Don’t be caught off-guard on hols

You’re on holidays and see someone you vaguely know coming towards you. Succeedsocially.com has some tips on how to handle a potentially-awkward social encounter .....

Take charge and set a tone indicating that the interaction will be brief and very friendly. If you give off a vibe that how you’re acting is a totally normal response to running into someone, which it is, then the other person will usually follow suit. As long as you go about things with a friendly demeanour, of course.

Have an excuse for why you really need to get going. It will help you escape if the other person seems to want to talk longer than you’d like. Perhaps you need to pick something up for someone in your travel group — a child needs some aftersun, etc.

When you have no choice but to talk to someone, and aren’t likely to have a sparkling discussion, one of the better things you can do is just accept it and at least go through the motions with some positive energy. Act interested and once you’ve politely caught up, smile as you make your getaway.

Do you need to book that break?

As you plan your holidays for 2017, here are some travel quotes to inspire you.

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” John Steinbeck

“A bad day in Paris is still better than a good day anywhere else.” Unknown

“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.’” Lisa St Aubin de Teran

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust