We at Serendipity love everything about travelling, from meeting new people and seeing new places to trying new halal food, but for us the fun starts as soon as we reach the airport. Some people see flying as a chore but we think it’s a pleasure. How often do you get the chance to really switch off from the world around you and just relax while being conveyed somewhere new? As we travel so much, we like to think we’ve got it down to an art so, here are some tips to make your time in the air blissful (and halal friendly too).
Before you get to the airport, try to check in online 24 hours before. Not only do you get to pick your seat, but you might also be able to skip the queues at the check-in desk by going straight to bag drop. We like to go for the very last row, as the back of the plane is usually emptier and you might get extra seats. Be warned, though, that as there will almost certainly be toilets nearby, it can get noisy if people congregate. If you haven’t already done so through us, you can also go online to request a halal meal as not all airlines offer a fish or veggie alternative as standard.
Another useful thing to try doing before you even leave the house (after checking for the millionth time that you’ve arranged for someone to feed the fish and you have your passport!) is gather all your liquids, pastes, gels etc into a see-through bag, as this will save you the time and hassle of trying to do it while shuffling through passport control.
It may sound obvious, but by the time you’ve reached security, make sure you’ve emptied your pockets of keys, coins, phones and anything else you may be carrying, as well as removing all jackets, jewellery and high heels or clumpy boots. As well as avoiding the potential embarrassment of being sent through the machine again, it means the people behind won’t be shaking their heads and tutting at you for holding up the queue. Just in case you do have to remove your shoes, it’s a good idea to wear matching socks!
Once you’ve had your fill of duty free, buy a bottle of water on the way to the departure gate. If you have a long flight, buy two bottles. You’ll be amazed how much you’ll drink, as flying is dehydrating for the body and skin. We also like to pack at least one good book, a small toothbrush and toothpaste, an extra shawl in case it gets cold, warm socks so we can kick off our shoes, an eye-mask, earplugs and noise cancelling headphones so you can get some shut eye. If you wear a hijab, it’s also a good idea to carry a soft hat so you can remove your scarf and wrap it loosely around your neck when you want to sleep. Other essentials for us are Vaseline and hand cream (again, to combat dehydrated, dry skin) and antibacterial wipes as we like to wipe down all the hard surfaces to get rid of any stray bugs. We also take chewing gum, as it helps ‘pop’ your ears as the plane ascends and descends.
To make your flight more comfortable, leave glamour at home and wear flat shoes and loose, comfortable clothes (try to avoid jeans), glasses instead of contact lenses and don’t bother with makeup, as by the time you reach your destination it will have all been rubbed off anyway! If you’re travelling with young children, pack a large towel that can double up as a blanket and colouring books/pencils to keep them entertained at least some of the time.
What are your top travel tips? Share them with us, and we’ll include them in a future post.
Serendipity Tailormade take care of making your journey a halal friendly one. For more information visit http://www.serendipity.travel
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