Have you ever wondered, why travelling is something almost everyone loves? And still, it is a unique experience for anyone.
I believe that when you travel, you do not just discover a foreign place, but also yourself. I have discovered my passion for structuring and organizing everyhing. How? Well, I often find myself creating whole powerpoint presentations and excel sheets when planning a trip. I mean, I need to know where I’m going and how to keep my fellow voyagers happy. And yes, this is a science, as I believe – and as we all know, science consists of many formulas and rules. So let me get straight to the point and introduce you to the three laws of travelling – which are just like the laws of physics:
1. Things will go wrong
Wheter it is a delayed flight, a dirty hotelroom that looked much better on TripAdvisor or your maxed out credit card: Be prepared for anything. My advice here is to keep your expectations (kind of) low and mentally prepare yourself for some obstacles. I grew up in Switzerland and the first thing I had to learn during vacation: Most hotel rooms will never be as clean as your own house, locals will not be as reserved as swiss people and the food might a slight bit more raw than your digestion likes it. But you know what? That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be so enjoy it! Whatever happens just keep in mind that you are on vacation, you can chill in (almost) any situation and there surely is no need for stress.
2. You will learn from every experience
When I was in Cuba two years ago, I bought two travel guides and read them very thoroughly before I started the trip. What you need to know about me: the time I use for planing a vacation usually takes at least as long as the trip itself. So that’s why I used highlighters and post-its and marked everyhing I thought might be worth visiting. Yet, when we arrived in Havana, we realized that each and every restaurant listed in the travel guide was actually packed with tourists, waaaay to expensive and really not worth a visit. What did I learn from that? Do not go to any Cuban restaurant listed in the travel guide. This knowledge was very useful later on and we ate at the best spots without crowds of cruiseship-daytourists. We quickly learned and started talking to other young tourists as well as the hosts of our casa particulares.
I’m not saying do not read any travel guides – I’m rather suggesting thinking about alternative options and learning from what you have experienced before. This will make you a very wise and relaxed traveller.
3. When you come home, you will want to plan your next trip right away
I remember when I was about four years old we went on a trip to Spain. When I realized that my mother started packing her suitcase for the way back home I started crying waterfalls. I had to learn the hard whay that whenever you get home from a great vacation, you will want to go again as soon as possible. My tip: Book your next trip right away! As we say in german “pleasant anticipation is known to be the best kind of delight”. And the sooner you know where you will go next, the more you can talk to people about it and get useful tips and tricks. I usually plan my get-aways about half a year up to one year in advance. I then do research on my destination on the weekends or during uninteresting lectures. There are only upsides to planning a trip: You will be happier, more relaxed and more prepared for anything that awaits you.
What will await you in this blog?
You will not just find useful tips on how to plan your perfect vacation, but also how to enjoy it the most. I will tell you things like why I have a love-hate relationship with Tripadvisor, where I would rent a car, what you should pack into your suitcase for any destination, why you should leave your smartphone in the hotel room and most importantly: How you will come back home with the best memories, most exciting experiences and an idea where you should go next.
