The long-awaited holiday season is ahead, and with it the inevitable stress. Well, judge for yourself: there are so many things to take into account, not to forget, to control: to leave home on time so as not to be late for the airport, not to forget your passport and tickets, and to have time to see everything that you have planned on the spot … Experienced traveler Jeffrey Morrison is sure: one One of the best ways to reduce stress while traveling is to plan less and indulge in spontaneity.
Just imagine: you are on the beach, white sand under your feet. A light breeze blows you, sea turquoise caresses your eyes. You sip on a cocktail while hiding from the sun under a straw umbrella. The sound of the waves lulls you to sleep, and before falling asleep, you have time to think: this is paradise! Stay here forever…
Now imagine a different picture. Also a beach, every square centimeter is occupied by someone’s bodies. This is the tenth time you’ve shaken the sand out of your hair in the last five minutes: screaming teenagers frolic nearby, their ball constantly landing next to you. Near the sea, but what! The waves are so powerful that swimming is clearly unsafe. On top of that, absolutely unbearable music is roaring from two speakers at once.
Agree, it’s a shame: for months to plan a vacation on the first beach, and end up on the second. Two weeks of confinement in a lousy hotel far from the sea can turn into a living hell, but what can you do: you still won’t get your money back for the hotel. How could this have been avoided? Book a hotel for the first few nights only. Of course, for many travelers, especially families, the lack of planning is terrifying, but it’s still a way to not let circumstances ruin your vacation.
No, you are not in danger of chaos
Going on the first long trip, I thought it would be nice to make the most detailed route. I booked several hostels, paid for flights and even a two-week tour of Southeast Asia. And what? Having made my first stop in Melbourne, I met absolutely incredible guys. We had a great time, except that they stayed in Melbourne, and I had to fly on. A week later, history repeated itself in Brisbane. How I then cursed my «prudence»!
For the past five years, I have tried to plan only the first few days of a trip. Fantastic opportunities open up to me every now and then. In Cherbourg, France, I found a great place to live and stayed longer than I expected. After going on a road trip around England with friends, I met other travelers and drove on with them. And more than once I left early from those places that I should have liked, but for some reason did not make the proper impression.
Oddly enough, there are almost no difficulties with this approach. Well, yes, it happens that there are no places in the hostel, the flight turns out to be too expensive, or the ferry tickets have long been sold out. But if this particular hotel or flight is not important to you, you will always find a suitable replacement for them.
An important exception is trips to the islands. Tickets for planes and ferries plying between them are sold out quickly, and the purchase should not be postponed until the last moment. Also, sometimes at passport control they are asked to show a return ticket or hotel reservation (at least for a few nights).
Plan right on your trip
Of course, such spontaneity requires preparation: you should be able to book tickets and hotels on the road. To do this, you need a normal smartphone and Internet access. It is best to immediately download the main applications for travelers (search for tickets, hotels, fellow travelers, offline maps): using them from your phone is more convenient than mobile versions of sites. Don’t forget to ask locals and travelers you meet for advice, and of course don’t take too much luggage with you.
Doar incearcă
Have you long dreamed of visiting a particular hotel and going on this particular tour? Don’t give up on your dreams. If on a journey it is important for you to simply find some kind of shelter and get from point A to point B in any way possible, why not give yourself freedom?
If you’re planning a two-week vacation, book a hotel for the first couple of nights — and optionally for the last one too. After spending a couple of days in a new place, you will, plus or minus, understand how it is for you, whether you want to stay there or if you should look for something better — another hotel, area, or even, maybe, a city. For example, after spending a few days on a beach crowded with compatriots, you will find a piece of paradise on the opposite end of the island.
Sursa: The New York Times.