Travelling on a budget and looking for ways to shave a buck or two off your travel expenses? How about sleeping in the airport?
Why spend a fortune on a few hours' sleep in the airport hotel when an air mattress on the airport floor is free? Does this sound cheap to you? Degrading? It may it sound a little strange at first. But a travel community of creative airport sleeping expeditionaries is out there and ready to share alternative travel advice for fellow airport sleepers around the world. The poor young backpacker no longer has an exclusive claim on airport sleeping. Today, travellers of all ages and incomes think nothing of stretching out on the floors of finer airports around the world.
Which airports can you sleep in safely and comfortably and which should you avoid altogether on your next trip? Your friends and family may sit a little farther away from you when you return with your airport bedtime stories, but that's only part of the adventure.
Whether you sleep overnight in an airport by choice or get stuck in one due to an airline glitch/weather delay/security problem, keep your sense of adventure (and your sense of humor) intact. Unnecessary airport hotel bills are about to become a travel expense of your past!
You may ask yourself: How do I do this? What do I bring with me?
A few tips to get you started:
Have a Backup Plan: This is the most important tip for any traveller, but especially one who plans to sleep in airports. Airport officials can be less than supportive of airport resters. Most airports won't kick you out, but they'll ask why you're there, and not in a hotel like normal people. They'll want proof that you're flying out the next day. So Be Prepared.
Expect your flight to be cancelled: If weather or a schedule delay ground your flight, Be Prepared with your emergency airport survival kit, which can include:
A cheap air mattress (they fold up nice and make the hard floor a lot more comfortable)
Eye shades and ear plugs.
Bottled water and snacks (many airport facilities close at night, so bring or buy food while the airport is open.
Books/magazines/
Personal music device with large headphones. Keep it in a buttoned pocket/under your coat/in your pants . . . whatever turns you on. Don't make it easy for someone to walk off with everything but your headphones while you sleep. Headphones that cover your ears help block out annoying announcements.
An alarm clock or a pen and post-it pad. Travelling solo, write a "Wake me at 5:00 AM" note, and stick a few on yourself and the seats around you—it works. They will. Really!
An airline blanket and/or pillow (BORROWED!!!).
Disinfectant wipes. Cleanliness is a problem in some airports, so these handy wipes will make your "bed" for the night a little cleaner.
Tissue/toilet paper. In some third world airport bathrooms, you will be forced to pay dearly for two single ply sheets of toilet paper. Otherwise, bring
Money for tipping.
Menthol Cream. A sub-nasal dab blocks out bad terminal odors and fights dry air.
Multi-outlet Power bar - to recharge cell phones, laptops and ipods. Share the power bar, meet new friends. Now, to find a live outlet.
Camera to document your adventure.
And rember that your hotel is never farther away than your airport. Happy Trails!
Spacelocker:
http://www.spacelocker.com
