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Three pitfalls guaranteed to ruin your holiday heaven

Home » Travel » Three pitfalls guaranteed to ruin your holiday heaven

Being able to travel again freely is one of the things many of us are looking forward to once lockdown restrictions ease. And that’s because, for most of us, travel is an amazing experience that leaves us with all kinds of positive associations. Travel allows us to leave behind many of the frustrations of everyday life and discover something new by exploring new places, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures. And in the process, learning more about ourselves.

It’s why, until the pandemic caused pandemonium, the Tourism industry was booming. And why we need it to bounce back again.

And when it does you want to make sure you can get the most out of your next trip by avoiding these three pitfalls that can lead to holiday disaster.


Disrupted sleep patterns and mealtimes

Even if we are not travelling somewhere in a different time zone, it is easy for our usual sleep patterns and meal times to go all to pot when we are travelling.

Instead of getting up at a set time and going to bed at a set time, days can blend into nights, and the concept of meal times can be replaced by constant grazing.

According to Satchin Panda, researcher and author of ‘The Circadian Code‘, failing to keep regular sleep patterns and set meal times – in addition to other habits like eating too late, and getting too much light exposure in the evening – can completely wreck our body clock, by disrupting the circadian rhythm controlling our daily sleep patterns.

The result: even if we are getting plenty of sleep, we’re likely to feel grumpy and exhausted.

When travelling it is inevitable that we will have some disruption to our usual sleep and eating habits. But trying to stick as far as possible to regular sleep and meal routines will make for a more comfortable and pleasant experience for ourselves and all those travelling with us.


Too much digital distraction

Let’s be honest, most of us can’t live for long without accessing a smartphone, tablet, computer or TVs. But while there are great benefits to using them a major downside is taking us away from enjoying our surroundings in the present moment.

When you’re travelling, avoid letting too much digital distraction stopping you soaking up all the sights and sounds of your surroundings.

At the very least, try to refrain from being active on social media while you’re away.

Being closed to new culinary experiences

My cake at Krakowska Wolica Cafe
Cake at Krakowska Wolica Cafe

Savouring new foods is one of the great joys of travelling.

And while many people diet to get beach body ready, continuing a restrictive, calorie-controlled diet that isn’t a medical requirement can take a lot of the enjoyment out of the holiday experience. Holidays are not the time to say no to cake.

Obviously, if you have a food allergy or a medical condition such as coeliac disease or diabetes, it’s essential to be strict about what you eat when you are travelling.

But don’t restrict yourself unnecessarily, sample local dishes and you may find a new favourite recipe you can recreate for friends at home, keeping fresh the memory of your holiday, with wonderful tastes and fragrances of your trip.

Balinese food
Balinese food. Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
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Written by
Carmel Thomason
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Avatar photo Written by Carmel Thomason