This is a paid collaboration with Mister Spex however all opinions (as always) are very much my own.
It’s that time of year again when I spend most of my time trying to put on as many layers of clothing as possible, chain drinking cups of tea from within the comfort of my clothing cacoon that I have formed around myself, and browsing travel sites wistfully hoping a fortnight in Mallorca will suddenly appear for the grand total of £20 per person.
I am so ready to grab my suncream off the bathroom shelf, dust it off, and head to somewhere warm. And, as I have earmarked 2020 as my year of travel, when is a better time than now to start planning for my perfect winter getaway? So, I thought I would put together a little post detailing all my travel planning hacks to make your life a little bit easier.
Update your look with Mister Spex
One thing I have learnt as I have gotten older is that accessories can make or break an outfit – especially when they are accessories that you wear on your face. Yes, I am talking about glasses. Nothing can take your look from airport chic to librarian geek in the blink of an eye like the wrong style of glasses can. Thankfully, Mister Spex has your back. Their site boasts hundreds of well known brands (and some hidden gems) that can be tailored to your prescription. What’s more is that you can adapt your search to fit exactly what you are looking for by filtering by head width, frame style, face shape, and more. This will help you to find something super flattering and have you looking your very best for your trip in no time.
Personally, I love a good cat eye frame. I think they look so chic and Audrey Hepburn-esque (even if I do look more Bridget Jones on a mini break in them). But recently I have absolutely fallen for browline frames too. They are very much ‘librarian but make it fashun’ and that is a look that I am totally down with.
And, if you are planning on heading somewhere hot, Mister Spex has got you covered there too. Their site has a whole section dedicated to sunglasses – many of which can be catered to your prescription too. They stock everything from Ray Bans to Dior – something to fit every taste and have you looking like an A-List jetsetter in no time (even if you’re only using them to disguise your jet lag induced eyebags).
Make use of the Instagram location tag
This is my first port of call whenever I am planning a trip. First of all, I do a generic search of the location. Usually that brings up a few key locations like famous beauty spots and, if you are lucky, cute restaurants or cafes. Try to click through to their own page and make note of the exact locations and company names. Then type into the location search the name of the hotel you are looking at. This will likely show more recent and realistic images of the hotel itself and give you an idea of whether the pictures on the website are misleading or not. Also, if you find someone who has posted their location in the destination you are wishing to visit, you can sometimes click through to their profile and find either other grid posts from their trip or, if you are really lucky, an entire stories highlight dedicated to everywhere they visited. Use this to get a feel for the place and get an idea of other places worth visiting on your trip.
Reach out to travel bloggers
Another way I plan for a trip is by reading blog posts people have written about the destination. We all know bloggers have a sixth sense for cute spots and cool cafes so they are your best bet for finding awesome stuff to fill up your itinerary. Just hop onto Twitter and ask if anyone has a blog post about your location. Use the #bloggerswanted or #bloggersrequired hashtags if you don’t follow many bloggers and your replies will soon be full of links to everything from hotel reviews to which is the best place to go deep sea diving.
Research the culture of the place you plan to visit
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to travel is people not being respectful of local culture and/or religions. Be sure you research the place you are looking to travel to. For example, if you are going to a strongly religious country then consider dressing a bit more modestly. A quick google will tell you everything you need to know. Just take a little bit of time to get to know where you are visiting and, whilst you’re there, abide by their rules and way of life as you are a guest in their homeland.
Set up flight notifications
Some flight comparison sites can let you set up flight notifications for a certain flight (eg. Bristol to Mallorca) and will let you know when a good deal for this route comes up. If you are able to be flexible with dates, this is a great idea – and a good way to save money too.
What are your holiday planning tips?
You may also enjoy:
How to survive a mini break with a toddler
Camping with a baby: the survival guide
My top tips for travelling with a baby
Berlin travel guide
Cardiff travel guide
Edinburgh travel guide
A local’s guide to visiting Devon
How to spend 24 hours in Bristol
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