Travel Part 2 - Insights

 

Now to be honest, other than a few short getaways, I have not traveled in a long time, and many things may have changed, but below are some general insights I picked up over the years that some people might still find useful.   

 

Resources 

When I first started traveling in the 1990's, I mostly took group tours. In the 2000's, after I had gained more experience and confidence, I started planning my own trips with friends, family or solo.  Back then travel agents and guide books were the go-to resources, but these days there are a plethora of apps, websites, blogs, YouTube videos, etc. that can assist you with planning a trip.  

 

Tour Groups 

Tour groups are a good option if you are new to travel or want to cover a lot of territory in a limited amount of time.  Not only will you usually have a knowledgeable guide to help you navigate your trip, but most of your basic needs (transportation, hotel, meals, access to popular sights, translator) will be taken care of for you. Cost will vary from budget tours, often with 35+ people and 2-3 star hotels, to very expensive tours with smaller groups and grander accommodations. 

 

There are some downsides to tour groups as well.  For instance, there usually isn't a lot of personal time built into a group tour itinerary (unless you go off on your own), so you will, for the most part, eat, sleep, and join in the same activities as everyone else.  If the tour covers multiple cities/countries, there will be a lot of time spent on the bus.  

Sometimes these arrangements will be to your liking, sometimes they won’t.  The tour may whiz through a museum or historic sight you have been looking forward to visiting while spending an interminable time in a shop you have no interest in.  Sometimes the guides get a commission from the shops so expect to visit several shops.  

There is often pressure to purchase things on a tour, like side excursions. I've taken a few side excursions that ended up being a highlight of the trip, but many are a waste of time and money so I became more discriminating the more I traveled.   

 

Cruises 

Cruises can be all inclusive or more a la carte or anything in between, depending on your preference.  Like group tours they can include accommodations, meals, and cover a lot of territory with minimum effort on your part.  Some like to stay on the ship while others like to explore the various destinations, either with a scheduled tour or on their own.  

I've taken a few cruises and although they aren't my preferred method of travel they do have advantages, especially for people who just want to relax.  You unpack once, food and drink are always available, and there is a lot to see and do onboard.  Personally, I like to walk and explore cities with lots of sights so I tend to feel trapped on a ship. 

 

Independent Travel 

There are some tour organizations that cater toward the more independent traveler.  They will provide transportation to/from airport/hotel, a place to stay and maybe breakfast, as well as a ticket to an excursion, but for the rest, you are on your own to do what you want. 

This can work well for the more experienced traveler who wants more freedom than a full tour offers but isn't quite ready to be completely on their own.  Tourist agents, with their inside knowledge, can also help plan a trip and save you some hassle with the arrangements and paperwork.   

 

Solo Travel 

Towards the end of my travels I was doing more solo travel.  It can be fun to travel with friends and family and have others to share in the memories (and worries).  However, when you travel with others you have to be willing to compromise and take their preferences into consideration when making plans.  

When you travel alone you truly call all the shots.  This can be a daunting responsibility for some, while representing complete freedom for others.  Some find it lonely to travel alone, while others love having complete control over every aspect of the trip.  

Personally, I loved solo travel.  I would usually pick a popular city with good public transportation and lots of sights as my base of operations, and then take day trips to nearby areas.  This way I avoided the inconvenience of changing hotels. 

 

Planning  

If you travel long enough, or are just adventurous by nature, you may want to try completely planning your own trip.  I would start with a domestic trip first and then branch out to International travel, where you will need to take into consideration things like possible visa requirements, security issues, cultural differences, etc.  The Internet can be very helpful in finding up-to-date information.  

When you plan your own trip you pick where and when to go, where to stay, and what to do.  Off season months like September are a great time to travel as the weather is still good, kids are back in school, it's less crowded, many of the seasonal sights are still open and it is less expensive overall.   

 

You also have to arrange for transportation (e.g. your car, rental car, public transportation), figure out if you need to get any entrance tickets ahead of time, and what currency is needed.  

For international travel, you can probably use a credit card or prepaid VISA card for most expenses but it is a good idea to have some of the local currency on hand for tips and small purchases.  I found it easier to obtain foreign currency before you arrive rather than wait and rely on exchange facilities with exorbitant fees or try to locate a bank that is open. Sometimes your hotel will help you exchange money. 

 

If you are in a non-English speaking country, there's a good chance you don't speak the local language. This is not an insurmountable problem.  I found the old translator devices more of a hindrance than a help, although new apps may be more efficient.  However, locals in many touristy spots do speak at least some English, or you can probably get by with a few memorized phrases (hello, goodbye, thank you, where's the toilet) and pantomiming works surprisingly well.  I've found that most people are friendly and helpful, if you just make an effort.  

 

For me planning a trip is a major part of the fun, but others may prefer a more spontaneous vacation.  However, I find the more prepared I am, the fewer problems I have to deal with during the trip.  I will make note of sights I want to visit, when they are open, if they are under renovation, admission cost, directions, etc.  I will plan a tentative itinerary, grouping nearby activities, so I can do as much as possible, but still allow some downtime to relax.  

As I got older, the downtime became increasingly necessary for an enjoyable vacation.  This is especially true when traveling with friends or family.  Having a day or even a few hours set aside where everyone can do their own thing (or nothing at all) will go a long way toward keeping the peace. 

 

Packing 

Packing for a trip is a science and takes practice. I found the more I traveled the less I took (and the less I bought). In my experience, having fewer things to lug around while traveling is just less stressful.  

Now barebones travel isn't for everyone.  In fact most of my fellow travelers were, in my opinion, terrible packers. They would bring things they knew they probably weren’t going to use or wear but "they might" and wanted it “just in case”. They brought extra bags to accommodate the souvenirs they planned on buying.  

To be fair, when I first started traveling I bought a lot of souvenirs for friends and family and miscellaneous junk for myself.  Over time though I stopped buying gifts for friends (just family and not every trip). I decided I didn't need yet another Hard Rock Café T-Shirt and I limited my personal souvenirs to postcards and an occasional decorative item for my house.   

 

I also reached a point where I only brought clothes I knew I would wear.  And I wore each shirt and pair of pants MORE THAN ONCE.  I also wore a lot of black so everything matched and didn’t show the dirt. I would bring old underwear and either discard it or do some hand washing mid-way through the trip.  I had one pair of comfortable shoes, one all-weather jacket, and no make-up, no purse, no skirts, etc.  

For a two week trip to Australia I might break down and use my 18 inch suitcase and check luggage, but for a week or less it was a small carry-on only.  Don’t forget to keep anything valuable (e.g. mobile devices, chargers, money, medication) with you at all times and not in your checked luggage.  Luggage can get lost or delayed.  

I also bring some emergency snack food.  During one particularly unlucky journey I had to go 24 hours without any available food. Never again.  

 

So that’s one woman’s advice.  Do you have any travel advice you would like to share? 

Check out my companion article, Travel Part 1 - The Pros and Cons.