Travel Blog
Recipe of joy
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How to plan a do-it-yourself trip
How to plan a do-it-yourself trip (in a few steps)
1 - Traveling from my perspective
2 - Guidebook for Planning a Trip and Crafting Travel Itineraries
1 - Traveling from my perspective
After selecting my travel destination and checking the official websites for updates and recommendations, I'm ready to make my travel plans a reality.
I'm excited to start organizing everything myself and let my creativity flow to create a personalized itinerary in a new place without being confined to standard tourist packages.
Some countries are not ideal for self-guided visits, making DIY trips more challenging.
In this situation, I check specialized platforms and reach out to local tour operators directly to immerse myself more authentically in the local culture and get better prices.
When I went on a safari in Uganda, I relied on the website www.safaribookings.com to assess tour operators. I considered the number of reviews, ratings, and years of experience to decide who to contact.
In this article, I talk about my DIY travel planning, savoring the endless slowness before departure because it's when the excitement of pleasure becomes a pleasure in itself.
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2 - Guidebook for Planning a Trip and Crafting Itineraries:
Here are some tips that I hope will help you on your next journey:
Stay updated: check out travel sites, blogs, vlogs; in this digital age, it's super easy to access information.
Listen to what others say or the guidance of those who have experience, but don't let it sway you too much, knowing that everyone perceives the world differently.
Instead, count on a reliable paper travel guide that will journey with you to give you all the information you need along the way.
To gauge if a country is welcoming to tourists, check out the travel itineraries offered by tour operators. This will give you a general idea and help you figure out the best times to visit without feeling rushed.
I enjoy dreaming while gazing at the trusty old map during the journey stages.
Mark on the map the locations you want to visit and the duration of your stay there.
Distances and Internal Connections: Having the map handy makes it easy to grasp the distances between the stages (Google Maps is a valuable tool - consider both the kilometers and travel times based on typical traffic) and plan the itinerary to streamline internal movements and save time.
When you're planning your trip, it's best not to book international flights immediately.
It's better to wait until you've finalized your itinerary. This way, you can be more flexible with your travel dates and the airports you depart from and return to. Personally, I tend to arrive in a country through one airport and depart from another.
Make sure you know how to get from one stop to another by looking to internal flights (you can use search platforms like www.kayak.it and use the IATA code of the airport), potential transfers with rental cars (usually available at airports or close to city center train stations), trains, or ferries. It's essential to confirm there are several departures on the same day in case your planned route gets canceled or if any issues arise.
Knowing English is crucial for checking local transportation websites.
Create the travel plan in black and white: use all the available information to outline a travel itinerary with dates, stops, internal movements, and most importantly, a realistic cost estimate.
Now is the time to act and begin booking.
Book international flights when you have a clear itinerary detailing departure/return dates and the entry and exit airports of the country.
You can now book international flights, it's best to book early to secure the best prices.
Look at different search platforms like Kayak, Expedia, Skyscanner, etc., to see the deals for your selected flight. Consider where to make the booking and take note of the extra services included in the price, such as baggage check-in or cancellation policies.
Online travel agencies like booking.com and kiwi.com provide competitive prices, but their customer support might be limited.
If the price difference isn't too high, I'd rather book directly on the airline's website.
Don't forget to check the airline's website to see if they have any special perks, like a city tour for long layovers or discounts for stopovers. For instance, Turkish Airways provides free tours of Istanbul or accommodation for layovers lasting at least 20 hours.
Booking internal transfers: Arrange your internal flights and car rentals in advance to ensure a smooth trip.
You can book trains or ferries on the spot, just make sure to have the information about the places where you can purchase tickets, even at the last minute.
Hotels typically provide customer support for bookings. They will most likely help you with it.
Accomodations:
When looking for a place to stay, start by selecting the area you prefer - near attractions if you plan to walk or in peaceful areas if you have transportation. Then, pick the right accommodation from Google Maps. You can view prices on their official website or on online platforms that advertise them.
When you're deciding on the best choice, make sure to focus on the cancellation policies and the services included in the price (like breakfast).
Don't forget to get travel insurance before you go to avoid any concerns about health or cancellations.
Don't forget to do final checks before traveling to see what travel documents you need (passport, ID card, visa), if you need an international driving license, specific vaccinations, and local customs. This helps you avoid any embarrassing situations or showing disrespect to the locals who are hosting you in their country.
