We often travel with our family. Every member of the household craves such family vacations and each one gives his or her inputs to planning and make sure that the holidays go as planned. However, there are times when we overlook minute details of the trip, which had we known earlier, would have made the journey so much more smooth, hassle-free, and ultimately, just perfect. Here are a few things that we all should look into before finalizing our plans for a family vacation.
1.
If you are traveling with elders or senior citizens, it is recommended that you use those means of transportation wherein the time needed to walk from one place to another is less. As weird as it may sound, we often return from a so-called vacation, more tired than we were before we started out. Commuting by way of a car often helps solve this problem. Grandparents with knee problems and who cannot walk fast are better off skipping the train/metro.Those who find it difficult and tiresome to climb staircases are again better off avoiding buses and subways. To make sure that the senior citizens with whom you are traveling get the best out of their vacation, resolve to use a car as a means of transportation as far as you can. Otherwise, see if you can arrange for wheelchairs wherever possible, e.g. at the airport, the metro, etc. For them, comfort supersedes attractions and one should respect their needs while planning a family vacation.
2.
On the other hand, if you are traveling with kids and say, for example, your toddler is feeling antsy; or, you, yourself, suddenly feel sick, and you are on public transport such as a train or a bus, then you cannot really do much about it. But, what if you are traveling by road in a car? If you are on a highway, you can take an exit at the nearest rest area; or if you are driving in the city, simply make a pit stop at the closest park or restaurant, and take some time to make your child feel better or have some fresh air yourself. Small instances like these can prove to be critical in case any member of the family suffers from motion sickness, etc. Also, having hard candy to suck on can be a blessing during such times!3.
While traveling in large groups, especially if you are with children or the elderly, having certain supplies such as medicines, band-aids, diapers, etc. is essential. Make sure you have the basic medications prescribed by your family doctor in case of common ailments such as headaches, stomachaches, fever, cough and cold, diarrhea, sickness, etc. Something as small as a headache can do much to ruin the mood and spoil the rest of the vacation and most pharmacies do not allow you to buy certain medicines without a prescription. Further, wet towels, brown paper bags, and hand sanitizers are always recommended. You never know when you might need them!Though these few tips might seem too trivial to matter much, it would do us good to remember that it is the small things that count. Whether it means paying close attention to our mode of transportation or to what we carry in our handbag, scrutinizing such details of a trip can do much to make sure that our family vacation goes just as planned! Happy journeying!
Written by Priyanshi Sheth
"Namaste!" from a creative, Indian soul who aims to keep herself motivated as she writes, travels, photographs, and thereby, shares her knowledge.