It is such a huge world out there with so many continents, countries and destinations to visit. How on earth do you know where to start? Through social media and media nowadays travel is everywhere. You will see your favourite show on Netflix and think, “where is this set, I would love to go there”. Take Game of Thrones for example; Iceland and Croatia became one of the top countries to visit in Europe due to their influence with the show.
A lot of people already know where they want to start, they have read a book set in a certain place, seen a film or just seen a post on Instagram. Write these down when you see them! Chances are you will not be able to see them all in one go and you will forget about them. Just to warn you this list does get long but don’t get overwhelmed, you need to start somewhere.
Perhaps you would like to stay a little closer to home? If you live in America think about all the different states and all the different possibilities each state has to offer. They all have something different to offer. Think about how much flying you would like to do. 4 hours? 8 hours? 24 hours? If you are unsure just think about YOU. What do YOU want?
So, you have a destination in mind? Ok so the first thing you need to do is ignore the question of how you are going to get there. BORING! You can figure this out later. Let’s start with the most exciting part of the holiday. Start by answering a few of these questions and, just as I have said above, media is here to help you. You don’t need to answer all these questions on your own or even all the questions for that matter, it’s just to get you started. To start, why do you want to go to this particular place? Then what do you want to see while there? How would you like to visit this place? Would you prefer to join a tour and meet other people? Would you prefer to travel independently? What else is in the area? What else is there to see in the country? What transportation could you look at? Is there a possible train journey you can do? Is there a boat trip? What culture is there to see? What history can I learn about? Where can I take the best photos? Where is the most wildlife? This list could be endless, this is the fun part! Get excited about your next adventure! After you have worked out exactly what you would like to see then you can work on the logistics… how can I get there? When can I get time off work? When is the best month to go? What is the weather like? What airline can I fly with? What city do I need to transit through? How much is this going to cost me?
Now let’s talk money for a moment. Whenever you are planning an itinerary look at the overall picture, the total cost from the moment you book your first part of the trip to the moment you are home. For example (you live in the UK for this to work) if you are planning a holiday to somewhere such as Europe you would think right, well it is closest to us so it will be the cheapest place to go. Perhaps if you are wanting to look at purchasing a Thomson all-inclusive 4* hotel in Tenerife and if that is your thing, that’s ok. However, what if you are to think a bit further outside the box. Somewhere like Asia perhaps? Yes, the flights over to somewhere like Thailand are probably double the amount of flying time and probably double the amount of money. Although once you have landed the accommodation, the food, the day tours, the sightseeing will be significantly cheaper than if you were purchasing these things in Europe.
This of course isn’t always the case and it depends on your style of travelling. Are you a 5* hotel or a 3* hostel person? You can look at either of these in either destination but compare, contrast ideas and don’t go with the first thing you see. Be mindful and open to suggests. Check out blogs for the desired place you want to visit, read Lonely Plant books, look at newspaper articles and speak to people who have been. This is the best way to learn, listen and get tips from people who have already been on the experience you are about to venture on. If you don’t have access to any of these then hopefully this page should have helped to get you started.
It’s such a huge world out there with so many continents, countries and destinations to visit. How on earth do you know where to start? Through social media and media now a days travel is everywhere. You’ll see your favourite show on Netflix and think; “where is setting I would love to go there”. Take Game of Thrones for example Iceland and Croatia became one of the top countries to visit in Europe due to their influence.
LEAH HANCOX 