Travel Tips
Active Away Tennis Holidays Blog: Top 10 Flying Travel Tips
Active Away Blog March – Flying Travel Tips! I’m currently onboard an Easyjet flight to Sofia – heading out to Bansko for our Skiing weeks.
Josh Thompson 19/06/2015
Travel Tips Blog
As former tennis players ourselves, many of our coaches have travelled around the world to play professional tournaments, leagues, coach and have a general love for exploring new destinations and cultures. Check out our top Travel Tips Blog from our experienced team here at Active Away.
Travel Tips
• Check for any key vaccines, shots, or boosters you may need for your travel destination as well as Visas and entry requirements upon arrival.
• As the current Covid-19 pandemic continues, many countries are allowing vaccinated people to enter without proof of a negative test where as others may need you to have a rapid flow or even PCR before flying in order to travel. The best websites to check for Covid-19 entry requirements are official government websites for each country because these websites are updated regularly with up-to-date rules on testing, vaccines and requirements.
• Make a packing list. If like myself, you have some OCD when it comes to packing, making a packing list which you can print out for every journey makes the process much smoother and less stressful so you can tick off items as you pack them into your luggage. (I like to use Excel for my packing lists but any form of digital application you can print or tick off on a screen will do the job).
• When looking for somewhere to eat, remember that most restaurants and food places next to tourist attractions are more expensive and if you can walk slightly further away from these sites, you may find some cheaper and more authentic places to eat.
• Use sites like Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google Maps, Booking.com and Facebook to have a general idea of reviews and whether you would be interested in going to wherever you are searching for.
Travel Tips for Beginners
- Try to arrive 1.5 – 2 hours early for a domestic flight and 2 – 3 hours early for an international flight. If you are flying from an airport which you have never flown out of before, giving yourself a small window of delay will add time for any interruptions or issues you may encounter leading up to boarding.
- Don’t carry too much cash around with you in case you lose your personal items or get stuck in any tricky situations. Also bring a spare debit / credit card in case of any emergencies you may encounter during your trip.
- Learn certain phrases in the language of the country you are going too so you can have basic conversations and greet people in their language. We recommend this highly as locals always appreciate tourists trying to learn their language and being friendly when abroad. Alternatively, download a translating app to help you communicate with anyone you may need to.
- Have a digital or printed copy of your passport and important documents you may need as in case you lose them, having a copy will make your next steps much easier.
Tennis Travel Tips
- Most airline companies will allow you to take your rackets in your hand luggage but be sure to check airline websites or contact their customer support team to be sure.
- Pack some of your pre tennis favourite snacks like muesli bars, cereal or whatever you fancy before playing to boost your energy levels.
- Find out about the weather in the nation where you’ll be playing and pack accordingly to protect yourself from being too hot or cold.
- Remember to drink a lot of water whilst abroad in warmer conditions, especially when on court to keep your energy levels up.
- Tennis shoes can be attached to a rucksack with special equipment so they are not taking up more room in your bag. It also gives your shoes a chance to breathe (especially for those tennis players with smelly feet). Check out this link to a great accessory called Zpurs for attaching your shoes to your bags.
Europe Travel Tips
- Check government websites to be sure of any documents you may need to enter a European country. Whilst you don’t need a Visa to enter most countries, there are some who will deny you entry if you do not come with the correct documents. Be sure to check travel advice even if you have been to a country before as rules are changing constantly with ongoing Brexit and Covid-19 developments.
- Try not to over pack your suitcase when departing from your starting destination as the chances are you will buy some extra items and souvenirs whilst travelling and you don’t want to pay for extra baggage fees.
- If you hate queuing and overcrowded places, travel in the off season. Travelling during the off season tends to be cheaper in terms of flights, accommodation and sometimes even tourist attractions. Be sure to check opening hours for attractions as they differ during the off season and may close earlier.
- If you can, why not travel by train? Trains are becoming cheaper and, in some cases, can make the journey smoother depending on your final destination.
- Make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment and long lines for tickets. This is especially important during the peak travel times of the Summer.
- Carry some cash when you go out in case you can’t pay by card. There are certain spots in Europe where it is cash only and you don’t want to miss out on something because you only have your credit / debit card with you.
- Looking for more tips? Check out our Top 10 Flying Travel Trips Blog here.
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