Winter Holiday Preparation by Sage Fitzpatrick
Winter is well and truly be underway and for some, this is the ideal time to take a holiday. Speaking from experience though, preparing for a winter holiday needs a little more time and consideration compared to planning a holiday during any other time of year.
Transport is always a good thing to be suitably prepared for. You may have booked your plane, train or coach ticket, which is half the battle, but in the winter getting to your destination can sometimes take longer than expected. In bad weather be sure to leave for the airport or station in plenty of time, as public transport may become delayed or annoyingly cancelled. This also goes for connecting journeys. Try to give yourself a reasonable amount of time in between journeys, just in case your first is delayed and to ensure peace of mind for yourself and those travelling with you.
As for accommodation, in the unfortunate event that you may not actually make it to your destination on time, you will have to contact the hotel or hostel that you will be staying at to inform them of a later check in. Or if you don’t make it at all you may still have to pay a fee for your room, but do check the conditions of your booking, as it may be as simple as re-arranging your stay to another date.
Packing for a winter holiday is also a little tricky. Trying to fit four or five knitted jumpers, jeans and thick socks into your backpack does take a lot more effort and a whole lot more patience, compared to packing for that beach holiday you went on last summer. The key to conserving space and ensuring that you pack all your essentials is to roll items of clothing. Stuff any spare shoes that you’re taking with smaller items to save room and aim to wear your bulkier items whilst travelling. Also be realistic when packing. It’s winter, it gets cold, so pack for all weather eventualities. You don’t want to arrive at your destination with a pair of shorts and a cropped top only to discover it’s minus two degrees and snowing.
And one last thing to remember, enjoy it. Holidaying during winter is just as fun as going somewhere in the summer. And some locations really do become the winter season and look truly stunning.
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