glitches along the way. I have experienced lost luggage, misplaced reservations, missing transportation and I have even been told to take a train to an event when no such train existed (and this was thousands of miles from home). The truth of the matter is, it’s normal!

I am a Type A person. I like my lists. I make itineraries. I have expectations that things will go the way I plan. But I have learned that things rarely go exactly as planned so I make back up plans to try and cope with some of the unexpected things that can happen. Here are some quick tips to avoid disaster:

• Pack essentials in your carry on
• Research the local transportation at your destination. Most large cities have Metro apps that will help you find your way around
• Write down some essential phone numbers and keep them on hand
• Keep cash on hand
• Make photocopies of your passport and license and have someone at home store them for you
• Share your full itinerary with someone you can reach
• Keep a portable phone charger with you
• Use google maps to calculate distances and travel times for events, and allow for more time than you expect
• But most of all, find your Inner Zen

Learning to take a deep breath, step back and accept that your plans have changed is the best way to salvage your vacation. You may even find a new adventure while you are making alternate plans. The non-existent train that I was supposed to take in California turned out to be a blessing. I was directed to a subway that was far more affordable and much cleaner than I am accustomed to from my past subway experiences. At each stop they announced the attractions in the area and when we heard that the Walk of Fame was at one of the stops, we hopped off and had an impromptu tourist experience. It was a fun day! We made it to our final destination with plenty of time to enjoy our day and I can now say I have rode the subway in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles!

What are your tips for managing travel hiccups?