There is no greater joy in life than to be able to travel. Some say if you can make a living off of it, it is the best of jobs. Alright, so maybe you are not making money off your trip but there is something about your companion that makes it a wonderful trip. It just so happens that this companion is a ukulele.
Already you might be thinking it is such a hassle to travel with an instrument, especially with this cutesy looking one. Today we will go over some of the top practical tips for traveling with a ukulele.
#1. Arrive early for check-in
It’s a pretty common knowledge at this point that last minute check-ins often times leads to baggage misplacement or loss. What if the ukulele is loaded onto a plane off to Peru while you are flying to Belfast? Arrive early and fly with your travel ukulele together, in one piece.
#2. Pack extra tools
Trips are tough on people. Now imagine what the wear and tear can be like for an instrument. Poor thing can’t even speak for itself. Just to be on the safe side, carry extra strings, winders, tuner, capo and nail file among others on all trips. Precaution and forward thinking is the name of the game in this situation.
#3. Ease up the strings when flying
Instruments are just like us. Do not forget that some of us are elated while others puke on a flight. Altitude, change in air pressure, humidity and temperature among a whole host of causes can make your ukulele pretty disturbed. Strings experience increased stress as the flight goes higher Loosen up the strings or you risk warping or the saddle to come off.
#4. Packing rules change for backpacking
A backpacker needs to travel light and economically. In this regard, consider switching to a soft case or a soft gig bag. It’s light, cheap and looks pretty good too.
#5. Show it’s yours
Who’s to say the ukulele belongs to you? Someone might just claim it is theirs although it is kind of a funny story to be able to boast you had a dispute over the ownership over a ukulele in your last trip. Or what if you misplace or lose it? Tag your name and contact information on the ukulele, inside and outside the case.
#6. Label smartly
Besides putting your contact information on, you must also put on every specific and necessary label. It is for the health 8, safety of the ukulele. Here goes, Fragile. Please Keep Dry. Handle with Care.
#7. Priority boarding or nothing else
Don’t be shy. Flight attendants are only there to help. It’s precious cargo you are carrying. It’s traveling art, essentially. Ask your flight attendant to store it in the first-class closet if they have any space to spare. Chances are if you ask for something politely, your wish will most likely get granted.
#8. Hard case is the way to go
You are traveling; it’s a journey into the unknown each time you are out You can look after yourself but the ukulele can’t. Pack the ukulele in a hard case when you are traveling. Weather changes or any shock impact will have a hard time affecting the ukulele when you are keeping it safe inside a hard case.
#9. Consider getting some insurance
Not everyone is into travel insurance and that is understandable. Some take the risk but the same cannot be subjected towards your ukulele. You cannot predict any damages so maybe getting some insurance won’t hurt. Or at least take a picture of the ukulele at your check-in as some piece of evidence.
#10. Pack accessories separately
We went over how to carry the ukulele but did not go into the accessories side of things. Pack them outside the case just to have an easier experience with airport security.
Happy travels!