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The greatest secret to the success of a vacation is in the
planning. While it sounds daring to just throw your clothes in a
bag and “wing it”, the reality is that it takes a calculator, a
pencil, and even a map to plot an easy and stress-free vacation.
1.Make a realistic budget, and stick to it!
You don’t want to spend sleepless nights worrying how to pay
off your credit card. How much can you afford to spend? Then
list down what you will have to pay for, from obvious expenses
like room, board and transportation, to things like food,
airport fees, and souvenirs and shopping.
To get a realistic gauge, find out the cost of living of the
area and visit travelers forums to get a general idea of how
much others have spent. Also consider hidden costs and the
nature of the vacation.
For example, a hotel may look cheap, but it may have such a
limited range of accessible restaurants that you’ll end up
spending a fortune on food. Or, you may be visiting a shopper’s
haven where the bargains are too great to pass up. You need more
money to splurge here than if you had just gone to a beach,
where the sun is free.
2.Keep a realistic itinerary
Some people turn vacations in a frenzied attempt to see
everything in three days or less. The thing is, if you try to
cram too many sights, you’ll be running from one place to
another without really absorbing what you hear. You may also be
exhausting yourself to the point that you need a vacation to
recover from your vacation!
Research on the places you want to visit. How much time do you
really need for each? Some places are just beautiful backdrops
where you’ll need less than an hour to take the requisite
photos. Others, like museums, should have an entire afternoon.
3.Start planning three to four months ahead
This gives you time to look for discounts or negotiate for
better rates, and make arrangements for the work (or pets!)
you’re leaving behind. You also have time to save, in case you
realize your allotted budget isn’t enough.
4.Find out about the place’s quirks
Be informed! Know the climate, the kind of clothes you need to
wear, and prepare for the little quirks of the place. For
example, you may find out that it costs a fortune to develop
film or photos in the resort you’re visiting.
At least you’ll have an extra memory card! Other things to
look out for: accessibility of transportation, how many people
in that area can speak English, the number of ATM’s or how many
of the establishments accept credit cards. These details may not
seem important as finding a good hotel, but can quickly become
annoying and stressful inconveniences!
5.Don’t go there with too many expectations
It’s okay to be excited, but many tourists are just too easily
disappointed and frustrated. Remember, no matter how “imperfect”
a vacation is, it’s still a chance to discover a new place and
culture, and get out of the rut of the everyday. It’s useless to
keep comparing it to “how things are back home” or rant about
how it’s fallen short of the promises in the brochure. You’re
already there. Make the most of it.
About The Author: Enter to Win a FREE Trip to the Wine Country!
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