TRAVEL; When Is The Right Time?

WHEN is the The Right Time to Travel?  We all want to pick a time when the weather is perfect and the crowds are small.  We want to make sure everything is in order before we leave and that everything will be taken care of while we are gone.

For someone who is young and untethered  their pre-travel considerations may be considerably different from someone who is older and has a house or pets to consider.  Moreover, there may be someone to whom you are committed and feel obligated to get their buy-in before you jump on a plane to Timbuktu.

STAYING CONNECTED

FOR me,  my major concern is my wife, who is very  self sufficient.  However, leaving for weeks or months makes me a little nervous.  I would like to travel with her but she isn’t inclined to wanderlust and hates long international flights.  Even though I will miss her, staying connected while traveling is much easier now than it was just a decade ago.  It is easy to stay in touch via Facetime, Skype, or Viber.

The internet has made taking care of business while traveling a snap too.   You can check your bank account and pay your bills online.  If you are an investor and inclined to do business while on the road, no problem.   You can even set up a conference video with your stock broker if necessary.  All you need is a laptop and a wifi connection.   However, you must be aware that private wifi connections have security risk.  DO NOT put personal information on any network that you do not feel is secure.

CREATING  AN  ITINERARY                

NOW that your personal issues are in order, what else is there to consider for The Right Time to Travel?   First you need an itinerary and a general goal of what you want to accomplish during your travels.   If you are going to a place that has distinctive seasonal changes, you may not want to travel when the weather makes traveling uncomfortable.   Some destinations may have extreme heat or monsoons at certain times.  Others may have bitter cold.  It pays to do research before you decide where and when to go.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

ONCE  you have picked an itinerary,  you must find the visa requirements for the places you plan to visit.  Visa requirements vary by country of origin and destination.  Some places may only require your passport for entry.  But, chances are if you visit several countries you will need a visa in order to enter some of them.   Wikipedia is a good place to start to find what the necessary documents are for the places you plan to visit.  Securing a visa is usually fairly painless unless you are traveling to a  country that is not on good terms with your home country.   If a country is unstable politically you may want to avoid it until a later date.  You can find information about travel and safety on government websites.  The US Department of State and CIA provide that information for US citizens.  Naturally, if there are tensions between your country and one to which you are planning to visit,  it is NOT The Right Time to Travel.

BUYING YOUR PLANE TICKET

USUALLY I start searching for available flights on travel sites like Expedia, Kayak, or Priceline.  The things to look for are:  1.Total time of travel  2. Number of connections  3. Time between connections 3. Time of Arrival.  You want to make sure there is enough time between connecting flights for you and your luggage to make the connections.   Arrival time is important because you don’t want to arrive in a unfamiliar city at midnight or one o’clock in the morning.  Some of the cheaper flights have crazy schedules. 

After you know what flights are available,  I usually pick one and go straight to the airline website (American, Delta, etc).  There are a number of reasons for doing this.   First, they are often slightly cheaper.  You also have a airline reservation person to fall back on if you need help.   The airlines make it easy to purchase flight insurance as well.   Lastly, it is easy to change your ticket if necessary (usually for a fee).  Taking the online travel site out of the mix tends to simplify the process.

TRAVEL LITE

ANOTHER way to simply your travel is by making a thoughtful packing list.   You really don’t need that much to travel comfortably.    I usually take a midsize backpack that can function as carry-on luggage and a daypack.   In the daypack I carry things like my computer, camera,  and other valuables that I don’t want to get damaged or lost.  My second bag is a larger backpack with a handle and wheels which I check at the airline counter.   It contains most of my clothes and any items that will not pass through the airport security screening .  When making a packing list, I look at each item on the list and ask if it is despensable and if I can purchase it while traveling.  If the answer is “yes” it comes off the list.

WHAT  TO  WEAR

WHEN thinking of clothes – think layering.  Presuming that you will be traveling in  the warmer months, I recommend taking three changes of clothes.  It is a good idea to pack a long sleeve shirt and casual pants.  Some venues will not allow bare arms or legs.   A light jacket,  a hat and rain gear are also necessary items.   The most important clothing item will be your shoes.  You will need comfortable walking shoes for trekking and hiking and a pair of sandals.  I like to take a pair of running shoes too.   Packing three pair of shoes can be cumbersome.   However, I have tied my running shoes to my carry-on backpack and packed my trekking shoes in my checked luggage.   I wear the sandals.

HOW TO STAY IN TOUCH

NORMALLY I carry my USA smartphone with me and keep it in airplane mode.  I use it at wifi hotspots for information, directions, text, and phone calls via Viber.   I am not sure if I will do that next time.  Computer, camera, phone.   It’s a lot to keep up with.

WHERE TO STAY

MY favorite websites for hotel accommodations are Booking.com and Hostelworld.com.  Both have comprehensive lists of places to stay for almost any location you might want to visit.   The reviews by previous travelers are for the most part quite accurate.  I usually make reservations for the first and second place I plan to visit.   From there I play it by ear.  Once you are in travel mode your itinerary has a tendency to change.  

“JUST DO IT”

THE Right Time to Travel is almost here.  You have done your homework.  You’re ready to go.  The Right Time to Travel is when you board the airplane and fly off to someplace  you have never been.  

The Right Time to Travel is NOW!