Planning a trip is a lot of work if you want it to go off smoothly. But if you practice this a few times, it should get easier each time you do it. Especially if you plan to return to the same place. But even if you plan a trip to a new place, the process is the same. I will prepare a checklist to make the process of planning a trip easy.
I think the most important aspect of a trip is the budget. So, plan accordingly. Keep in mind when planning a trip, you must consider paying the bills you would normally pay at home. I have listed these out below based on importance.
Example of a one-week trip:
Airfare? $1000.00
Lodging? $1000.00
Food? $1050.00 based on $150.00 per day.
Transportation? $500 (a trip to and from the airport plus some misc. taxi rides)
Fun? (i.e., scuba diving, beach fees, etc.) ten dives a week, three dives a day for $1000.
Shopping (souvenirs)? $250 for gifts and alcohol
I think the second element is time. So, depending on your schedule, you. y go on a trip that is close to home which will not take you all day to get to. But most trips are a day of travel. Some trips are more than a day. Example would be flying from the US to Cyprus. You need to be at the airport two hours before your flight, so you need to be at the airport check in at 2000hrs. You will leave the US on a 2200hrs flight from Washington Dulles to Heathrow. You will fly to London Heathrow which takes 7 hours. You will have a layover for a few hours. If you do not have more than an hour of layover you run the risk of missing your connecting flight. So, I recommend at least two hours in transit. Your airline should be aware of your transit time and even book you on the next flight to ensure you get to your final destination. Your flight from London Heathrow to Larnaca, Cyprus is around 4 hours. Keep in mind you need to eat and drink during this time, so if you want to eat the airplane food, which is fine. On a transatlantic flight, the airline will usually feed you twice. No charge. The flight from Heathrow to Larnaca is not a free meal and will cost you just as much as buying some food and taking it with you to Heathrow. So, I would recommend getting something for takeaway. When you are hungry eat what you bought in the airport on the plane. So now you land. Larnaca, you go through customs, get your checked bags, and take your taxi to Kyrenia which is another hour, and a half estimated based on traffic and the line at the border. Finally, you arrive at the Dome Hotel. Total time Est: 18 hours
So, if you are planning a trip and want to spend 7 days on vacation. You now need 9 days. One day of travel to and from the destination. Please include time changes. If you are going from the US to Europe, you lose time. You are going east, and the sun is going west. If you are going to Asia, then you are chasing the sun. You are going west. Remember to get rest during your travel. In my experience, you get sleep where you can get it. I would sleep on the plane when I can, and I would skip meals if I brought my food onboard. So, I would get on the plane, have a meal as soon as I take off. Use the bathroom and go to sleep.
Melatonin is supposed to give you a feeling of a whole night’s sleep even though you are getting a few hours of sleep. I am thinking about evaluating and providing feedback on some travel aids to help you ease the experience of travel. I want to provide some quality travel items as well as clothing so that you will not need to do research and let me provide recommendations on travel items. But that is for a later blog.
Planning should happen about six to nine months before the trip. This should be for airfare discounts, hotels, etc. Also, the economy will have influence. At the time of this blog, eggs are expensive in the US. But when I went to Cyprus, the cost of living is much cheaper, so eggs were not expensive. So, guess who had a big omelet for breakfast every morning? Gas prices go up, and so do airfare. Planes depend on expensive fuel to transport you. Same as a bus or a taxi. So, look at the prices of certain things that will affect your trip and that might contribute to a cost increase.
I actually am a fan of flying now pay later as long as you can pay back within the zero interest rate expires. I have recently used one of these companies (Affirm) and had a great experience. I found my airfare with affirm and traveled. I am returning and am now making smaller payments that fit my budget BUT I will not incur any interest, nor did I use a credit card. I have not had a credit card for over ten years. I do not think I will have a need for one nor do I want one. There are alternatives to credit cards out there. Again, this is why you begin the planning six to nine months in advance.
I believe that your brain and body also tell you when it is time for a vacation or a change of scenery. So, you start planning six to nine months before you travel. You have some options for paying for the trip. If you make the fly now, pay later, your airfare and potentially your hotel should already be paid for. Who does not want to have peace of mind knowing that your vacation is paid for in full before you even set foot onboard a plane. If you need help, let me know and I will try and assist you. Again, you are on vacation and do not need to have money or other things bothering you mentally.
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