Ready For Take Off?

First of all, feel good before you get on board the flight. This means get a good night's sleep before you travel. I know its hard because all you do is grab some last minute bits of packing and sort the house or kids out and end up getting all stressed, but try and get your jobs out of the way at least two days before you travel.

Now jet lag. The old question that is never answered.In America they have this sorted with melatonin. Unfortunatley it's banned in the UK, so try vitamin B3, or my trick of setting your watch to local time before you have even landed. Trying to stay up as well to adjust to local time sometimes helps, but remember its always worst coming west to east, so coming home from the states is a bit of killer on the old jet lag.

Top tip for travelling: Wear something comfortable and light that hopefully won't crease. Wear comfy shoes ( I go for flip flops every time) shoes will tighten with cabin pressure because your feet swell, therefore if you take your shoes off don't be surprised when you can't get them back on again for landing, so take or wear flip flops, pop a pair of socks in your hand luggage for comfort.

Carry moisturiser (fellas just go for lip balm, honestly your lips will thank you for it) I hardly wear any make up when I fly these days, unlike my flying days when I was caked in it - though even then I would constantly plaster my skin with a moisture spray. Moisturiser and water are your best mates on a flight, cabin air is like the Sahara, its extremely dry and is the worst thing for your skin and your insides.

Now don't laugh but avoid alcohol!!! Seriously now,I know you are on your hols but believe it or not its the worst thing for you in the air, a drink in the air is equivilent to two on the ground, so yes you will be giddy very quickly and will have a horrid hangover, plus be aware that one of you might be driving when you get to your destination and you might think you are ok limit wise but believe me you won't be, so water, water , water, not fizzy pop just still water. I used to drink two litres per flight and was still dehydrated.

When flying I always go for mini sized products for not only my hand luggage but main suitcase too, saves space and during a flight the mini lotions and eye serum/gels are brilliant for your skin, definately take a lip balm any cheap one will do, your lips will dehydrate severly so look after them

Twomain things I never fly without: My pashmina wrap and my squeezy love..what squeezy who what why?
er its my pillow ok?

Flight socks I mentioned them before you can get the compression ones for preventing DVT deep vein thrombosis, though I have often found just moving around the cabin and moving your joints during flight is just as effective and important.

So check list for take off:

  • Squeezy love pillow (any department store has them, I got mine from Debenhams £9) ,
  • a pashmina shawl,
  • socks,
  • lip balm,
  • moisturiser or facial spray (under 50ml)
  • pair of flip flops,
  • good book,
  • i pod or mp3 player,
  • lots of water on board!!
  • eye mask

oh and should you need them travel sickness bands try sea-band acupressure wrist bands £7.99 for two.

Jo x