Andrew’s Guide to a Kid’s Best Travel Day

(Andrew) Here are some good hints I have learned over the last year:

• Either wake up or just stand up. On early mornings you have to get out of bed or you miss the flight. Plain and simple; you sleep, no travel.
• Put on some nice, baggy, comfortable clothes (cotton t-shirts and sweatpants work best.)
• Get everything you need for your trip in your or your parents’ bag. Remember, no knives or grenades in there! Remember to get a book. (see number 6)
• It’s gonna be a long day, so get your mind ready. Take a minute to relax. Maybe do a little bit of yoga, tai chi or meditation.
• Check that you have EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything besides your best friends. I know they might want to come and you want them to come, but they have other plans.
• Hop in the car and drive to the airport. Note that airports are usually outside the city so come prepared. Keep your electronics’ (if you have any) battery life at the maximum for the flight, so read your book that you should’ve brought.
• When you get to the airport check that you have everything out of the car, it would be a shame to lose something when you are this far.
• Airports are always busy, so watch out for busy commuters buzzing around.
• When at the check-in counter be polite to the check-in person and just let your parents do all the confusing, important stuff.
• When putting bags on the conveyor belt try to look tough and put your
  own bag on. If trying to look even tougher, lift your parents’ bags on. When your bag disappears, pray that it doesn’t get lost during the transit.
• While in security, try not to be searched to save hassle. Remember number 3 — no knives or grenades.
• When at the departure lounge, maybe get a snack and then keep on reading. If you are easily distracted, a departure lounge isn’t the best place to read because there is an announcement every 5 minutes.
• Once your flight has been called, get on the plane. It is IMPERATIVE to get on the plane.
• Find your seat and familiarize yourself with where the lavatories are. Figure out with your family who gets the middle, aisle or window seat. The window seat is best for scenic views and the aisle seat is best if you always have to go to the bathroom.
• Get out some of the stuff you will need and (if you have one) put your bag under your seat or in the overhead compartment.
• Fasten your seatbelt and wait for takeoff. Read your book until the seatbelt sign is off.
• Even if you don’t want to listen to the safety briefing, you have to, so suck it up.
• When the drink cart comes get something sugary to keep you up and running throughout the entire flight, soda works best (with parents’ permission). Make sure you don’t have too much to avoid sugar rushes.
• When you land, let all the eager people off first. Even though they would just have to wait 2 more minutes, they decide that waiting would waste time.
• In baggage claim, grab your own bag and, once again if you want to look tough, grab your parents’ bags.
• Enjoy Your trip!