12 Easy Steps for Planning Your Next Trip

Vacations are fun, but sometimes, planning a trip can be tricky. However, it doesn’t have to be such a hassle! With the help of this article, you’ll learn 12 easy and fail-safe steps that will help you plan your next trip without having a hard time.

1. Know where you want to go – First, you have to decide on your destination. Would you be going to the beach? Or do you prefer to visit some uncharted territory? Would you be in the same continent, or would you be going to another? By asking yourself these questions, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices.

2. Decide on the length of your trip – You also have to decide how long the trip is going to be. This way, you can prepare not just for the trip but also the people who’ll take care of what you’ll be leaving behind for the duration of your trip.

3. Research on how much you will need – Now that you know where you want to go, and how long you’ll be gone, it’s time to research on how much the trip is going to cost. This includes not just the airfare, but also where you’ll be staying, dining, and everything else in your itinerary.

4. Book your flight on a Tuesday or Wednesday midnight – By doing so, you get great seats at the most affordable prices. There are also websites that offer discounted fare rates so take advantage of them. These sites include:

Vayama
Skyscanner
Matrix ITA
Momondo
Google Flights

5. Book affordable accommodations – Again, it’s not just the flight that you need to plan for. You should also figure out where you’ll be staying. Take note that you don’t have to stay in 5-star hotels just for the trip to run smoothly. There are many other places you can stay in, and these sites would help you find an affordable place to stay:

Expedia.com
Booking.com
Hotels.com
Agoda.com

6. File for leave early – You have to make sure that you file for leave from work early, especially if you want the trip to be during the holidays. If you want to take a vacation during the Christmas season, file for leave as early as May or June to be sure.

7. Automate your bills – Set up online payments and paperless bills, or get the services of Earth Class Mail that can scan your emails for you while you’re gone. This way, you won’t have to worry about your bills while you’re away.

8. Get a travel rewards credit card – It would be nice if you can sign up for travel rewards account so you can rack up points to get free or discounted hotel stays and flights. Just sign up for one or two; signing up for more may only lead to confusion.

9. Check the validity of your passport – Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months just before your trip to be sure. It would be such a hassle to know that your passport is about to expire when you’re about to embark on a trip.

10. Figure out which VISA you need – Some countries need different types of VISAs so make sure that you research about where you’re going to know which type of VISA is needed, if ever.

11. Pack light – You don’t need to bring everything on your trip. As they say, pack light and your trip would be easy and manageable. Some of the things you should pack include:

1 pair of jeans
1 dress shirt
1 bathing suit
6 t-shirts
Underwear
1 towel

You can edit the list based on where you’re going and how long you’re going to stay.

12. And of course, don’t forget to save up – You may not be able to afford your trip without cutting down on your expenses. Months or even a year before your trip, you should start cutting down on expenses. Simple ways of doing so include getting rid of cable, cooking your own meals, or making your own coffee—and of course, it would also help to have your own travel savings account where you can deposit money for your trip.

Keep these tips in mind and your trip will be hassle-free!

How to Document Your Travel Adventure

Not everyone is blessed with a great memory. That’s why it’s best to document your travel adventures. There are a lot of ways to do that—and here are 5 of those:

1. Make a travel blog

image source: roomsuggestion.com

What better way to document your adventures than with a blog dedicated to your trips? It’s a good way to express yourself and write about where you’ve been. No one can tell you what to talk about, and you can even make a business out of it.

Write about how excited you were for the trip, what happened when you first got there, where you went, what you ate—and whatever else happened on the trip! Give your readers a guide to what’s best to see, what to do, and where to eat, and who knows, you may gain a loyal legion of readers because of that.

Take inspiration from travel blogs such as Nomadic Matt, I am Aileen, or Adventurous Kate and make the most out of your travels.

2. Create an Instagram account for your travels

image source: thosewhowanderblog.com

Another good way to document your travels is to create an Instagram account that’s solely dedicated to you trips.

What’s great about Instagram is that you can be so creative with your photos, and if you’re not good with words, you can just let the photos speak for themselves! Document details and colors, the people, and make sure your photos reflect the feel of the place.

Take a cue from Young Adventures, or Expert Vagabond, among others.

3. Try Video-blogging (Vlogging)

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Vlogging is great because somehow, you get to let the viewers experience your trip vicariously.

To be a good travel vlogger, make sure that you get a nice camera (Canon EOS Rebel T3i is recommended), and speak clearly. You can even make use of a script if you want. This way, your videos would look and feel professional, and your viewers would love watching them. Be yourself and imagine yourself in your viewers’ shoes so you can give them a great viewing experience.

4. Write in a Journal

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You can also go old-school and keep a travel journal. Write about how you felt during the trip. Let all your feelings out. This one is something you can keep for yourself, so there’s no need to censor your feelings. Write long or short passages—it does not really matter as long as you get to express yourself.

You may even doodle and draw about your experiences to give your journal more flair!

5. Make a scrapbook

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And finally, why not make a scrapbook?

Sure, it may take time and require a little more effort, but scrapbooks are amazing because you really get to relieve the moment by touching and seeing your mementos.

To make the scrapbook better, make sure to add flyers of hotels or inns you stayed in, business cards, receipts, candy wrappers, or even petals or leaves that came from the place you visited. Make it fun and be creative!

Keep these tips in mind and your travels will surely be more memorable!