Travel: Basics You Should Know
Itineraries, Budgets, and Questions?
Oh MY.
Traveling can be a bit overwhelming for people. You would like to travel but you don't know where to start. Sometimes you even go as far as to make excuses for yourself. You think: "Oh, I'm just not a good planner." "I want to travel but I just don't have the money for it." or "Traveling would be nice, but there's too much danger going on in [insert X location]."
Because i'm quote junkie i'll put it this way, "Nothing worthwhile is ever easy." Stop making excuses for yourself and start breaking down the overall picture into pieces. The goal is to change your mindset. Instead of looking at traveling as something that is unattainable, lets break it down into baby steps to make it attainable.
Step 1: Where do you want to go?
Let's start with selecting a location.
Questions to consider:
What are your personal preferences?
Do you like cities or prefer the outdoors?
What kind of climate is appealing?
Are you looking for an adventurous or relaxing experience?
Is this your first time traveling?
Are you comfortable going to a country where you don’t speak the language?
Actions:
When you determine where you would like to go, then you’ll have idea as to how to proceed with your next step.
Start with grabbing a piece of paper and answer the questions above.
Based on the questions above choose a continent/country that meets your needs.
Tip: You may also do some research on different locations to help narrow down your options.
Step 2: What is your budget?
You've determined where you want to go, now how much can you spend?
Questions to consider:
How much can you afford to spend?
Actions:
On a piece of paper jot down the number you think you can afford to spend on a trip.
Examine your current funds vs. how much you think can save in X amount of time.
If you budget is nonexistent, do not be discouraged, you can still save quite a bit before heading out.
Tip: Build a travel fund by deducting a certain amount of money from each paycheck or making a weekly contribution. A lot of banks let you set up these contributions, so go ahead and take advantage of that.
For example, $10 a day is the average value you would spend on a meal. Take those $10 x 30 days and you have about $300 at the end of one month. $300 x 12 months gives you about $3,600 by the end of one year. Now that looks more like a doable budget.
Step 3: Create an itinerary.
You've determined your budget, so now you can decide how long your trip will be. Let’s create an itinerary.
Questions to consider:
What would you like to see and do?
Actions:
Create a list of things you would like to do. Attractions to see, places to eat, and shopping centers you'd like to check out. Make note of any details you need to know for each item (location, cost, contact information, etc.).
Itinerary can have a negative connotation. Many associate it with being overwhelming or too restricting, however I feel structure sets you free. It helps build a good foundation for your trip. Once you're more comfortable with traveling, then you can get up and go without stressing about the details. For now we'll focus on building good traveling habits. Let's start with making a list.
Tip: Use Google sheets to create your itinerary. It's simple and easy to use, you can customize a template that works for you, and it is easily accessible off of your phone, tablet, or computer.
Step 4: Attain necessary supplies
Next, it's time to deal with all the details.
Questions to consider:
What needs to be done before my departure?
Actions:
Assemble a list of things you will need to attain over time. Book flights, find a place to stay, gather visas, exchange currency, buy travel supplies, shop for clothes, etc.
Tip: Depending on your departure date, give yourself plenty of days, weeks, or months to gather these items as buying in bulk can be expensive. Furthermore, prioritize these things you know will take time to allocate. For example, visas aren't always available right away, so plan accordingly.
Tip: Avoid buying too many clothes for your trip. A fun part of traveling is going shopping at your destination. Not only is it a fun experience, but you get the luxury of saying, "Oh this? I got it in [insert cool country]."
Step 5: Double check everything.
Make a checklist for your checklist.
Questions to consider:
Are there any things on my checklist that need to be sorted?
Actions:
It never hurts to be over prepared and ensure you have everything you need! It makes your journey less stressful, and that is my goal for YOU.
Be sure to checkout my FREE packing list! Use this template as a guide and feel free to modify to what suits you.
Step 6: Ready? Set...Go!
Adventure awaits.
Questions to consider:
Am I ready for adventure?
Actions:
Yes! You have prepared and are more than ready to explore! Hope you are excited because you deserve this trip and will have a blast. Bon voyage!
There you have it, a general breakdown of things to consider when preparing for a leisure trip. Feel free to comment below with any questions you may have. However, in the upcoming posts I'll add in other things to consider when visiting specific locations.
I'm very excited to go on this journey with you, and I hope to see all your travel dreams come true. Remember, adventure awaits!