It\u2019s your first overseas trip and you\u2019re brimming with excitement, but also secretly a little apprehensive about flying far from home, crossing international borders and exploring a strange country.<\/p>\n
Although most first-time travellers don\u2019t admit to any trepidation, it\u2019s perfectly normal to feel some anxiety, especially if you haven\u2019t travelled overseas before.<\/p>\n
Kevin Leung, British Airway s\u2019 Commercial Manager for Ghana, who has taken hundreds of international flights still remembers the first one vividly and the pre-journey jitters which accompanied it. He says there are some ways to overcome these so you really enjoy every moment of the experience.<\/p>\n
Leung\u2019s top tips are:<\/em><\/p>\n Take control \u2013 <\/strong>Nothing causes more anxiety than a lack of confidence in your travel arrangements. Check the flights carefully before you make the booking and if you\u2019re changing flights, be aware of transfer times. As a first-time traveller it\u2019s often sensible to leave yourself a little more leeway between flights.<\/p>\n Pay attention to the paperwork \u2013 <\/strong>Make sure you\u2019ve got the correct visas and other travel documentation for every country on your itinerary. Don\u2019t assume and if you\u2019re unsure, double check. Most countries list the requirements online. Be aware that some countries also require medical documentation such as yellow fever certificates. Find out what is required first-hand, not from a friend or acquaintance who\u2019s visited the country some time ago. Visa regulations and documentation requirements can change.<\/p>\n Skip the hassle \u2013 <\/strong>Experienced travellers know how to avoid queues at the airport. Check in online and print your boarding pass before you leave home. If you\u2019re more tech savvy then download the British Airways app and get your boarding pass sent directly to your cellphone. If you do need a little help, but still want to avoid the check-in queues, then use one of the self-service check-in machines at the airport, where there\u2019s always a staff member on hand if you get stuck. Then you simply drop your bag at the fast-bag drop and proceed through security.<\/p>\n Look like you\u2019ve done it before \u2013 <\/strong>Nothing screams first-time-traveller like the person who\u2019s holding up the security queue because they haven\u2019t taken a laptop out of their bag, are trying to get through the metal detector with a pocket full of change or a bottle of water. Prepare for the security before you get to the checkpoint. ba.com http:\/\/www.britishairways.com\/en-za\/information\/baggage-essentials\/liquids-and-restrictions has a list of things you cannot take through security.<\/p>\n Enjoy your flight \u2013 <\/strong>The flight is part of your travel experience, so enjoy it. If you\u2019re anxious or unsure about anything, ask the cabin crew, they\u2019re happy to help. You can use laptops, tablets and other devices onboard as long as they\u2019re in flight mode, but there\u2019s also a plenty of in-flight entertainment, so feel free to indulge. If you want to know what\u2019s showing visit http:\/\/www.britishairways.com\/en-za\/information\/entertainment\/in-flight-entertainment<\/p>\n Get your game face on \u2013 <\/strong>You can usually tell the frequent travellers at the airport, as they look, sharper, fresher and more rested than everyone else. There are some secrets to avoiding the long-haul hangover, such as getting some exercise before you leave, wearing comfortable clothes, avoiding alcohol, stretching and keeping hydrated. Pack something comfortable, preferably cotton to sleep in.<\/p>\n Not only will this ensure your travelling outfit isn\u2019t rumpled in the morning, but getting changed before bed helps signal to the body that it\u2019s time to sleep. For some insider hints visit: http:\/\/www.britishairways.com\/en-za\/information\/health-and-wellbeing?source=MNVINF3health_wellbeing&link=main_nav<\/p>\n Win the baggage battle \u2013 <\/strong>If your suitcase isn\u2019t distinctive, mark it with a tag or ribbon so it can be easily identified. It\u2019s amazing how much luggage looks the same. Make sure it\u2019s clearly marked with your name and address. It\u2019s worth paying a bit extra and getting luggage with a good set of wheels, this can speed your departure through the airport and ensure you get a head start on your first overseas adventure.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Source: British Airways<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s your first overseas trip and you\u2019re brimming with excitement, but also secretly a little apprehensive about flying far from home, crossing international borders and exploring a strange country. Although most first-time travellers don\u2019t admit to any trepidation, it\u2019s perfectly normal to feel some anxiety, especially if you haven\u2019t travelled overseas before. Kevin Leung, British […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":131862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[23,4],"class_list":["post-131860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dr-kwesi-annin","tag-st-augustines-college"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=131860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/131862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=131860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=131860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=131860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}