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blackboard   Travel Requires Planning.

Okay, most everyone knows that, right? Unless your lucky to have just won the lottery and now live like a vagabond (my secret desire!) you have to plan your trip. I'm often asked to answer questions on travel: for example - "I'm going to Europe what should I take?" After years of pondering answers to such questions, I've developed a formula that helps the asker answer their own question.

A simple story writing principle that I learn in elementary school (I was paying attention, Mr. Ward!) I've modified for trip planning and I call it: the "Who, What, Where, When, Why & How - Travel Planning Made Simple." In order to develop a good story one has to incorporate these elements. Apply these same elements when planning travel the process will also become clear and simple, by breaking a seemingly daunting task into little parts, the process is easier to control.

  1. Who is going?
  2. Where are you going?
  3. When are you going?
  4. Why are you going?
  5. What are you going to do when you get there?
  6. How are you traveling?

While the answers to these questions may seem obvious, they really are meant to set a guideline. Addressing each of these questions you build a foundation for a well-planned trip. My philosophy is "the better prepared you are the better time you'll have, regardless of what occurs." Once you have the answers to these questions you can start to think clearly on applying these principles to the different parts of the travel process. Like once you know where you're going you can start to look at what you might like to do when you get there. How much money do you have to spend will often determine that. Travel is a very individual experience, (it might not seem that way when you're crammed into a airline seat) but it's all about you. While travel agents (there are still travel agents) may assist you in developing trip itinerary to an exotic place - it's up to you to determine how you wish to experience it.

Referring to the example question I posed, "I'm going to Europe what should I take?" The question is simply too broad for me to answer, (especially having never met the person and besides Europe is a BIG place). Rethinking the question one would come up with many of their own answers - "I'm going to Paris this summer (August), I'm going to fly there and travel by train for 2 weeks, I have a limited college student budget, and I love art, wine, eating new foods and hope to meet new people. Okay now we have a someplace to start. (By the way August is not a good time to go to Paris to meet people unless all you wish to meet are other tourists!).

The what should I take question, depends on how you like to travel and the kind of person you are or wish to represent on your trip.

These principles have help me over the years not only with my own travel dilemmas but have supported countless others who I have had to pleasure of assisting, I hope that you'll find them useful to you.

Sign up on our E-mail list list to be notified of other new travel tips. Meanwhile, I hope you'll share your travel tales, experiences, likes and dislikes with us at: travel stories and travel tips.

Please let me know how I can assist you with your travel questions and travel needs.

Cheers,

Annette
President & Co-founder



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