Stress-free travel

Setting off on retreat this Christmas or New Year? Travelling can be fraught with potential stresses.  Caroline Sylger Jones, travel writer and author of the Body & Soul escapes books, gives some pointers on how to have a stress-free break.

Going on a yoga holiday is supposed to be rejuvenating, but the journey there and back can be tiring, dehydrating and disorientating for body and mind.

Staying healthy and stress-free on the move will make it easier to get into the holiday on arrival, and to retain a sense of wellbeing for longer once home.

Packing
Be ruthless, and pack light - heavy bags and too many clothes to choose from are a strain.

Manuka (www.manukalife.com) do attractice yoga clothes that are hardy enough for travelling. A good book or something to listen to can make or break a journey.

‘Dipping in and out of my portable music collection is like creating a soundtrack that suits the moment perfectly, whatever point I've reached on my journey,' says yogi and writer Olivia. ‘It also stops me getting impatient.'

Feeling comfortable
To help you feel more inclined to sit for long periods of time, take lots of physical exercise the day before your journey, and sneak in a massage if you can.

Take ear plugs to minimise noise, and ask for a seat in the Quiet Carriage if you're travelling by train. Walk up and down the aisles regularly, and do seated exercises such as ankle rotations and shoulder stretches.

If you're driving, take regular breaks, and consider leaving early in the morning or late at night to avoid traffic jams and road rage.

The right attitude
Expect the journey to take longer than scheduled, consciously breathe at regular intervals and try to maintain a sense of humour. 

To help create a tension-free atmosphere, make eye contact and say hello to the person beside you. Though chatting can be diverting, unwelcome small talk can be infuriating.

‘If I get caught in a conversation I don't want, I wait for a lull and then gently get out my book or headphones,' says yogi and surfer Tom. ‘If that doesn't work, I put on my eye shades and just breathe for a while, until I think my neighbour's (subtly) got the message.'

Inside and out
It's not just our psyche that gets stressed out by travel. Cornwall-based Spiezia (www.spieziaorganics.com) do an especially good travel-size organic hand cream, lip balm and Calendula ointment for irritated skins.

ila's (www.ila-spa.com) Facial Oil for Glowing Radiance will sort out the most dehydrated of faces.

And Neal's Yard's Frankincense Hydrating facial mist is brilliant for en-route refreshment.

What we put into our bodies is also important. Take your own stress-busting, fibre-rich snacks such as pecans, almonds and brazil nuts, plain popcorn, gentle fruits such as bananas and avocado and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame.

Keep meals light and simple, and give alcohol and strongly caffeined drinks a wide berth. Drink plenty of water, and take your own supply of herbal teas - ginger and peppermint help cure travel sickness.

Planning ahead
Pre-arrange a pick up at your destination or familiarise yourself beforehand with taxi, train and bus information.

And don't forget to carve out time and space for when you get home, so you can ease yourself back into a routine and incorporate any changes you've picked up on your holiday into your daily life.

Caroline Sylger-Jones is the author of Body & Soul escapes and Body
& Soul Escapes: Britain & Ireland - see  http://carolinesylgerjones.wordpress.com