Cold Weather Travel Challenges And How To Face Them

With wintertime upon us, do you plan on doing some traveling? If you are then you are probably aware that you may face some challenges along the way. It can be difficult to travel during the winter at times, but there are plenty of ways to successfully face the challenges listed below.

• Travel Delays
  Always try to schedule your flight or drive home a day before you need to be back at work to allow for travel delays. Fly non-stop if you can. If you have a lay over, make sure and give yourself a few hours in-between just in case. It’s better to have a few hours to have lunch than it is to miss a flight and have no other options to get to your destination.  Make sure you buy travel insurance – not just on your flight,  but for your entire trip.  If you experience extensive trip delays, you will be reimbursed for some expenses such as meals and an overnight hotel depending on the policy you purchase.  If you are driving, make sure to stay up to date on weather conditions, as well as advisories for the roads or highways you will be traveling on. Make sure your cell phone is full charged & have a back up portable battery with you.  If you are driving a person vehicle, make sure you have your car serviced before your road trip.
  
• Wardrobe Problems
  If you’re not in cold weather often, you probably don’t know how to pack. Often times, travelers will pack jackets, hoodies and pants and just try to layer them in order to stay warm. Unfortunately, no matter how many layers you can comfortably wear, you still may have a lot of issues keeping warm if you don’t pack the right items. When you layer long-sleeve shirts with sweaters and lightweight jackets you can more easily adapt to fluctuating temperatures by removing or adding layers. You lose heat most quickly through extremities, so wearing hats, thick socks and boots, and lined gloves helps keep the lid on your body warmth. If you are going to be in freezing temperatures, consider thermal underwear.  It’s also important that your outer layer be wind resistant and waterproof, if you will be in a wet environment or if there is snow. Your footwear may also be an issue. Sneakers generally can’t keep out the cold. You are better off wearing boots that are made for cold weather. When it comes to gloves, choose ones that made of leather, as they will do a far better job keeping your hands warm versus fashionable, knitted ones.  Check the weather report a few days before traveling to make sure you are prepared.
• Dry Skin
  Dry skin is annoying. When you are in cold weather you may notice that your skin is drier than it’s ever been before. Chapped hands, feet and lips can cause your skin to become irritated or cracked. This is actually pretty painful. Before you go on your trip, moisture your lips and skin daily. Also, make sure you pack a travel size bottle of lotion as well as a tube of chapstick so that you can moisture this delicate skin often and hopefully keep it from drying out. Speaking of skin, don’t forget to pack some sunblock. You can still get a sunburn even if it’s only 10 degrees out.
• Overspending On Hot Drinks
  You may face some pretty chilly weather at your destination. This means that you will have to deal with that body-numbing cold that just seems to pierce every part of you. One way that may travelers deal with this is to purchase a hot drink to warm them from the inside out. However, this can be pretty pricey as these drinks tend to not be cheap. You can combat this in a couple of different ways. Put hand warmers in your pockets. When you are feeling cold, pull them out and place them on the areas of your body that are feeling the effects of the frigid temperatures. If you really just want a hot drink, stop by a local restaurant for that coffee or tea vs. that name brand location you pay more for.
• Injury
  It’s easy to slip in fall, particularly during icy conditions.  Make sure your shoes have a good grip or traction that will help dig in.  If the soles have treads with deep grooves then they are less likely to slip when you take a step.  Even then, be very careful and take your time when walking.  Frost nip or frost bite can also occur.  The nose, ears, cheeks, fingers and toes are first affected so keeping these areas well covered is key.  If you are shivering don’t ignore it. Get somewhere warm as soon as you can.  Consider other modes of transportation vs. long walks. Don’t keep wet clothing on for long periods of time.

Must Have Essentials To Pack For The Snow

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