Tip-Top Trip Planning

Travelers and study abroad students everywhere must learn to plan for trips when they are first beginning to travel to over countries, and though it may sound simple and straightforward, there are important aspects to consider that aren’t always apparent at first sight.

So when I tell you I’m going to share with you my trips for tip-top trip planning, I don’t mean I’m giving you advice on how to pack for trips or advice on where to travel to (though I will be posting as time goes on about my favorite cities and sites I’ve seen in my still-young career as a traveler). Those two things are important, but they are both aspects I think everyone considers, no matter what. When you travel, you have to think about what to bring and to go anywhere at all, you have to pick a place to go. I want to talk about travel considerations I’ve seen my peers and friends neglect, and later regret neglecting. That way, the rest of us can hopefully avoid any major missteps, as hiccups in travel plans can often cause undue stress and take away enjoyment from your well-deserved trip.

Here are some of the travel considerations I’ve noticed generally prove themselves to be of the utmost importance. I’m sure I’ll post more on this as I travel more, learning about what works and doesn’t work.

How much planning is too much planning? How much is too little?

This is a question we all struggle with to some extent, and, understandably, the conclusions we come to are very much affected by our personalities. Some people are spontaneous and comfortable with going into things with no clearly-defined, well-researched plan, and no schedule. Others are hyper-planners and schedule, research, and plan as though their lives were at stake. I think a balance must be struck between the two, and I think the size of the city you’re traveling to should also influence the amount you plan.

With too little planning, you may not end up being able to see or do any of the best things a city has to offer, because you won’t know where things are, how to get to them, or maybe you won’t even know they exist. If you hyper-plan, you may end up being too keyed up and focused on making sure everything goes according to plan to actually step back and enjoy what you’re doing. I think the key is in planning according to the size of the city you’re visiting.

If you’re going to a huge city like London, New York, Paris, or Madrid, I suggest doing at least a little planning. Do some research to help you make a list of the top places you’d like to go while in the city. Then, pick one or two of the sites to go to per day, and at least get some sort of picture of the best way to get to and from your base (hotel, hostel, apartment, etc…), and from one site to the next. Only planning for one or two major things per day allows you to have plenty of free time to wander, get lost, meet friends, and maybe stumble into a good restaurant or two.

For small towns, on the other hand, I don’t believe you’re required to do as much homework. Make sure you plan for how to get to and from the small town, since any trains or buses you take there will be more infrequent and possibly more difficult to coordinate than transportation to the big metropolises. That said, once you’re there, feel free not to do much planning and just see where your exploration of the town takes you. If the town is small, and you’re there for at least a couple days, you’ll surely be able to see most, if not all, of it, and you’ll save transportation money since you’ll be able to walk it.

Who do I travel with?

This is crucial. Your answer to this question can absolutely make or break a trip. I direct this tip to study abroaders, because there’s one trap I’ve seen many fall into, and it’s always a shame when it happens. The situation I see, again and again, is that people meet their fellow students, get to know them some, and then assume it will work just fine to travel with anyone they have met and liked. This is not a good trap to fall into. You have to consider the person’s interests, planning propensities, and personality, and compare those three aspects of them to yourself. If you are interested in seeing a place’s natural, outdoor spaces, but your travel companion would rather explore the city’s museums, you’re going to run into some conflict. If you want to go where the wind takes you and not worry about planning, but your travel partner wants to set out a predetermined schedule for the trip, you may just rub one another the wrong way. And if you and your travel partner have very different, potentially conflicting personalities, you might want to rethink throwing yourselves into a completely new place together.

Happy travels!

Tags: Planning, Tips, Travel, Travel Tips, Trips