Take the fight out of flight

At Stuff Travel, we are used to packing up and hitting the road and taking to the skies to explore new towns, cities and activities. Our team of experts have pulled together some of our tried-and-tested travel hacks to help you set off on a more efficient

How to stop overpacking Trupti Biradar Travel editor

I have been guilty of trying to pack for every conceivable occasion, even if it is an event unlikely to happen. Snowstorm in the Maldives? I’m sorted. Last-minute black-tie dinner in the Cook Islands? I’ve packed just the thing. Togs? Check. Winter jacket? Check.

It has resulted in many extra baggage fees and far too much travel stress.

My top tips to curb this ridiculous behaviour? ✈ Try a packing app

I like PackPoint. Enter your gender, destination, date of travel, duration of stay, and type of trip – business or leisure. Then fill in the kind activities you are likely to do. The app checks the weather forecast and creates a customisable list of what you should pack. It is quick, efficient, and you never have to worry about forgetting something.

✈ Get some packing cubes

It sounds silly but don’t knock them until you try them. They allow you to organise and compress your items. I use one for socks, underwear, sleepwear, tights and togs, another for shoes, and the biggest one for jeans, dresses and tops. It saves so much space and appeals to my Type A brain to have everything in its place.

✈ Be realistic

If you haven’t worn that dress in a year, you are unlikely to wear it on holiday. If you are not a runner, you are unlikely to suddenly become one, so leave the running shoes at home. Finally, stop stressing about forgetting something, as long as you have your wallet, you can buy what you need at your destination.

Flying essentials Siobhan Downes Senior travel reporter

When I lived in Dubai, I made the 16-hour flight between there and Auckland several times.

I’m not a good flyer. I get nervous. I get bloated. I get pimples (it’s a thing). But over those many long trips, I did figure out a few tricks to improve the otherwise uncomfortable experience.

The first is around seat selection. It’s a rare flight where you get an entire row to yourself, but as a solo traveller you can at least improve your chances of not having to sit right beside anyone by selecting a row where someone has already booked the window or aisle seat.

For example, I prefer the aisle seat, so I would look on the seat map and find a row where the window seat was already taken, leaving the middle seat. Everyone hates the middle seat, so unless it’s a full flight, it should remain free.

Having the right outfit also makes a difference. It took me a few painful flights to realise that jeans should be left in the suitcase. It’s all about the fabrics. An odour-resistant, moisture-wicking merino T-shirt is a must, as are linen pants with an elastic waist. A cashmere cardi or top is perfect for those in-flight temperature changes.

Finally, noise-cancelling headphones. I went without them for years thinking the free airplane ones were fine but, when I finally caved, they were a game-changer.

Corral the cables Juliette Sivertsen Travel news director

My No 1 packing tip is to organise your tech gear. There is nothing more frustrating than rummaging through compartments of your luggage while you try to find the USB charger for your earbuds case, pulling out the Kindle cord, which has a different port, and finding your phone charger on the brink of splitting at the base because it’s been bent while crammed into a stuffed pocket at the last minute.

Gather all your cords, cables, batteries and chargers into one dedicated packing cell or bag, preferably one with a clear cover, so you can see what’s inside. Use some twisty ties or old bread bag tags to separate each cord so they don’t get tangled.

And, it might sound obvious, but if you’re taking a powerbank, make sure the battery is fully charged before leaving home.

DIY wellness retreat Lorna Thornber Travel reporter

If I had Elizabeth Gilbert’s bank balance I’d follow her lead and spend a year eating, praying and (ideally) loving my way to wellbeing but, failing that, I have adopted a DIY approach that at least puts me on the right path.

My first retreat was a different affair involving chanting in Sanskrit as we threw herbs into a bonfire and envisaging our inner demons going up in smoke, but it was life-changingly cathartic.

Despite being a night owl with an unhealthy attachment to chocolate and wine, I came to enjoy the calm routine of yoga and meditation before dawn, then sitting down to a plant-based breakfast, embracing gentle exercise, and chatting.

Later retreats, which included an all-women’s weekend at Piha and five nights at the luxuriously reforming Aro Ha¯ in Glenorchy, also left me in a better head space to deal with my troubles at the time. But wellness retreats don’t come cheap.

Over the past couple of years, I have taken to putting together my own ‘‘retreats’’. I book a peaceful place in nature on Airbnb, ideally in a location with at least one well-rated healthy cafe or restaurant, and intersperse gorging on their offerings with listening to health and wellbeingrelated podcasts on long walks, and online yoga sessions. Go with a couple of mates and you can also conduct your own DIY therapy sessions.

Order the best food for the kids Stephen Heard Travel publishing co-ordinator

You might think travelling with children is a nightmare filled with excessive baggage and

screaming. Well, it is, but jetting off with young ones also comes with a raft of benefits. Hungry? The kids always are.

Bring your own pride and joy or the youngest available extended family member on holiday and you will never be famished again with the endless supply of snacks on hand.

While childless foodies might be ashamed of ordering two meals for themselves in a restaurant, with young ones in tow those in the exclusive mum and dad club have a legitimate excuse for trying that second pizza or satisfying their want for chicken nuggets.

When in Queenstown, head to Amisfield for one of the greatest children’s menu items in the country.

The 16-course dinner degustation is certainly something to write home about, but I would genuinely be happy with a bowl of Amisfield’s rich and creamy children’s macaroni and cheese, and a glass of pinot noir.

The time-tested rule is that children never eat when they are supposed to, so after a couple of enforced bites, the feast is yours.

Have a pen at hand Alan Granville Travel reporter

I know this comes at the cost of stating the obvious, but the power of having a pen on an international flight can’t be underestimated.

It may sound quaint, much like the idea of travelling overseas, but I have spent an inordinate amount of time searching for pens on planes or watching as one gets passed around like a collection box at church that somehow always gets further away.

It is the first thing I put in my cabin bag now, but even then it seems to do a disappearing act when I need it most mid-flight – found three days later after leaking in a pocket.

So take it out of your bag before you sit down and pop it into the seat pocket in front of you alongside the headphones, gadgets and magazines you need for the flight.

When it comes time to fill in those pre-landing

forms you are able to take it out, smugly knowing that several eyeballs will be furtively looking in your direction.

Those who say ‘‘wait until you land’’ have never had the pressure of seeing several planeloads of passengers take up the queue in front of you while you fumble to scribble down your passport details.

Choose the right travel insurance Brook Sabin Travel reporter

I am about to save you hundreds of dollars. I had to hook you in with something catchy like that because I am about to talk about insurance – an essential, but boring part of travel.

Many of us rent cars on holiday. We pick up our vehicle, and are hit with: ‘‘You have a $4000 excess, but can reduce it to zero for $30 a day.’’

The sales pitch is designed to frighten you. A big

number, followed by a little number that will take all your risk away.

But there is a travel hack that gets around this. Instead of paying the rental car company extra, buy domestic travel insurance (for example, a week-long policy with 1Cover costs me $41), and one of the benefits is rental car excess coverage. You are covered for a fraction of the price and have the bonus of insurance for belongings and delays.

If you rent a few cars each year, buy a domestic multi-trip policy for a few hundred dollars, and you will save thousands.

However, read the fine print in your travel insurance to make sure that specific policy covers you. It is a hassle, but your wallet will thank you.

Staying safe

New Zealand is under Covid-19 restrictions. Face coverings are mandatory on all flights and public transport. Proof of vaccination and vaccine exemption may be required in some venues under the traffic light system. Follow the instructions at covid19.govt.nz.