Hello everyone, today I want to go through what is necessary to know when organizing a trip, sharing some tips from my previous experiences.
There is a lot of factors one should consider when planning a trip, like budget, transportation, accommodation, holiday from work, accessibility for children, and so on and so forth. We will analyze all these topics further on in the article, so let’s start!
CHOOSING THE DESTINATION
There’s that place you always hear good anecdotes about, the city all your friends recommend to visit, the exotic country of your dreams…
Everybody has a bucket list of places to go to, but it’s not always easy to choose among them.
First of all, you should consider your current location and check how far away it is from your hypothetical destination: few hours by car or a long international flight?
The further away, the more time you probably would like to spend there.
I usually use Skyscanner to make an estimate of the distance and prices before actually booking.
You should also think about your tastes, hobbies, passions… do you love nature? Then why not choosing a place where you can hike and climb and swim as freely as you wish? Or are you more the city-like person? So, why not choosing a big capital city with a lot of facilities and nice accommodations?
Moreover, make sure you have all the documents ready, a valid passport and possible required visas. Check also where the embassy of your own country is, if they have any recommendations about the destination, and how to contact them in case of emergency.
Tip: if you book your stay in a big city for the whole length of your vacation, try to organize some day trips in the surroundings. It will give you the chance to experience what’s outside the main touristic places, enjoying the countryside and connecting more with the locals!
BUDGET FRIENDLY HOLIDAYS
One of the most impacting factors when booking a trip is the budget.
How much am I willing to spend on this holiday?
Well… It really depends on you!
If you like to stay at luxury hotels and fly with major airline companies (see Emirates Airlines), eat at fancy restaurants and book private tours, then be sure your going to be needing a looot of money.
If you are a money-saver kind of person, instead, you most probably would backpack the essentials, book a hostel (or do couch surfing), eat with the locals or do your own groceries and explore the place by yourself.
I am something in between these two categories: I like comfort but I tend to save as much as possible whenever I can. It is not easy, and it requires some budget management skills, but anyone can succeed.
You definitely should consider what you really cannot get rid of: you have to sleep in a private room (maybe with private bathroom as well), but you can survive without fancy food? Go for it! You are cool with sleeping with strangers in the same room, but are clumsy with maps and orientation? Get a private tour guide who can support you with that!
Tip: try to estimate the expenses you are willing to make while abroad, you don’t want to be negatively surprised when you head back home! 😉
HOW AM I GOING TO GET THERE?
Transportation and its accessibility also has a major impact on the planification of a journey.
Some destinations require you to take a flight, others can be reached by bus or train.
If I plan a trip in Europe, I usually tend to book through Ryanair, although it doesn’t have a big fame for being on time and comfortable, but it’s cheap and convenient (all considering the new unfriendly baggage policy). Good low-cost alternatives are Wizz air (for Eastern European countries) and easyJet.
If my destination is outside of the EU zone, instead, I tend to book flights operated by major national airlines, like Lufthansa, which are more comfortable and offer more services, all together with a high price.
I also traveled a lot by bus/train, especially as a student, because you can obtain fairly cheap prices, at the cost of sacrificing quite a long time on the road. For this, I stay loyal to Flixbus, which connects a good amount of cities for very attractive prices.
You might also want to consider traveling with your own car, if the destination you chose is close enough to your home, or maybe rent a car at arrival for the length of your trip. You should consider though, that you need to know the laws and regulations of the country, check if your license is valid or if you need an international one, and that you might end up spending quite some money on rent, petrol, insurance, parking, etc.
Tip: if you want to book a flight with Ryanair, monitor the price of the fare for some days before booking. You will be surprised by the fact that a flight that was on offer today, will have a higher price tomorrow and an even lower price the day after that. When you are sure you’re getting the lowest price from this fluctuating offers, only then can you book!
WHAT ABOUT WORK? AND THE CHILDREN?
Sometimes, when planning a vacation, you should also consider the period of the year according to your job’s requirements. This way, you might end up planning a trip for the most expensive time of the year, or fighting with your colleagues to get the most convenient bridge days between weekends and national holidays.
I always suggest to come up with a holiday plan by New Year, and discuss it with your colleagues. This way, you have time to get your holiday requests accepted and therefore book big time in advance, saving probably quite some money.
Another inconvenience, if one can call it so, is school holidays. A family with children is usually bound to travel when the school is closed. That usually being at Christmas, summer and in between semesters.
This makes it harder to get the out-of-season offers, but it gives you more rights when asking for holidays to your boss, because you can’t do otherwise!
When traveling with children, you might also want to check ahead if there is family friendly accommodations and restaurants, if the tours and trails are accessible with the stroller, and the vicinity of hospitals and emergency facilities, in the unfortunate event something bad happens to the child.
Tip: although it might be more difficult, traveling with a baby under 2 years is really convenient! Hotels usually don’t charge their stay and major airline fees consist of only a small percentage of the normal price!
NOW IT’S TIME TO BOOK
Alright, we have been through the major factors that impact the planification of a trip, analyzing the pros and cons of some of them, so we should now be ready for our next trip. It’s time to book!
Let me know what your next stop will be and if this article helped you with planning your trip!
Experience The World 