We all love a good break from our busy lives; be it either a good hike in the mountains, or a lazy stroll by the beach, a dip in the cool waters of a lake or a splash-about at a waterfall…just the sound of these words brings such peace and frolic to the heart! But this relaxed vacation is preceded, more often than not, by a hectic storm of ideas, preparations, visas, forex, shopping and what not! Good planning can be a salve to those pre-vacation nerves, but hey, before all of that, you have got to sit and decide on the destination!
This guide comes just in time to the rescue and helps you go through all important tips one by one:
Purpose: Zero-in on all the activities you’re keen on indulging in, and keep in mind the company you intend to travel with! With kids you may want to go to a theme park, or if you and your pal are adrenaline-junkies, then a place that offers skydives or rafting would be a good option.
Visas: Some countries embrace you as come, with regard to Visa-on-arrival of course! But for travel to other countries, you may have to apply months in advance. So keep that in mind when choosing your destination.
Vaccinations: First up, browse through the CDC website (Centre for Disease Control), that gives you recommendations on the kinds of vaccinations that are required for each country (Eeeks!). There are some that you have to take over a period of a couple of months, depending upon where you are travelling to. This will help you plan the location based on the time you have on hand.
Safety: It is always a good idea to read up a bit on the current affairs of the place that you are planning to go to, because we all know, safety is first and foremost! Information may easily be available through books and other media, but the concerned embassy will be your best bet.
Finances: Preparing a budget before you even choose your holiday spot is highly recommended! There may be places which are difficult to reach and therefore will sap through most of your budget only to reach there, but may turn out to be peanuts once you are actually there. So keep all costs in mind when preparing your budget – from airfare, to local logistics, to food, to sightseeing.
Language: Unless you want to parade yourself as a dancing dummy in a foreign land, be sure to choose your destination based on the level of comfort you have with a foreign language! It’s best you are familiar with the script at least. For example, an American may not be comfortable with the script of Mandarin, and thus begins the sign-language dance! But if you have the time to learn and then proceed on your travels, nothing like it!
Time of travel: Another important aspect to consider is the time of the year chosen for travel. Festivities, weather and other local aspects can have an astounding impact on your vacation. For instance, you finally get everyone together for a holidaying in June, but you just cannot dream of making the trip to India, blessed with the most scorching of the summer heat waves during that time! Or if your time of travel coincides with a religious festivity in a country that observes strict fasts around that time, then chances are that you might miss out on a lot of culinary delights and shopping experiences.
So tuck this guide in your bag, catch up with your travel buddies and….Bon Voyage!
Keep being AllDayChic!
