It’s finally happening. I am going to get on a big airplane and fly over an ocean to another continent.
I hope.
I have made final payment for my first overseas trip in the COVID era.
In late April into early May, I’m going to see the tulips in the Netherlands, something I have always wanted to see.
Joining a tour seemed like a great way to jump back into the travel life I love. I pay a fee and most of the planning is done, with an emphasis on most.
I still need to decide how I want to fly, when I want to fly, how many days I want to arrive before the river cruise, how long I want to stay after the cruise, etc. You get the idea.
I am finally allowing myself to dive into the planning process.
During the past two plus years, I have forgotten how simultaneously fun, time consuming, and frustrating planning trips can be.
First, I am trying to find flights that are convenient with good connections at a reasonable price. It’s always difficult to know when to pull the trigger and actually buy a flight.
One flight I want over the pond doesn’t operate daily, so that impacts how many days I spend pre-cruise.
Then before I actually buy the ticket, I need to make sure there are reasonable hotels available for those days. I learned this lesson the hard way when I once booked a ticket to Barcelona before realizing it was Mobile World Congress and there wasn’t a hotel room anywhere within the city limits. I do this by checking availability for particular dates on the websites for major hotel chains. If they’re all sold out or rates are really high, I should probably change my dates.
Choosing and reserving the hotel is my next step. I usually have multiple reservations that I keep watching to see if the rates change. If the rates go down, I can rebook.
Figuring out local transportation and activities come next.
It takes a lot of time.
I love every minute of it.
What is your favorite thing about planning a trip?