How to Plan a Trip

How to Plan a Trip
Jul 18, 2006 18:44
RUNNERMORE Points: Join Date: Apr 20, 2006 Status: offline	Some trips are scrimped and saved for, and others can be spontaneous and exciting. All trips are meant for adventure, relaxation and enjoyment. By planning well, you can ensure you that you and your family can enjoy a hassle-free trip! Steps Choose your location. Research it online and discuss it with your fellow travelers. Make a list. You should keep in mind weather and climatic conditions (http://lonelyplanet.com/ is a great source of information), merits and demerits of the place, types of recreation (beaches, culture, shopping), and facilities (transport, eating out, etc). Plan around your location. What clothes are suitable? Are any medications needed? Do you need to take foodstuffs? What about currency? Make a loose schedule. Planning too far ahead may backfire, because vacations hardly ever go as planned. Plan for spontaneity, but keep hints from travel guides in mind. Mark places to visit and things to do. How many days do you have? You should keep the overall schedule in mind - you don't want to end up too tired (or alternatively, bored). Make a list. Write down the places you want to visit, including restaurants, museums, malls, and other places of interest. This will help give you ideas and prevent being being completely lost when you arrive and don't know what to do. Make a budget. If you plan ahead, you can save on ticket prices. Travel LIGHT. Leave space for shopping; plus, traveling with lots of luggage restricts your movement and causes discomfort. Only pack the necessities. Notify a friend or family about your leaving. If possible, leave them a contact number or address. If traveling internationally, make sure your documents are in order. Keep your passport, travel documents, visas, and similar items in a safe pouch. Buy film, or keep digital camera batteries on hand. Put vacation notices on your mail, and remember to set your answering machine. Tips Try to book your hotel in advance. If traveling with a large group, arrange for a car to pick you up from the airport to minimize hassle. Call home! Warnings Traveling can be hectic. If traveling to a new place, make sure you keep medication (especially for children). Keep your documents and precious possessions safe. Mugging and theft is common. Don't keep sharp objects in your luggage. Security has been greatly beefed up, and your luggage may be checked. Source: wikiHow

Jul 18, 2006 18:44

RUNNERMORE
Points:
Join Date: Apr 20, 2006
Status: offline

Some trips are scrimped and saved for, and others can be spontaneous and exciting. All trips are meant for adventure, relaxation and enjoyment. By planning well, you can ensure you that you and your family can enjoy a hassle-free trip!

Steps
Choose your location. Research it online and discuss it with your fellow travelers. Make a list.
You should keep in mind weather and climatic conditions (http://lonelyplanet.com/ is a great source of information), merits and demerits of the place, types of recreation (beaches, culture, shopping), and facilities (transport, eating out, etc).
Plan around your location. What clothes are suitable? Are any medications needed? Do you need to take foodstuffs? What about currency?
Make a loose schedule. Planning too far ahead may backfire, because vacations hardly ever go as planned. Plan for spontaneity, but keep hints from travel guides in mind. Mark places to visit and things to do. How many days do you have? You should keep the overall schedule in mind - you don't want to end up too tired (or alternatively, bored).
Make a list. Write down the places you want to visit, including restaurants, museums, malls, and other places of interest. This will help give you ideas and prevent being being completely lost when you arrive and don't know what to do.
Make a budget. If you plan ahead, you can save on ticket prices.
Travel LIGHT. Leave space for shopping; plus, traveling with lots of luggage restricts your movement and causes discomfort. Only pack the necessities.
Notify a friend or family about your leaving. If possible, leave them a contact number or address.
If traveling internationally, make sure your documents are in order. Keep your passport, travel documents, visas, and similar items in a safe pouch.
Buy film, or keep digital camera batteries on hand.
Put vacation notices on your mail, and remember to set your answering machine.

Tips
Try to book your hotel in advance. If traveling with a large group, arrange for a car to pick you up from the airport to minimize hassle.
Call home!

Warnings
Traveling can be hectic. If traveling to a new place, make sure you keep medication (especially for children). Keep your documents and precious possessions safe. Mugging and theft is common.
Don't keep sharp objects in your luggage. Security has been greatly beefed up, and your luggage may be checked.

Source: wikiHow

Jul 18, 2006 20:53

LEMONCACTUS
Points:
Join Date: Dec 8, 2005
Status: Offline

More good advice Runnermore... I think this applies generally to travel everywhere in the world.

Just to add a note especially for travel in China I think it's a really good idea to have places you want to visit written down in Chinese characters... if all else fails you can point and hope.

I've spent a couple of weeks researching my latest trip and have bought 2 maps in Chinese of the provinces, marked on the locations of the places I want to go, researched the characters and pinyin and English names. Also translated main destinations into pinyin so I can pronounce them and get trains/buses more easily etc.

Of course, I'm going to some pretty obscure places, and by myself. If you join a tour or go to some of the well-travelled tourist spots you don't need to work so hard!

Last summer I had to completely re-route my itinerary due to time constraints... so good preparation is essential, but the willingness to be flexible is also key. You never quite know what will happen.

Happy travelling :)

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