Half the fun of traveling is
in the planning. Following the process outlined
below can ensure you receive the maximum pleasure
for your time and money. Your objective should be
to arrive at your destination with the
information and preparation you need to enjoy it
to the max. 1. Determining Your
Parameters
- What is my
budget?
- How much time
do I have?
- What level of
accommodation and food will satisfy me?
- Will I be
happy with minimal luggage, or will I
need more clothing to be comfortable?
- Do I have
health restrictions?
- Do I require
travel insurance?
- What are my
travel partner(s) needs?
For example: Linda and I
want to travel as comfortably as possible while
maintaining our budget. We enjoy meeting people
and trying new food. Some of the parameters that
have worked for us, and which I would recommend
for anyone, are:
- Plan your
arrivals, departures and packing to
conform with new security procedures.
- Travel May/June
or Sept./Oct. - weather is still likely
to be good, but you'll avoid the summer
heat.
- Consider
winter travel when you're most likely to
benefit from off-season hotel rates.
- Travel by
train and bus - drive only when it's
impossible to efficiently use public
transportation.
- Find the best-value,
whether in 3, 4 or 5-star accommodations.
- Eat most
meals at neighborhood spots to meet the
locals and enjoy local cuisine at fair
prices.
- Travel with
one piece of luggage each, which is carry-on
size on wheels with a retractable handle.
New security rules have made traveling
with carry-on-only more difficult. Be
prepared, if required to check your
luggage, by keeping your medical
necessities and essential items in a
separate carry-on case.
2.
Deciding on a Destination
Get ideas from
everywhere and everyone - the Internet (TheTravelzine
group, of course!),
tourist offices, The Travel Channel, friends,
travel agents, guide books, travel videos, you
name it. Apply your parameters against what you
have learned. (If you hate the heat, you're not
going to choose the Sahara in July.)
3.
Planning your Specific Trip
Start six months
before your departure. Revisit the sources you
used when deciding where to go and look for more
specific information such as history, culture,
architecture, foods, geography, key points of
interest, money matters, shopping,
transportation, etc. Obtain maps, transportation
schedules, and costs for your itinerary.
4.
Determining Your Itinerary
Be patient. It will probably take several
tries to settle on a firm itinerary. Be flexible.
That way you can take advantage of 'deals'
available that require particular departure and
return dates. Once you have decided on where to
start your trip, and how long you can be away,
book your flight. Some of the 'rules' that have
helped us include:
- Select
locations from which you can do day trips
to other places.
- Avoid stays
of fewer than two nights whenever
possible.
- Give yourself
enough time to get what you want from
each destination.
- Remember that
getting from place-to-place takes time
and may be tiring.
- Investigate
the different transportation options open
to you and their costs.
- You can save
substantially by planning properly.
5.
Making your Hotel Reservations
Once you know how
many nights you will be in each location, you are
ready to select hotels to contact from the hotel
information you have acquired. When you contact
hotels, ask them to send you city maps with their
hotel and train and bus stations clearly marked. We
prefer communicating by e-mail or fax, to have a
printed record of the agreement. This avoids
misunderstandings that can occur when reserving
by phone.
6. It
never hurts to ask...
Some of our readers
have reported that they received an additional
discount at some (not all) of the hotels about
which we've written. No promises, but we suggest
that you mention TheTravelzine - you have nothing
to lose.
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