What are your best tips for more comfortable and happy travel?

[halfnine]

Seat selection for bus travel (particularly in less developed countries):

- don't choose a seat right next to the door as it is easy for thieves to hop on/off with your belongings
- seats at the back of the bus and over wheel wells are in for a bumpy ride
- seats near roof vents can be a risk during rainstorms as they will often leak
- windows and/or curtains are often shared between two rows; choose the row in which you have control of whether they are opened or closed
- know the general route of travel so you know which side of the bus is exposed to the sun and opt for the other side of the bus
- sit on the same side of bus where your luggage is stored under the bus so you can look out the window at the various stops along the way to make sure your luggage isn't going on a journey of its own
- if you scare easily don't since near enough to the front where you can see the road traffic (you'll also reduce the noise generated from the constant blaring of the horn...in some countries)

[AnnetteLouisan]

For overseas travel, I found the State Department’s STEP program helpful. You sign up for text alerts about strikes, disturbances etc in the country to which you are traveling. That can really save you time if something happens (knowing it’s not near you, for example). Also it lets the State Department know you are in the country, which can also be helpful if they need to evacuate you or otherwise assist.

[MDfan]

Don't fly Southwest.

Fly them almost every time out of BWI (probably have flown SW close to 100 times) and have never had an issue other than maybe a flight being cancelled. I guess others have. SW is great for us in the US.

[watchnerd]

Fly business class.

Yes, it's more expensive, but as you get older, it's worth it.

Having more energy at the end of your journey and recovering more quickly from travel fatigue means you get more out of the rest of your journey.

[avenger]

I posted before, but will add another tip: I not only use a rollaboard for carry-on, but my "personal item" is a backpack. I've been using a Tom Bihn ( https://www.tombihn.com/products/synik- ... 1838359741 is the one I got), as suggested on this board. The Tom Bihn backpack is wonderful. Very high quality, which allows me to stuff it full of clothes, toiletries, medications and electronics.

I bought the Solgaard Endeavor (with closet) Large backpack. Haven’t traveled yet with it, but did a trial packing. Can pack for a week’s worth of travel using only this backpack, which was the goal. Heading to the Iberian peninsula this summer. With laundry in one of the locations, I plan on going for 11 days with only this backpack.

https://solgaard.co/products/lifepack-e ... gIG5vD_BwE

[hudson]

I bookmarked this discussion and will return if I have to travel more than 5 hours.
My current plan is to travel less than 300 miles and do it by vehicle.
If travel is longer, I'll look at going by train.

I prefer using a rental company or a hotel rather than VRBO or AIRBNB...but anything that works is good technique.

I hope I never have to do another cruise...but there's at least one in my future unless I can weasel out of it.

Travel by air is fast but it's a pain...no matter if you have the best seat in the plane or the worst. I'd rather travel on the bench seat of a C130 or in a corporate jet (no lines...no terminal). Those "opportunities" were in the past; those weren't vacations.

[ekid]

" I have had zero issues in Europe, Australia, Japan, etc. Obviously less developed countries are a risk."

I have had risky issues with water in US...

YMMV as they always say. I have had no issues with water in some developing countries too for that matter.

The only place in 55 countries that I think the water got me was in Egypt. I shouldn't have had that coffee in the road side café outside of Abu Simbel.

I had hoped I was safe with hot (had been boiled) water for tea?
I was OK drinking this in Russian trains- where the advice is don't drink the cold water.

[blueheaven]

Buy your way into an airline lounge for long layovers. Some of them have beds. Or fly first class once in a while.