Planning is enjoyable until you decide to actually do it. That’s when all the questions come flooding in, where should you go, how much should you spend, what should you bring, and how do you spend the time most efficiently. I’ve learned in all these years that adequate planning not only makes a trip convenient, but more importantly, it makes it a trip to remember. And so, instead of doing it by trial and error, here is a guide that makes it easy without being overwhelming.
Begin with a Clear Goal
A wonderful trip starts with knowing why you are traveling. Some just want to have a relaxing holiday, and others want to be adventurous, and other people organize trips based on food, history, or culture. Knowing what you want in advance is a time saver and results in sound decisions.
One mistake I used to make on shorter vacations is piling too much into an abbreviated visit. There is an irresistible desire to do all, but burn-out is real. One friend tried to fit in five cities on a two-week trip, returned home exhausted, and couldn’t even remember what she did. Less is more, especially on vacations.
Once you’ve made the commitment to the goal, budget is what follows. It helps to have a rough estimate as to how much to spend on flights, accommodations, food, and activities so that you can balance all that out. There are always surprise costs—whether it’s a taxi in a city without public transportation or a cover charge that wasn’t mentioned on websites. Some budget flexibility makes all the difference.
Research Without Overwhelming Yourself
There is no lack of social media presence, vlogs, and blogs offering tips and advice, but more than what is required is too much. What is most important is to only have reliable sources and mix them with practical experience.
As I conduct research, I always catch a peek on official government tourism websites, forums on the internet, and even YouTube videos by visitors to the destination. Yet, let’s be realistic—occasionally accents, speech rhythm, or background noises in videos make it hard to capture every single detail. This is where resources such as better understand guides come to the rescue by providing accurate subtitles, enabling one to keep pace.
One bit of advice I consistently give is to avoid fixed schedules. Planning a day minute by minute might be neat, but it doesn’t work out in practice. Any tardy moment, diversion, or even discovering a lost treasure on the way will ruin an overplanned trip. An outline with plenty of room to be spontaneous works best.
Book Smart, But Perhaps Not Cheap
Not all great flight and hotel packages result from booking ahead. Prices do change, and airlines have their own trends. I find that flying during the middle of the week is less expensive, and searching in incognito mode keeps prices from rising based on cookie tracking.
Accommodations will vary based on the trip type. Families may want more remote areas, but single travelers will want hostels or boutique hotels. Where you are located is important—staying a few dollars less just outside the city isn’t worth the extra time and money spent on traveling.
And concerning transport, it is best to know how to get from one point to another in advance to save stress. Public transport is great in certain places, whereas in others, there is car hire or there are the ride-sharing applications.
Pack to the Destination, and Not to the Trip
Packing light is an art, and I must confess—it took years to master. The key? Take only what will be required. The biggest error is overpacking “just in case” items. In case things get worse, most probably, they could be bought there.
Rolling your clothes as opposed to folding them keeps them from taking so much space.
Toiletries, first-aid kit, and power converters are essentials, and keeping important documents as a back-up in an email account or cloud storage is a real lifesaver if they get lost.
Weather surprises are another wonderful excuse to review forecasts before you pack. One of our friends traveled to a tropical destination anticipating sunshine, to end up spending an entire week with relentless rain and no umbrella or waterproof shoes. Lesson learned.
Make the Most Out of the Experience
Reaching somewhere can be overwhelming, but the best way to acclimatize is to just relax. Rather than running around and sightseeing, slowing down and getting to know the environment around you makes the experience worthwhile.
One of the best sources of knowledge about a destination is the local people. Locals give more practical advice than any guidebook. Inquiring what is best to eat, what are the best undiscovered sites to visit, or what are the cultural do’s and don’ts makes all the difference.
One needs to keep an open mind. Things do not necessarily work out as one intends them to—there will be delays, language problems, or places that have nothing to do with their website photographs. But they are all part of the experience.
Lastly
A planned holiday is not one where every minute is mapped out to the last, but being prepared sufficiently to enjoy yourself and not get frazzled about things. With research, flexibility, and understanding, every holiday is more than a holiday—it is an experience to share.
Traveling is less about where one ends up, but how one gets there. Plan, but do not be afraid to let the journey surprise you.
