Planning the Ideal Trip
Experiencing realities far from ours, meeting new cultures, visiting historical monuments, tasting new dishes, meeting people, experiencing adventures, in short, TRAVELING is probably the activity that most gratifies us and that many of us plan and dream of for most of the year .
Simply thinking about or planning a trip allows us to escape from everyday life, to set our imagination in motion, escaping from the place of hard work where we are. A trip, however, to distant or even nearby destinations, organized "do it yourself" or with a travel agency can be beautiful, but also a nightmare if not organized in every detail.
We would therefore like to try to give you some advice on organizing the trip, because we believe that every beautiful trip always starts with excellent organization!
A premise: in the list, you will probably also find obvious or banal things, but it is better to repeat them than then realize that we have forgotten them.
1. The Goal
The destination is certainly the starting point for organizing our holiday. How to choose it? certainly based on 3 guidelines: what type of holiday, for how long, with how much budget.
What type of holiday means deciding whether we want a comfortable holiday, or an adventurous, relaxing, cultural, fun, sporting holiday, full of stages, far or near, by the sea or in the mountains. The type of holiday, as well as based on our aspirations or desires, must also be decided by taking into account ourselves: how many times do we happen to see people who with difficulty (great difficulty!!) climb monuments or throw themselves into sporting adventures without having either the physique or the preparation?! First rule, therefore, be loyal and sincere with yourself before booking!
For how long and with how much budget are fundamental elements to clearly decide the destination. Thinking of spending 2 weeks in the Caribbean with 4 people with 2,000 euros, we must consider that it is practically impossible. Furthermore, the unexpected is around the corner which may require you to have unexpected expenses. Second rule, therefore, always keep a small sum in your budget for any emergencies.
2. Get informed
Before booking, read, inform yourself, ask. It is important to know the destination or destinations we want to visit, what there is to see, what we want to do, and at what prices. Today the internet is certainly an excellent source for gathering information, but don't stop at the first site, inform yourself on more than one site if possible, read traveler reviews and blogs, guides and if you have any friends who have already been there ask advise. A lot of information on places to see, what to see and what to do can be found on our website MeTour.it in the "places to see" section. Find out about the weather conditions based on the season in which you are traveling (be careful that it is not hurricane season). Furthermore, in that period, is it low, high or medium season for your destination? You know that prices vary based on seasonality. Third rule, therefore, BE INFORMED!
3. Itinerary
Whether you turn to a travel agency or book on your own online, always prepare a written travel itinerary, with dates, times, places, flight numbers and companies, hotel names, etc. Good planning, preceded by good research, allows us to make the most of the time at our disposal so as to do many more things. On our MeTour.it website, for example, you can plan your entire holiday, starting from travel, through where to sleep, where to eat, booking excursions, tours, tickets and guides, ending with exclusive services such as private concerts, personal shoppers, assistant or trainer. Fourth rule, therefore, PLAN!
4. Itinerary drafting
When drawing up the itinerary, think about making choices, because you can't hope to see everything. Traveling is tiring and tiring so after a long journey I recommend staying in one place for two or three nights to recover and enjoy your holiday. Don't think about making lots of trips to see everything, you risk spending time traveling and not enjoying the places. Furthermore, it generally takes much longer to move than expected, so KEEP a generous margin, also because the unexpected is always around the corner. Choose what to see based on your tastes and not that of others who have been there, because it will happen that someone will absolutely advise you against a monument or place that, instead, you will like a lot or vice versa. Fifth rule, therefore, CHOOSE what to see or do based on our tastes!
Practical Tips for Booking
5. Be wary
In particular, if you organize the holiday yourself, be wary of offers at rock-bottom prices or, in any case, pay close attention to offers that offer places, houses, hotels or services at off-market prices, as there could be a scam hidden there. Check what you can, find out about the site or the person you are booking from, look for reviews and opinions from other travellers. Sixth rule, therefore, BEWARE!
6. Reservation
Waiting until the last minute to book a hotel is not always the best choice. The chances of saving by booking last minute are rather low, it is better to choose "early book" offers (today there are many), which are perhaps less convenient than "last minute", but allow us to access a greater choice, even more so if we go on long trips. The same goes for flights. The best time to book a flight is (theoretically) 5 weeks in advance for domestic flights, 23 weeks in advance (5 months) for European ones, while for intercontinental flights it is better 21 weeks in advance. Seventh rule, therefore, BOOK EARLY! Furthermore, a few days before your arrival it is a good habit, however, to call the facilities where you have booked to confirm that your booking has arrived and that there are no problems. When booking, also pay attention to hidden costs (commissions for paying with credit cards for example) or local costs (for example any tourist taxes or costs for bed linen and towels or for final cleaning).
7. Book tours, tickets and activities
A real vacation isn't a real vacation without a fair amount of fun and good food. On MeTour, in addition to hotels you can already buy tickets for visits, tickets for any train journeys, entrance to parks, book daily tours, guides, rentals, entertainment, restaurants, tastings, cooking or ceramics schools, diving , etc. In this case, however, it is better to book in advance especially if it is very high season.
8. “Buy” button
If you are organizing the trip yourself and are purchasing airline tickets online, before pressing the “Buy” button (if you don't want to be on the other side of the world from where you want to be or get stuck in an airport without a connection) check the following things:
- date and time of arrival and departure of the flight. Check the dates and times several times. Check the arrival times, because a flight arriving at night could force you to wait until the morning to find a taxi or the hotel reception open.
- departure and arrival airport. Read the name of the city carefully and if there are multiple airports in a city, it is better to land at the most central one than in a two-hour taxi ride from the nearest hotel.
- number of stopovers and length of waits. In fact, it is not uncommon for there to be stopovers, especially on intercontinental flights. Make sure you have plenty of time to get to the gate for your connection in time and also consider any LONG hours you may have to wait inside the airport waiting for your flight.
Having checked everything carefully several times, you can finally press the "Buy" button. Once pressed, make sure you receive the e-ticket (or electronic ticket for the less IT-savvy). Eighth rule, therefore, CHECK several times before pressing "Buy"
9. Flexibility
If you may have last-minute business impediments or problems, think long and carefully about whether or not to book a plane ticket and hotel room that offers a free cancellation or change of date policy. This option will cost you a little more, but will allow you to save money in the future if unexpected events arise.
Final Preparations Before Departure
10. Before Leaving
Make a list of things to do before leaving and tick them off as you go. Among these: Have you checked whether you need a visa? Check whether it is necessary to apply for a visa, even for those countries where you are just passing through and don't forget to find out how long it takes to obtain it. Is the Passport still valid? For the entire duration of the trip, until your return? Some countries require a passport that is valid for a certain number of months from the date of arrival, others require a passport that expires a certain number of months after the date you leave the country. Are vaccinations necessary? Even if they make some people turn up their noses, it is still better to do them rather than take risks. Make sure which are recommended or mandatory by inquiring with your GP. For some it takes even 8-10 weeks. Do you have a return ticket? Always inform yourself because in some countries you will not be allowed to enter unless you also have a return ticket. Photocopy and scan all important documents (such as passports, tickets, hotel booking confirmation emails, etc.). Bring a copy with you and also send a copy via email or to a person you trust. Notified of your departure? Always leave a copy of the itinerary you will follow with the numbers of the facilities to contact you, especially if you are going to countries at risk. Do you have emergency numbers? An excellent app to always have all your emergency numbers at hand is Emergency Numbers (Android) or Emergency Phone Numbers (iOS). Do you have the right grip? Make sure you have the right plug or adapter. A Vocabulary? it may appear old-fashioned, but a small dictionary with the most important terms could always be useful. Medicines? make sure you have all the medicines you may need (especially for children), in any case bring with you at least one anti-fever and one anti-diarrhoeal.
11. Spread out the cash
If you decide to bring cash with you, don't put it all in the same bag. This way, if you happen to lose one bag, you will always have the other.
12. Weather
Before departure, find out about the weather you will find, so as to pack the right clothing. In any case, a small waterproof K-Way can always be useful.
13. Pack your suitcase strategically
If you plan to travel for 2 weeks, one of which is a tour and one at the seaside, then organize your suitcase by dividing the suitcase into 2 sections: one with things for the tour (with more space) and one for the sea. Pack only what you need, wondering if you really need four pairs of shoes. Pack a few clothes and a change of underwear (just the minimum!) in your hand luggage, in case your hold luggage gets lost.
14. Liquid Containers and Sharps
Remember that if you bring liquids such as shampoo or deodorant with you in your hand luggage, these must be within the 100 ml allowed and, better, if stored in a transparent bag so that you can take them out at checks. Be careful not to put sharps in your hand luggage.
15. Insurance
If you go to distant places, especially exotic ones, or if you are away for a long time, a good rule of thumb is to have travel insurance that is valid for your destination and is suitable for what you want to do once you get there. A health insurance policy can save you from high bills in the event of hospitalization or return accompanied by a doctor should the case require it. Finally, don't forget to always carry a copy with you.
Final Touches and Departure
16. Battery charger and memories
You can always buy an extra charger or memory card at the airport, but it's better if you organize yourself to bring them from home, you will certainly save some money.
17. Drive
If you don't spend a week staying in a village, but you go around and don't plan on using tours or local guides (if you want, they can be booked from home on our MeTour.it), then don't forget to pack a good paper or downloaded guide UPDATED (better if usable off-line) on your mobile phone or tablet. You can download the momondo places guides (they are free) or, among the paper ones, choose the very famous Lonely Planet or the Rough and Routard , but among my favorites are Bradt and Footprint . A contraindication to the guides (the famous ones) is the fact that, like you, many will have bought it with the risk of all finding themselves in the same places. In that case, it is better to rely on local guides (I mean people), on the council of local elders, on blogs
18. Travel
Once at your destination, as an alternative to public transport and if your budget allows it, you can think about renting a car, unless you are in countries like India where I strongly advise against it, because it is practically impossible, as well as dangerous, for those who are not used to it. Also think about taking a taxi for short trips. There are cities, like Istanbul, where if there are four of you (or even 2) a taxi costs less than four bus tickets.
19. Traveling
All that remains for you to do is go, have fun and above all relax. I recommend that you do not be tempted to bring work or problems with you. Leave your computer and possibly your phone turned off. Explore and let yourself be surprised, after all a trip should not just be a list of things to see, but an experience of personal growth.
So all I can do is wish you a good trip and, as I use to say, above all I wish you to return home with one less selfie in your phone and one MORE MEMORY in your heart and mind.
If you have any questions about how to organize a do-it-yourself trip or want to make use of one of our experts for FREE, don't hesitate to write to us on https://MeTour.it , we will be delighted to make ourselves available to you!
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