Brits get lost in a holi-daze

CHESTER, England – Sun-starved Brits get so excited about their holidays that they get in a complete daze and forget to pack key holiday essentials, new research from TravelSupermarket has revealed.

CHESTER, England – Sun-starved Brits get so excited about their holidays that they get in a complete daze and forget to pack key holiday essentials, new research from TravelSupermarket has revealed.

Almost one in two (47%) Brits have set off on a well-earned break and left behind holiday ‘essentials’ such as plug adapters (14%), phone chargers (12%) and sunglasses (12%), forcing them to fork out precious holiday money at the airport or as soon as they land. When it comes to packing their suitcase, three per cent of Brits admitted they have even set off without packing any underwear at all.

And Brits aren’t just forgetting to take things with them; they’re also forgetting to tend to the house before they set off.

21% of Brits have returned home to a stinking fridge after forgetting to empty it of perishable items and 12% have forgotten to take out the bins. 11% of Brits said they’ve forgotten to switch off electrical items before heading away and 8% have overlooked locking their doors or windows – something which could invalidate home insurance.

This research suggests that in many cases the holiday ‘daze’ Brits appear to be finding themselves in could be down to a lack of preparation – with a quarter (24%) leaving it until the day before they set off to do their holiday packing, and five per cent packing just hours before setting off on holiday.

It is these silly mistakes that are hitting Brits hard in the wallet. 7% have had to pay for a last-minute passport, having realised theirs was out of date, with an additional 7% having to shell out to change the name on their ticket. 4% of Brits have even arrived at the airport a day early or a day late.

Something else Brits appear to be forgetting is to put on enough sunscreen. 40% of Brits have been sunburnt on a holiday in the last 12 months, losing precious holiday time staying out of the sun until they recover. However, most Brits won’t let a few forgotten items put a dampener on their summer holiday – 45% said falling ill while away would be the one thing that would ‘ruin’ their break.

TravelSupermarket’s travel expert Bob Atkinson said: “Holidays are a great way of getting away from it all and a time to leave your worries at home. Unfortunately it appears that many Brits are leaving a lot more at home. Whilst a forgotten phone charger or travel adapter shouldn’t ruin your holiday, you don’t want to waste precious holiday time scouring local shops for a replacement and if you forget a few items, it can really eat into your holiday budget. Spending a few minutes double-checking you have everything might seem like a waste of time as you rush off to the airport, but it could save you a lot of hassle, as well as vital spending money, whilst you are away.”

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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