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Planning to enhance your Travel Experience

A cynic has said that the most enjoyable parts of travelling are the dreaming and the remembering. When you're there it's lost luggage, hassles, closing days, rip-offs, stomach troubles, etc.
I consider that cynic should have stayed at home !

It does not have to be that way - it's all in the planning. Some may hate a planned approach like this - fair enough, that's OK. Others feel it enables them to make the best use of their limited time.

So, some general thoughts on how to enjoy the experience

• Initially make a general grand plan - one that is your complete wish list. Most will have to trim this for both time and financial reasons - but, it's a good starting point. The Internet is just perfect for this sort of initial research.
• Rate the things in this grand plan as essential - or, non-essential. You will inevitably have to choose between some attractions, sights, experiences, venues, etc.
• Try and cluster them geographically, so you're not zig-zagging across a country (I've wasted time like this).
• Work on the details of air fares, schedules, packing (including all those miscellaneous electronic devices and their associated tangle of cables). Remember all sharps go in checked luggage.
• Use air fare comparison sites to check for competitive fares. There are numerous sites specialising in this: search for air fare comparison. Fares can vary widely literally from one day to the next. So, going a few days earlier or later can save even several hundred dollars.
• Check out the Eurail and BritRail passes. If you can configure your travels within the allowances of a Pass they can be good value. Except for long journeys, air travel in Europe has no real advantage. You need to use a train to get to most airports, so why not use a train to go the whole journey and see the countryside. Air travel involves delays at check-in, security and boarding, plus you only see anything for five minutes after take-off and then before landing. In-between, it's usually the tops of clouds.
• Check out accommodation and other venues through sites like Trip Advisor and Yahoo Travel.
• Check out attractions, sights and other venues you want to visit. For example, Museum-Tracker for the Independent Traveller is an eBook Directory giving you details of significant museums in England and Europe.
• Ensure you have at least two credit and/or ATM withdrawal cards. Any card can easily give problems, so if you're relying totally on the one card you could be stranded penniless. Not fun !
• Take an adequate supply of any personal medications and also medicines for treatment of stomach problems contracted from food or water. However, ensure these are all in their original packaging to avoid problems with any Customs authorities.
• Visas. Generally, many countries no longer require Visas for short tourist stays (up to three months). However, some special visas require application be made in your country of nationality before you depart. Some countries are quite inflexible on this point.

Bon Voyage
David Berghouse.
Author: Museum-Tracker for the Independent Traveller.

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