A lot goes into travelling. You need to envision your trip in your mind’s eye in order to embark on it. Here are a few things to do when planning a trip:
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Define the purpose of the trip
The first question you should answer before you pack for a trip is, “What’s the purpose of your trip?” For some, it is leisure, for others, it is for relaxation with the family. Even if it is a business trip to Abuja, you need to know if you will have time for unplanned activities. If yes, how much time will you free up in your schedule for it?
Once you know why and where you are going to, it is easy to envisage the activities that may pop up. Let’s say you are on a work trip to Lagos and you stop by to see friends or family in Lekki. Chances are they will want to take you out to somewhere new if time permits. Knowing the purpose of your trip and the potential detours to come up during the trip, makes it easier to decide what to pack, how much to budget for the trip, and what experience you intend to have.
Find out more about the places you intend to visit
If you are travelling to a place you have never been to, it is important that you do your research on it. This involves reading journals and surfing the internet for information. It also requires the use of online maps to confirm distances between locations.
Make enquiries about cost of transportation, entry fees into tourist sites, best travel routes, safety and traffic laws, and more from people who have been there or have had a similar experience. You can’t know everything there is to know about a place or a trip but to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Choose when to travel
Some people already know from January when their annual leave will come up. So they plan their travel trips around those times. Others use public holidays for their travel trips. And 2020 is full of weekend public holidays which makes it the best year for multiple travel trips. Some trips jump at us because they are not on our schedule at the start of the year like travelling for weddings, burials, baby dedications, family reunions, or secondary school alumni meetings. Nevertheless, planning travel dates results in efficient budgeting. That way you can control how often you need to travel.
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Sort out your necessary documents
For international travels, make sure to renew your passport; ensure your yellow card and travel insurance are in order, and that your visa process is started early. Likewise, have a means of identification like your national identification number or driver’s license (and vehicle papers where applicable), for local travels. Book your airline tickets early for cheaper rates, and confirm that any promo or policy attached to them will be valid when you need to use the tickets.
The goal is to plan a seamless trip to get the most out of it.
Featured image source: The Frugal Feminista
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