For all the things going on in the world that we absolutely cannot understand, there is one thing that makes us smile; more and more people are finally coming to their senses and realizing there is more to life than just letting it slide by. People are now desperate to do things and see places and just go on the adventure of a lifetime. It could be a two week holiday to that one place you’ve always wanted to see. Or a sort of gap-year-sabbatical-thingy that allows you some sanity to poke through your corporate existence. Or even taking your family around the world from now until the world stops rotating. It doesn’t matter why it just matters that people are now desperate to do these things.
Of course, the difference between dreaming of such an adventure and making it a heart-pounding reality are very different. Pipedreams and reality usually are. You see, being able to shoot off on the trip of a lifetime is not as easy as we wish it could be. There are just so many things we need to get in place first, things we need to sort out, things we need to organize and understand. The trip of a lifetime is something that needs to be worked toward.
Don’t let that put you off, though, because daunting doesn’t mean impossible, which is why we have come up with a list of tips and bits of advice to help you turn your dreams into reality and see you take that trip you’ve always wanted to take.
1. You Need A Budget
This is the number one thing that puts people off going. It is the one thing that makes people believe this whole idea is silly and stupid and not worth thinking about because it is just too torturous. But that is not true. You just need to start off by setting yourself a budget and then doing all you can to start saving.
How you plan from here depends on you. It could be that you have £1500 in your emergency fund that you are willing to spend on this once in a lifetime experience you have been pining after, or it could be that you deal with all of your crippling debts by looking at debt consolidation loans that will make your financial situation less restricting. The more money you have to play with the more amazing your experience will be.
It could be that you get to enjoy a longer trip, or stay in a nicer place, or go in the peak season, or any number of things. Just remember to focus on your budget before you focus on anything else.
2. Choose Where You Want To Go
We’ve been alluding to the fact you may have a destination in your mind, but the majority of people who want to go on a once in a lifetime adventure don’t know any more than that. They just know they value experiences over things. If this is hitting some notes with you then now is the time to start picking some experiences to choose from. Luckily for you, there are plenty of ways to get inspiration these days.
Pop onto Instagram and start following those pages that focus solely on must have adventures, or see if anywhere on The Grand Tour tickled your fancy or just look at what some of the big travel blogs are writing about when it comes to bucket list ideas. It could be a night time tour of the pyramids that you want to see, or scuba diving along the Great Barrier Reef, or seeing the rich history of unknown Europe, or seeing just how big The Great Wall of China is with your own two eyes and your own two legs. Perhaps you have a passion for something, and there is a well-known pinnacle of that passion that you’ve always thought about but never considered. Just started making a list of everything that peaks your interest. After all, you never know what you could squeeze into one trip.
3. Get Booking As Soon As You Can
The only way you are going to turn this dream into a reality is if you actually click the book button. The best place to start on this front is flights, which is likely going to be the most substantial outlay of your trip. That’s where having a tight budget will really allow you to work wonders. Let’s say you budgeted £700 for flights. You know exactly what your target figure is. Now let’s say you go on Skyscanner and find those flights for £350. That is a huge chunk of your budget that can be allocated elsewhere. That is all, though.
By booking your flights first, you will also be able to be more flexible and choose dates depending on what is cheapest, as opposed to booking tours and accommodation and then being stung by a price hike. So, that’s our advice. The next big expenditure is probably going to be accommodation, depending on how you want to travel that is. If you are happy going to backpacker lodges then you are going to enjoy some amazing savings. If you’re not happy roughing it at this level then our good old friend Airbnb is always worth a shout. Always make sure you get protection and insurance to cover these big expenditures too, just in case. If nothing else it will help you enjoy your trip more.
4. Get Those Documents Sorted
You may need specific documents, you may not; it all depends on where you have chosen to go. Just in case this is your first time doing a crazy-cool trip when we say documentation, we’re not just talking about a valid passport. Yes, you will need this and, if you haven’t already got one, then you need to allow up to six weeks for a new one to be sent your way after applying.
The other forms of documentation we are talking about are things like valid visas for the countries you are visiting. It is also a good idea to make sure you apply for these as early as you can because some countries lack a little on the efficiency front. Having the right vaccinations are another thing well worth considering because, while heading to Mozambique to see the butterfly dance will be absolutely breathtaking, catching malaria won’t be. So just make sure you do your research and know what you need with plenty of time before you actually depart.
5. Pack Lighter Than You Think
As a general rule of thumb, you have to be ruthless on this front and make sure you are only packing what you absolutely need and that’s it. If there is even the slightest niggle of doubt that you may not need something then leave it behind; chances are you can buy it there. After all, this is one of those stages where you can start making little tweaks to that budget of yours.
You aren’t going to need to wear a different t-shirt every day or a different pair of jean shorts. You are going to wear the heck out of the things you brought because the environment will dictate so. Your aim should be to get everything into one bag - preferably a backpack - that you can carry around with you everywhere and with ease. So just get used to the fact you will get your clothes sweaty, stained and covered in salt water. Yeah, this is disgusting but it is part of the experience, and these few items of clothing will make you smile every time you see them from the day your trip ends onwards.
No comments
Post a Comment