8 essential tips to avoiding travel madness and making your next trip a success

I’m a planner. A week before most trips I start laying out the basics, making checklists, and doing last minute shopping to fill in the gaps. With four kids and a husband to pack for, it’s my way of always being prepared. 

We were headed on a trip down under—flying from Hong Kong to Sydney, with a domestic connection to Hamilton Island and two connecting ferries to our final destination on one of the surrounding islands. 

It all started with a few last-minute emergencies. My husband suddenly announced he couldn’t make the flight because of an urgent work project (yes, in my life, that’s typical). He stayed behind with my two-year- old son and promised to book the next flight over. So, there I was—three hours before takeoff, solo rushing out the door, weighing the bags, making the kids gluten-free sandwiches, cutting up veggies, and packing some emergency snacks in case of delays. 

Our journey’s challenges began as soon as…