Sun, sandals, weird hunks called Raoul, luxury hotels with glistening swimming pools – these are the things we want from a chilled out holiday. We want to be able to lounge like lizards on a rock in the Amazon rainforest, only moving from our sun loungers when we need to order another drink.
Or perhaps you’re searching for something a little more heart-pounding, a little more adventurous. Maybe you want to climb up a craggy cliff face or trek through some forgotten jungle in the Congo.
You can have whatever kind of holiday you like, whatever puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. But there’s one thing that you don’t want from your myriad travels – stress.
Which is a pity, because a simple trip to the airport could leave the vein in your forehead ready to pop.
Anger at the airport
Standing in an airport for a few hours could turn the Dalai Lama into a ball of fury. You’ll wait in queues longer than the Berlin Wall in its heyday, be frisked more often than a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, and have to endure a long arduous wait in a departure lounge that looks about as interesting as John Major drenched in the metaphysical notion of ennui.
Despite the stress, unless you’re planning on a boat trip to your next holiday, catching a flight is still one of the easiest ways to travel. It’s the lesser of evils, so you’ll have to figure out a few ways to keep your stress levels low while you travel.
A few solutions
To be fair to the owners of airports, they do try to make your flight less stressful, but you’ll usually have to pay a little extra for premium options.
The Stansted meet and greet is a perfect example of this. With this service, you’ll be able to avoid searching for a parking space (a notoriously difficult task at the airport) and, instead, have your car picked up by a valet at your terminal.
There are also VIP departure lounges at your disposal, and they’ll generally cost you around £30 or so. In these executive lounges, you’ll enjoy gratis food and drinks, newspapers, widescreen tellies, comfortable seating, and plenty of activities to keep your kids occupied.
Neither of these options will break the bank, and they’ll make your journey through the airport that little bit more pleasurable. But realistically, there’s one thing you have to do to make your stay at the airport more bearable – know what you’re facing and brace yourself.