This generation travels a lot - that much is pretty clear from the raging pictures on social media and how someone or the other we know is always travelling around. Obviously, travelling is great way to relax and have new experiences, but what is not so great about travelling (for me at least) is the packing, and the booking, and the planning. Then there is the itinerary making - which is an absolute pain. What to cover, what to leave out, where to go first, and what to eliminate for this time, all questions with not-so-easy answers.
The truth is that we don’t want to leave anything out, ofcourse. What we want to do, especially if we are going somewhere far off, is to cover everything that we can and still manage to have fun. Then there is the looming FOMO (fear of missing out) that we have to fight. But to make the perfect (ish) itinerary, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
(Also Read: Taking A Solo Trip? 3 Tips On How To Enjoy The Vacation)
Don’t try to cover everything
There, I said it. As much as you are driven by tempation to see it all, you can’t do it when you are limited by the number of days and money. Also, a vacation is for you to get some breathing space. Not for you to run from one place to another. Allow yourself atleast two nights to a place if you are doing a multi city trip. Be realistic about what all you can comfortably cover and focus on having a relaxing time. Hard as it might be, leave some places for the next time.
Use the map for more than just directions
When planning your route, look at the map and figure out the geography of where all you want to do. If a few places are grouped together and a different city is on a different end of the state, you should obviously cover the ones together all at once. The same logic should be applied to booking hotels - closer to the centre, the better. It will save time and money. If you are planning your ‘to-do and see list’ for the day, think about how far your destinations are from your hotel and plan accordingly.
(Also Read: Boarding A Long-Haul Flight? Remember These 3 Things)
Save time or save money
This is in regards to your commute and hotel bookings. If one of the places you want to visit has a cheaper air fare, head there straight rather than your detination city first and then to that place. While booking a hotel, you may get a cheap hotel on the outskirts of the city but think about the time you will be wasting travelling (and the money). Plan in such a way that you atleast save on one or the other - time or money.
And an afterthought, the best plans are onces which are not really plans. So be flexible and don’t hold onto that itinerary like a lifeline. The idea is to have fun and make memories, remember that.
