Flights to Thiron-Gardais, Centre-Loire Valley from NT$2,428

No matter where you're coming from, flying can be a pleasurable experience if you're well prepared. Check out these top travel tips that will get your Thiron-Gardais escape started on the right foot. What to pack in your hand luggage:

• The trick to having an awesome travel experience is to pack ahead. Start with the essentials: passport, official ID, credit cards and medications. Next, take on board items that'll help keep you occupied, like some electronic gadgets or a juicy novel. It's also wise to bring your chargers, a neck pillow and a pair of earphones. And of course, don't forget to toss in toiletries like a toothbrush, cleansing wipes and a spare set of clothes.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Check carefully that you don't have sharp objects (like a knife or scissors) lurking in one of the zippers of your hand luggage. Other prohibited items include flammable or explosive products, such as fuel and fireworks, and liquids and gels in containers with a volume of more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters).

What to wear on a flight:

• Comfort should be your main priority when choosing what to wear during your flight. Loose clothing is a smart choice, as are enclosed shoes like sneakers.
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can pose a risk on long-distance flights. It results from blood clotting due to poor circulation and inactivity, so do some gentle leg and foot exercises in your seat and consider wearing compression socks.

A little pre-planning before you get to the airport can make your trip to Thiron-Gardais a breeze. Below are some handy hints for a stress-free journey past security:

• Security personnel first need to verify that you have a valid passport and travel documents before you can proceed any further. Keep them close by.
• Next up, both you and your carry-on luggage must be X-rayed. To speed things up, remove anything that is likely to trigger the alarm. Personal belongings such as your jacket, belt and earphones need to go through the machine.
• For just a few moments, you'll have to unplug from the digital world. Your tablet, phone and any other electronics will need to go through the scanner.
• Remove all gels and liquids from your carry-on luggage. They often need to be sent through the X-ray scanner separately. Each product should be in a container no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and everything must fit in a single quart-size (one liter), clear zip-lock bag.
• The right choice of footwear can save you valuable minutes. Hiking or heavy-style boots are often required to be removed and X-rayed separately. Lightweight sneakers usually aren't.
• Airlines will not allow any pocket knives or other sharp items in your hand luggage. If you must bring these kinds of items, put them in your checked baggage.