Riding Along Route AC836 Seattle to Madrid

Greetings everyone as I begin my journey from Seattle to Madrid. I’ll have to say traveling is great and I love new and exciting destinations, yet the process of getting to that destination is often times not the most enjoyable experience, especially when flying alone. Since I have got the next 18 hours to mentally prepare myself for my voyage to Spain’s booming metropolis capital, I have been thinking of clever tips to make long international travel more pleasant, enjoyable and successful.

-Try smiling no matter what kind of line your are patiently waiting in, check-in, security, customs, the newsstand; for some reason most people in airports are cranky, you’ll get a kick noting the melancholy looks on fellow passengers faces and your smile might just brighten up their day.

-Avoid escalators, people movers, elevators, anything that is going to cut down on your exercise—your most likely going to be trapped in a small space for multiple hours and it is a smart idea to get as much exercise as possible. This will also wear you out for your flight, make you more relaxed and hopefully aid in an in-flight nap.

-Go window shopping or browse all the shops in your terminal. This will kill time and its fun to see how high they jack up the prices of airport merchandise.

-Feeling run down? If you have a layover head over to the local duty free store for a quick refreshing makeover. Duty-free stores often have nice high-end make –up, sweet smelling perfumes and if you’re lucky the might even have some cheese and crackers! You’ll be looking, smelling and feeling good!

-Thirsty? Staying hydrated while traveling is very important. I would recommend bringing an empty water bottle and filling it up after going through security. Or if you want a cold and refreshing treat head to Starbucks (they’re everywhere!) and just ask for a large ice water, it’s free-99.

-Comfort is key, so wear something comfy yet cute. Normally I would just opt for sweats and something grubby but I feel like people are nicer to you if you look nice and you got to look good to feel good.

-If all else fails and after following the advise above you are still feeling cranky and anxious after many hours of travel head to the local duty free and buy a bottle of your favorite adult beverage. Economic, smart and relaxing!

Happy Travels