For those that don’t know, Bula is Fijian for hello. My family and I have recently returned from an amazing trip to Fiji and, since I am still experiencing major post-holiday blues, I figured it would be a fitting welcome to our next blog post.
To sum up our trip in one word, it was simply incredible. Fiji is a country so full of love, soul and culture, and certainly the perfect destination for the four of us to unwind and create some amazing memories. This was our first overseas holiday as a family, so we were determined to make it special. We put a lot of effort into finding the perfect accommodation to suit our needs (and those few extra wishes) and decided that the Shangri-La Fijian Resort and Spa would be the perfect fit. The Shangri-La is the only resort on the Fijian island of Yanuca, which connects to the mainland via a short drive. Having such a great sense of space and serenity provided us with not only a calming atmosphere to kick back and relax, but also a safe environment for the kids to enjoy.
The service and hospitality we received was nothing short of remarkable and I cannot thank the Shangri-La team enough for the efforts made to ensure that our time in Fiji was as enjoyable as possible!
While we had such a positive experience with our overseas holiday, I understand that the prospect of travel can be totally daunting for some, especially when the entire family is coming along.
Organizing your tribe can be difficult at the best of times, let alone when passports and foreign languages are involved! There’s no need to fear a well-earned getaway though because I assure you it is possible to remain organized while traveling with your family.
Personally, I believe the key to success lies within ensuring you are organized before and after your trip, meaning you have more time to relax and enjoy the holiday rather than stressing about things that could have been easily avoided.
To guide you along the way, here are my top tips to overcome those common holiday anxieties:
Utilize apps such as Trip It to store those important documents such as boarding passes, reservation tickets and any itineraries in one place - it also syncs travel plans with your calendar which is particularly handy especially when you're traveling to a different time zone.
There are many different options on the market - look for one that suits your specific needs. News.com.au have listed their top 10 free travel apps which is a great read.
Be realistic and practical when thinking about your trip and only pack necessities. I suggest sticking to a packing checklist - keep reading and I will be sharing an editable copy of my every own Packing Checklist with you!
Packing cubes are well worth the investment, especially if you are sharing luggage cases. I personally use the Denali Packaway Pods which come in handy to separate clothes and easily allow you to find things without having to dig around.
You could, however, use something as simple as a set of zip lock bags.
When packing clothes for a trip, I suggest using a vertical fold, this will help you to see everything at a glance. Check out my quick video tutorial teaching you a basic vertical fold here.
I recommend placing liquids in smaller, labeled bottles and storing them inside zip lock bags to avoid any spills during your flight – Nobody loves the shampoo explosion.
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If you're traveling with little people, be sure to pack a bag full of their favorite activities to ensure they always have something handy to keep them occupied. Think drawing pads, sticker books, coloring sheets, iPads, etc. Also, be sure to check with any free extra luggage allowances you may be entitled to when traveling with an infant!
Trust me on this one, nobody ever regrets ample charging space. Powerboards are also great to have if you’re traveling to countries that require different connection points to your own.
If you’re staying somewhere longer than 3 days, I recommend unpacking everything and designating an easily accessible spot to grab things as you need. No more rummaging!
Pack two smaller bags that can be exclusively designated to sort your dirty laundry - darks vs lights. You will thank yourself when you get home and have your first washing load ready to go.
Getting back into your daily routine following a holiday can certainly be a struggle. Where possible, I encourage you to give yourself a spare couple of days at home to get back on track.
While I know it can feel like the last thing you want to do when you get home, I recommend unpacking and getting stuck into your laundry straight away. The longer you leave it, the more likely you are to avoid it for days on end.
Things like bulky suitcases take up valuable space on the floor, be sure to put them away as soon as possible. I have limited storage space in my home and travel infrequently, therefore I store our families' suitcases in our outdoor storage shed.
So, there you have it, my top tips to help you avoid those common holiday hiccups.
Do you have an upcoming trip planned? If so, I challenge you to think about how you can adopt some of the above tips to ensure your trip runs smoothly.
To give you an extra hand, we invite you to download our FREE editable travel checklist which has been specially designed for busy, traveling families.
I hope you find it helpful when you're planning your next holiday!
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