What is Mercury in Retrograde?
Did you know that Mercury is currently in retrograde? Well if you don’t know now is the time to brush up on it, because it could cause issues with any long weekend travels plans…
Three to four times a year, “messenger planet” Mercury buzzes by the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Like two trains moving at different speeds, this creates the illusion of Mercury moving in reverse, or, as it’s officially called, retrograde. During this three-week cycle, all things that astrologers associate with Mercury can also seem to go haywire: Travel, transportation, scheduling, communication, mobile devices.
Why should you take notice?
The planet Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts, cars, etc. People say that during Mercury’s retrograde, things can go awry and things can disappear! As the Easter period falls during Mercury’s retrograde, travel plans could be affected! Whether you believe in the retrograde or not, travelling over the Easter period is busy and stressful so either way is a good time to provide some stress free-tips!
The dates:
23 March to April 15
We have worked with the Astrotwins, Tali and Ophira Edut, in the US to help us combat Mercury Retrograde from ruining the break. A little about the Astrotwins – the twin sisters have done readings for the likes ofBeyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Karlie Kloss and Sting, and have appeared on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and have contributed to Elle, Marie Claire and more.
Given their clientele, we thought it would be best to work with them on some tips!
Expedia Travel Tips:
- Leave early for the airport and all destinations – Since Mercury governs ground transportation—cars, cabs and trains—hitting the road early is your first line of defense. Good rule of thumb for Mercury retrograde: Multiply your usual travel time by two, even three
- Double, even triple confirm reservations – better to be safe than sorry when it comes to important things like hotel accommodation, car reservations. Mercury retrogrades have been known to wipe out data—it’s the planet’s special way of telling you that it’s time to upgrade your devices.
- Write down important numbers – helps if you lose a phone or a wallet when on a break. Speaking of disappearing data—Mercury reigns over our mobile devices. Call it an urban legend, but we’ve seen tech snafus happen more frequently during Mercury retrogrades. Batteries suddenly die, phones get left in cabs, drinks spill on laptops, important contacts mysteriously delete themselves. Having an analog backup could be a lifesaver.
- Have your itinerary printed and key reservations in more than one form – even share your itinerary with a loved one. With the messenger planet in reverse, misunderstandings can bring major communication meltdowns. To sidestep this, you’ll have to over-communicate your plans!
- Pack light – if you’re flying to a destination, try carry-on only, you don’t want to be somewhere and your bags end up in another destination! Mercury in Retrograde has a habit of making things disappear, and while your luggage may show up eventually, it’s best not to risk it!
- A fail safe plan is well.. fail safe – If you’re driving, fill up the car earlier than expected, and leave longer time periods for getting to a destination.