You are sitting there on the plane which has taxied out onto the tarmac ready to go; you are relaxed, enjoying the fact that once in your life you have planned everything to perfection.



Who needs those lists that your wife or partner always suggest that you have to have, and suddenly in a fit of panic you clutch your pocket only to recoil in horror when you realise that in your last minute panic to leave the house earlier on in the morning (its always those flights folks) you have your wife's car keys in your pocket ? as well as your own and she has no back up!

That my friends has got to come pretty close to almost being the ultimate nightmare scenario.

It happened to me several years ago on the 6.45 am flight from Belfast City Airport to East Midlands Airport and was a pure and unadulterated nightmare. Luckily in my case my wife has a sense of humour (at least that's how it sounded down the mobile phone) when grovelling like mad I arrived at East Midlands and managed to call her just over an hour later.

I have to say I had never been so glad to have such a good relationship with a pragmatic and extremely helpful local florist. Cost me a fortune, I was in ?deep grief? as they say, for some time but we eventually got over it.

The reason I mentioned the entire above incident is that up until that point I had been a ?travel by the seat of your pants? kind of guy. My background in leisure and entertainments had by and large trained me well in the arts of being able to put your hand on your passport, credit cards and cash in a hurry and always think on your feet.

Not an ideal habit to bring with you into the outside world where you don't have folks running after you all the time.

So marrying someone who's entire approach to travel quite frankly could pass as a definition for the word ?Organised? in the Oxford English Dictionary came as a bit of a shock to the old system I can tell you!

Well the above incident was the last straw as far as my habits were concerned and now I play things by the book with regards to planning for travel no matter how long or short the trip is, the same approach to getting the basics is followed.

All the necessary documentation is checked especially with regards to flight details, checking in times etc. This last point is essential since the horrific events of the World Trade Centre tragedy that became known as 911; travel by air will never be the same again.

If I had one tip for all potential travellers, certainly those who travel by air, or indeed this piece of advice would actually benefit all travellers. Get to your point of departure early and allow yourself time to cope with any potential problems that might occur.

Gone are my days of the Michael Schumacher impressions as I hurtle towards the airport at high speed having left it much too late?.yet again.