"Travel
& Vacation Planning in 6 Easy Steps"
Travel and vacation
planning is easy when you follow the wise words
of Rudyard Kipling:
I
keep six honest serving-men
(They taught
me all I knew);
Their names are What and
Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
Step
1: When
exactly do you want to go?
This is an important
decision, because until you know when, you can't
book your travel and accommodation.
If you're vacation
dates are flexible, you can often pack more
into your trip by scheduling your stay to coincide
with special events.
Of course, when
you travel depends on:
Step
2: Why
do you want to visit?
Do you enjoy
festivals and special events? Then get
on the Web and see what's happening.
Are you a sun-worshiper?
Then consider the local seasons.
Art or theatre
lover? Then check out what's coming along
ahead of time and book those hard-to-find tickets
in advance.
Also consider
your budget at this point. Sadly, the
laws of supply and demand are always at work
in the tourist market - at busy times of year,
you'll pay more. If necessary, visit out
of season.
Step
3: Who are you travelling
with?
If you're planning
to travel alone, skip to the next question.
But if you're going with family or a group
of friends, you'll need to coordinate your trip
with everyone else's holidays.
Step
4: How are you going to
get there?
Choose your transport
- plane, train, bus or boat, whatever - and
then book it.
Remember: the
further ahead you book, the cheaper it will
be.
Sure, we've all
heard about those exciting "last-minute
bargains" but who needs last-minute stress?
Plan well ahead
and take advantage of the early bird discounts.
They'll fly away fast.
Step
5: Where are you going to
stay?
Once you're booked
up, all you need do is find somewhere to stay.
You *could* simply
arrive and look for a hotel, however it's not
recommended, for at least three reasons:
- Firstly,
travel is stressful enough without the extra
worry about being homeless.
- Secondly,
you'll want to make the most of your precious
time and you don't want to spend your first
day pounding the streets, searching for
an elusive "Vacancies" sign.
- Thirdly,
of course, there's the price. If
you turn up at the last minute, do you think
you'll get the best deal? You won't.
When your negotiating
power is zero, you can guarantee you'll pay
top dollar. And with many websites offering
accommodation information, you simply have no
excuse not to reserve in advance.
Step
6: What are you going to
do when you get there?
Too many tourists
arrive somewhere and then walk around wondering
what to do. When they've figured it out,
it's time to leave!
Doing a little
research into your chosen location lets you
draw up an advance itinerary.
Make sure you
get the opening times of each attraction, how
long it takes to see, and of course the entry
price. Also check whether you qualify
for any discounts.
When you plan
your itinerary, you'll obviously want to pack
as much in as possible. However remember
to allow yourself time to "chill out".
With a little
planning, you'll see more, pay less, bring back
more memories, have fun, and even relax too.
The perfect vacation!
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