The little things that make an experience so fruitful, are the things we experience with a childlike mindset, experiences that only come when you choose them for yourselves! After travelling to over 35 countries, around the globe, some places for multiple times, I realised there were a few I could have missed. But, the novice traveller in me told me time and again to go to a place because my friend had visited, only to realise it wasn't for me. And then the social media feed encouraged me to give in!
Has it ever been that you were planning your trip and it went wrong? Maybe you thought you could fit in your trip expenses within your desired amount but it exceeded way more. Or you just didn't get along well with your travel partners. The chances of a trip going wrong are many, yet it possible to plan the best trip of your life! And it's not like everything is always going to be perfect, after all travelling is about surprises and learnings. But you can avoid some obvious mistakes and know what to do in advance, instead of running around at the last minute. Planning a trip has always been my favourite thing to do. And after travelling to many places it comes naturally to me. And yes, just like everyone else, I have too learnt from many mistakes that I made either during travelling or while planning my trips.
As fun as travelling can be, it comes with planning a foolproof trip, saving money (unless you don't need to), staying in the right area and travelling with likeminded companions! And that's why today I am going to share my knowledge of planning your next perfect trip.
Please note: Remember to follow all the norms of Covid-19 restrictions and precautions when/if you travel next.
Plan Smart To Save Time & Money!
1. Decide a Budget First!
The most common mistake we all make is being overtly ambitious about future travels. Not considering small things like daily meals, commutes, shopping expenses, emergency expenses can majorly affect your budget. Especially if you are in a country where the exchange rate makes holes in our pocket! I have come across a lot of friends and family who start planning their trip first, only to realise after booking flight tickets that it's an expensive destination!
Things to consider: Return flight rates, Hotel rates, Food expenses, Commute Expenses, Visa expense, Shopping expense, Extra on top for emergencies, Insurance.
2. Consider the Weather Before Booking
I still remember walking around in a remote town in Japan in the middle of winter, hating the stormy snowy weather, with no glimpse of sun shine for days! The truth is, not every place will have a suitable climate as per your liking. As travellers we need to learn to adapt to a new place or situation, yet we have a choice to avoid something we don't prefer. A short trip hardly gives us time to acclimatise to the new place. From my personal experience, its always best to first choose a destination that you or your group would like to be in.
Apps to check weather:
AccuWeather - free for both Android and IOS
Weather Underground - free for both Android and IOS
Carrot Weather - free for Android and $5 for iOS
The Weather Channel - free for both Android and IOS
Weather on the Way - free for iOS
3. What Type of a Traveller Are You - Leisure, Backpacker, Solo?
A lot of times we fall in love with a place, just because we think our friend or family loved it. But have you ever analysed what type of a traveller are you? You could be someone who loves to sit in the room, and your friends might want to go early in the morning for sunrise! Or you are someone who loves the beaches, and hiking up the mountains isn't your thing? Before finalising a place always make sure you read up on the place and it matches up to your liking. But most importantly before planning a trip decided if you want to go with friends, family or just by yourself? That one small decision makes a big difference!
4. Where Can I Travel to Next? - India or Overseas
I always start off by making a list of places that I want to travel in the near future. And when I decide the month I can travel in, I take into consideration which one fits my budget, timeline and other priorities! For eg. Malaysia may be the best suited to me since its near by and is cheaper than Spain. And since I would need more days to explore Spain, my four days worth vacation only allows Thailand at the moment!
5. Visa Requirements
For Indian passport, visa application is one the most important and frequently ignored step. For some countries like USA, Australia, Japan, Shengen, it can be a tedious task to gather all the documents. If you don't want to spend money on visa applications or you dont have the patience to gather all the documents, either hire a travel agent or choose a country that is easier to travel to. Thailand, Bali, Bhutan, Nepal are some of the easiest countries to travel to.
Passport and Visa Consular Services
6. Check Your Passport Expiry Date Before Visa Application
I know this can sound very silly, but various countries need 3 months to 6 months of validity before your expiry date. Someone I know was too confident about the process and at the time of visa application she realised her passport was expiring in 3 months! It took her a lot of pain in order to renew her passport, and she had her entire trip booked in advance!
Quick Guides for Passport Application
Passport Application for Indian Citizens
Locate Your Local Passport Application Office
7. Travel With Like Minded People
How many times has your group trip gone wrong? If your answer is never, then you have the perfect travel buddies. I highly recommend travelling only with people who have the same preferences, budgets and expectations from their vacation. Otherwise it doesn't take time for friendships to dissolve or wasting time disagreements while planning the daily activities.
8. Get a Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a must when you travel to certain countries where theft is prevalent! Or let's say you get unwell and have to get hospitalised, it can be very expensive. In these situations travel insurance is always a saviour!
Heres a Guide on How to Book a Travel Insurance
9. Know When to Book Flights & Hotels to Save Money
Did you know you can save money by booking on certain days of the week? I always find Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to be the days when the flight and hotels rates are lesser than other days. Always open your browser in Incognito mode so that you save yourself from the increased rates!
Book directly with the hotel to save the middle man fees. If you see a lower price elsewhere, call the hotel and see if they honour the lower price match.
10. Is Your Chosen Destination Safe?
When you are deciding to travel to a particular place, safety should be of utmost importance. When I visited Mexico, I made sure of doing proper research and found out that there are certain areas one should not enter at any cost! There are some places which it's better to rather not travel to. And if you do, it's better to have a local with you. Do you research!
Check this link for safest countries in the world
What to consider post Covid-19 Travel?
1. Travel Restrictions - Check travel restrictions to the country you have on your list. Some countries are allowing without a quarantine as long as you are fully vaccinated. Even while travelling interstate within India, please take precautions and do not go in a crowded place. It's not worth putting yourself and other at risk!
Latest Guidelines on International Tavel
Indian States and Foreign States where Tourists are Allowed Now
2. Is Quarantine Required? - This is a common scenario nowadays, and you will be expected to quarantine for 14 days, unless the country allows fully vaccinated people without a quarantine.
So, will you be applying these tips while planning your next trip? Do you have any suggestions that I can add to my list? Let me know in comments below.
Follow me on Instagram @curlytravelmess for more travel tips and guides.
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