TRAVEL PLANNING

 

                                                                            Cancun, Mexico

After deciding that you do wish to become Nomadic and are looking into the logistics and details that I have mentioned in the last post, you have been asking yourself; “Where to go?”.

With a couple of hundred countries in the world, plenty to choose from. At this point in your life, you have no doubt thought about this, perhaps at length.  You have some favorites in mind.

With so many options it would be information overload and overly lengthy if I was to tell you about each country, pro’s & con’s, entry requirements, etc.  Also, things like entry requirements, safety, cost of living etc., can change drastically and quickly.  This would make my post obsolete quickly and unhelpful.

Instead, I will teach you how to find out more about all this, using websites that are continually updated.

 

There are two ways of looking at all this while in the decision-making process: 

~ There is the practical / logistical part where facts are the only factor.  How long can you stay?  When is there nice weather and can you travel there then?  Do the flights alone cost so much your budget while there will be severely reduced?  What is the cost of living there?  Is English used? Etc.

~ There are the “warm & fuzzy” emotional aspects that are of huge importance, most likely what is compelling you to travel as a nomad.

 

While choosing destinations to travel to, the emotional aspects are key and of course the first thing you think about.  Is your grandma from that country originally?  Is your favorite movie or TV series filmed in that country?  Do you love the cuisine of that country more than any other type of cuisine?

After choosing your first few countries, then you start looking at the logistics and details.  Here are some of the key factors:

~ WHEN                   This may seem obvious, but this is of huge importance, potentially devastating if overlooked.  Some countries have extreme conditions that are seasonal, typhoons, excessive heat, hurricanes, etc.  Also, festivals that can be appealing to you or nightmarish.  Huge, prolonged festivals can increase prices on air and hotels, huge crowds bring traffic to a standstill, attract pick pocketers, etc.  Or you may love the festive atmosphere.

~ HOW LONG         Some countries only allow you to visit for one month and make it difficult or impossible to extend. 

~ WHERE                 You may desire to visit a specific country, but what part(s).  If multiple locations, how long at each, and in what order?

~ HOW                      How far in advance should you plan?  Reserve everything for the entire time, or just go and wing it?  Inside the country, is it best to go between places by plane, train, bus, boat, car?

 

These may seem like obvious points and also may seem like it isn’t all that important if you don’t think about some of this too much in advance. 

YOU WOULD BE WRONG!

When I was a travel agent, I regularly had new customers come in with their eyes glazed over, telling me they sat down to plan their trip and became so overwhelmed they came running to my agency.  They would pay the trip planning fee ($100 and up) and after the trip thank me and tell me it was the best money they spent, and well worth it. 

I have seen that so many times, I am hoping to help my fellow travelers and nomads to enjoy this wonderful time of their lives by helping out with this blog.

I will be breaking this down further in my next blog.  For now, I leave you with one of my favorite travel quotes, and a link to my YouTube channel for you to check out some destinations I have visited.

 

“Travelers are dreamers who make their desire for adventure turn into reality…”

 

 

For destinationvideos check out my YouTube channel!