Farlounge / Journal
Practical travel writing, published every week.
Airline rights, money abroad, packing, time zones and the changing realities of modern travel — written for people who just need the answer.
- Cadence
- New post weekly
- Approach
- Concise and practical
The archive
What the Airline Doesn't Tell You About Your Seat: Pitch, Recline, Missing Windows and the Seatmaps Worth Checking
Seat pitch, recline, missing windows and the seatmaps worth checking — what airlines know about your seat that the booking page doesn't show.
9 min readTravelling with a Laptop in 2026: Security, Customs, Batteries and the New Export Controls
Everything you need to know about flying with a laptop in 2026 — airport security rules, lithium battery limits, customs declarations, and the new export controls that affect high-performance machines.
9 min readHow to Read Your Boarding Pass: What Every Code and Letter Actually Means
That string of letters, numbers and codes on your boarding pass isn't random. A field-by-field guide — from fare class to SSSS — so you know exactly what you're holding.
8 min readThe Science of Jet Lag in 2026: Melatonin, Light Therapy and the New Prescription Drugs
Jet lag is a physiological mismatch, not just tiredness. An evidence-led guide to what melatonin, light therapy and the new orexin-blocking drugs actually do — and how to build a protocol that works.
8 min readHow to Survive a 12-Hour Layover: Turning Dead Time Into the Best Part of the Trip
A 12-hour layover doesn't have to be dead time. Here's how to decide between staying airside or going into the city, find hidden airport amenities, sleep strategically, and arrive at your destination feeling human.
9 min readeSIMs vs International Roaming vs a Local SIM: The Real Numbers for a Two-Week Trip in 2026
A modelled comparison of eSIMs, international roaming and local SIMs for a typical 14-day European trip. The difference between cheapest and most expensive is over £40 — and the cheapest option is often the easiest to set up.
9 min readHow Travel Insurance Actually Works in 2026: What's Covered, What Isn't, and the Cheapest Way to Get It Right
Most travel insurance claims get rejected because travellers didn't read the exclusions before they needed them. A practical explanation of how policies work, what they always exclude, and the cheapest way to get proper cover.
10 min readCabin Baggage Allowance Guide 2026: Ryanair, easyJet, BA, Jet2, TUI & Wizz Compared
Compare current cabin-bag and personal-item rules for six major UK airlines, checked against official airline baggage policies in August 2026.
9 min readWhat to Do If You Lose Your Passport Abroad: The Embassy Process Step by Step
A step-by-step protocol for the first 24 hours after losing a passport on a trip — the embassy process, emergency travel documents, fees, and the mistakes that turn a setback into a missed flight.
9 min read