Unsure of how to start planning your trip? Look to other
sources for inspiration. Backpacking involves a great deal of planning and
research. Of course there are those who wing it, but to save yourself time while traveling I highly suggest doing some preliminary research.
The Savvy Backpacker offers great itinerary tips and advice for budget backpacking, and I took a lot of this advice with me. But it wouldn't be very original if I re-iterated what they said, so here are some of my lessons from
the road:
- Pack light- you will be carrying your luggage around with you everywhere, so make it easier for yourself.
- Focus on a smaller area – it is more manageable and you can spend more time touring.
- Draw/ print out maps for where you will be staying (I found myself lost many times!).
- Book big, important sites and attractions early and try to plan around them- popular attractions can be sold out, so book your tickets early, and don’t overlook any “skip the line” passes!
- Never underestimate the power of breaks- sometimes a short break is all you need to feel rejuvenated and ready to get back to exploring. I found this especially useful when travelling with a friend.
- Don’t forget about travel time- first time travelers (myself included) forget to consider the travel process, which cuts into your touring time
These are very helpful tips especially about printing a map, there's nothing worse than getting lost and having no internet to look up Google maps. There is nothing more depressing than travelling to a place only to get there and realize the main attraction is fully booked. I lived in Europe for 4 years, the culture, the people the landmarks all worth it! Great topic!
ReplyDelete