How Much Planning Do You Like To Do When You Travel?

@trickiwoo (2702)
United States
July 16, 2009 12:55pm CST
When you travel, how much planning do you ahead of time? I like to do A LOT of planning! I spend hours researching months before I leave on my trip! My boyfriend on the other hand just likes to book his transportation and lodging ahead of time, and just go and play it by ear the whole time! Now, I don't necessarily have a set plan of we're doing this on this day, then eating here on this day, etc. But I like to be aware of my options! I like to figure out where I really want to go, what I really want to do, where I'd really like to eat... then I fully research the places I'm interested in. I like to know what it's going to cost me, if what I'd like to do isn't open on certain days, if attractions are more or less crowded at certain times, etc. I feel that knowing this information just makes the trip easier and more enjoyable! What do you think? How much planning do you do ahead of time?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@jshekhar (1562)
• India
17 Jul 09
Hello friend, It is not good to go on a trip unplanned and it is not good to do too much planning either. you don't want your holiday to become too mechanical, do you? Yes, you do have to plan the dates of journey and you have to arrange for tickets and all but the thing is you want to leave some things to the mood you have when the time comes.For example, at a given time, you might want to go to the beach whereas you have planned to go to a casino.. so, you have to allow yourself that bit of flexibility.
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@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
17 Jul 09
I agree! Flexibility is very important! Lately most of my research and planning has been researching tips and perks... where to get free stuff, when the crowds are less, important things to pack, etc. I'm finding a lot of very helpful information that should make my trip a lot more enjoyable!
@youless (112100)
• Guangzhou, China
17 Jul 09
I don't spend very long time to plan a travel. Usually I will spend several hours to look up the information of the place we travel to. Such as the transportation, diet, restaurant, shopping etc tips. After that, I will print this information. After that, I will go online to book the airplane tickets. Sometimes I will even book the hotels. Finally I will write down a list what I shall put into our luggage. I will go to buy something for our travel. And that's all. Sometimes I think I am just too efficient. I love China
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@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
17 Jul 09
There's no such thing as being too efficient! You have a really great system!
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
17 Jul 09
When I was at the beginning of my travel hobby I planned my route in detail. Like I was 18 years old when I went around Europe by train. I booked all my seat reservations for Scandinavia in advance. I turned up at accommodation and hoped they had space which they did most of the time. Now I like to visit my local library and borrow books about the destinations I plan to go to. Like I was reading up on Cape Town and the Garden Route before I went to South Africa in January. Right now I am reading up on Vancouver, Vancouver Island, The Rockies and Seattle for my trip I wish to take in the summer of next year. I will book flights to Vancouver when I have got my baby girl a passport. I will probably accommodation on the Internet. I have an idea of sights that I would like to to see. On some trips I have bought a flight like one time I took a flight to Cancun. I liked deciding once there where I was going to. I made my way down to Belize and visited an island, inland, then over to Guatemala to a Mayan ruin and a lake before spending time on the Mexican coast. I didn't plan my trip in much detail but made sure I got to stay in the tree house I had read about.
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
17 Jul 09
Going to the library and checking out books on your destination is a great idea!!! I've been researching online and going to my local AAA travel office to get some free books and brochures, but I never even thought of going to the library! Thanks for the tip!
• United States
16 Jul 09
i like to have every thing ready even if i'm not leavin i tell a mouth i cant stand when i'm travel with some one and they take forever getting ready or they tell me that we with share shampoo and stuff and then when we get there tell will not share so i learn the hard way not to trust no one with stuff like that it makes me sick.
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@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
16 Jul 09
That would annoy me too!
• India
17 Jul 09
i will never plan i will go wherever my heart says bt their is sum need of moneyy n that i dnt have
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@mel13088 (265)
• United States
16 Jul 09
I like to plan if I'm going to travel and in life in general. I like to have an idea of what I'm going to be doing ahead of time. I know that everything can't be planned in advance and that a lot of stuff comes up last minute but it makes it easier when things are planned out. I usually have a good idea of what I'm going to do each day but I can never really tell. Sometimes it rains when you go to the beach...life is unpredictable.
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@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
17 Jul 09
You're right! It's good to have a plan with a certain amount of flexibility for those unpredictable moments!
@jpso138 (7851)
• Philippines
19 Sep 09
We are more the same as compared to your boyfriend. I plan ahead of time and make preparations for my lodging in advance. I also verify the possible rates for transportation as well as food expenses when I am on the area. In fact, I also booked in advance my ticket for the return. I do this in most of my travels unless there are certain conditions that can affect my plan.
@patofgold23 (5069)
• Philippines
26 Jul 09
Not much... I just make sure I bring enough clothes, I have my ticket, my credit card, IDs... I pack my stuff about 2 hours before my flight. But amazingly, things always turn out well.