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I am a planner by nature. I will spend weeks or even months researching and planning. To me, that’s as much a part of the experience as actually making the trip.
I am absolutely the same. Not just for vacations, either. LOL. But for vacations, I tend to plan a year out and try to work everything out to the minute detail. I am pretty sure it's a control thing for me, but it's also nice to know it's all taken care of well ahead. Until stumbling blocks pop up, which invariably happens.
I'm an obsessive planner, so that I can be free wheeling when I get there. I have a list of things that we usually want to see/do, and know roughly the time commitment to do them, and where they are etc. Then we can take each day as it comes and do as much or as little of our "to do" list as we want, and still have lots of flexible time, because the requirements are known.
I know, it sounds counterintuitive, but it really works for us/me
Depends. Usually we have lots of time so don't do much planning, not to the level of not even checking the weather that sounds like a way to just waste time and money when you get there.
At the very least we prefer to know how transportation from arrival point works, and if firm dates (like with a flight) will have a place to stay booked. Nothing sucks more than getting off a long journey and needing to find a place to stay, in internet era can be handled fairly easily. Lots of places the bus/train/plane/boat arrival is where some of the biggest scams happen, it's good to have in your mind how much reasonable transportation should be so you know you're not getting bent over.
Like most things I don’t really plan down to the details. But I make sure I have flights, car, and hotel for my trips booked before I go. Everything else I can book while I’m there like what to do, where to eat, etc..
But before I do read books before I decide to go to any places. But I love looking for hotels on booking.com.
I plan. I like to look up food, attractions, points of interest. I think it is half the fun. I plan for business trips too. I drag my coworkers to local restaurants, for example. I do not want to eat chain food on trips.
I did not plan my honeymoon very carefully and our trip to Jamaica in 1989 was mostly disappointing to say the very least. It was an expensive, frustrating and sad lesson.
I'm an obsessive planner, so that I can be free wheeling when I get there. I have a list of things that we usually want to see/do, and know roughly the time commitment to do them, and where they are etc. Then we can take each day as it comes and do as much or as little of our "to do" list as we want, and still have lots of flexible time, because the requirements are known.
I know, it sounds counterintuitive, but it really works for us/me
That's my method, too. I research extensively for airfares/routes and accommodations and have them in place; I don't want to leave those to chance. I also book small-group excursions that might be filled up if I try to book them a day or two ahead- took a memorable day trip to Greenland from Iceland that way! As for the rest, I have a general idea of what's interesting in the area and also keep an eye out for posters and other ads for concerts, walking tours, etc. when I'm there. What I do on a particular day can depend on the weather and what I feel like exploring. Raining? It's a museum day. If a museum turns out to be so interesting I want to continue after lunch, I'll do it.
It really helps to have the Internet available- I never travel without my computer to research things while i"m there, such as train schedules.
During my more frequent traveling days, much like this cd poster....very well prepared. Always bought travel books for each country plus maps. But would be flexible....you don't have to follow a strict schedule or see everything on your list.
Finding places and things to do that are a SURPRISE...often the most memorable.
This is me. I love travel planning and often start months before I go. It's like having two vacations - the one before and then the one. The reason I do it is because I don't want to get home and have someone ask me if I saw something there that was just the best and I hadn't even known about it. I don't want to miss unique experiences.
On the other hand schedules and setting an alarm on vacation is not my idea of fun so I like to keep things flexible. I just want to be sure to know what I am deciding to skip.
It depends on how much time I will have for the trip. If we're talking about a week or two, you bet I will research the heck out of the place before I leave, I'm not wasting my preciously limited vacation time winging it. If I have a month or more, then I'll be more willing to wing it.
I also realized that I get more and more finicky with hotel rooms as I get older. I hate sleeping in sh**tty beds that sink or a mattress so run down that the spring coils poke you in the back when you sleep. That means no Airbnb or cheap apartment rentals for me. Those places typically are furnished with cheap beds that the owners probably purchased from a thrift store. I get very cranky when I don't have a good night's sleep.
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