When planning a trip, do you: spending years pouring over guidebooks and reading relevant books and articles? Hire a travel agent or book a tour? Spend countless hours online researching? Or, simply taking off without a plan? There is no right way.It’s a matter of what works for you, the destination, and available time and budget. But no matter how you plan (or don’t), the important thing is to, finally, GO!
As an independent traveler, I like to think I am spontaneous and, for short vacations to a singular destination, I usually am – just book flight, lodging (and, sometimes, rental car or other transportation) and see what and who shows up. But when it comes to prolonged travel with numerous destinations and/or involving others, I do considerable research for best deals on flights, places to stay; gaining familiarity with places I hope to visit, and attempting to make local contacts beforehand. This is a time consuming process that I enjoy, enriching the anticipation as well as appreciation once I am under way.
Whether ponderous or spontaneous, I find a great trip requires planning enough for peace of mind and accomplishing some goals, while leaving lots of time and space for chance encounters and Serendipity to surprise and delight. Having been a traveler since my teens, when I first started hitchhiking across the U.S., I’ve developed a certain confidence and ease in the pleasure of the way I travel, alone or with others. Since many of you are also travel aficionados, and a few have been kind enough to ask,”How do you do it?” I will chronicle my upcoming trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, slated for January 20-March 22, 2011. READ MORE >>>>
