Trip Planning – Better to be Prepared

First thing I should say is do not over pack.  Being guilty if that myself, it would be wrong of me to preach it.  What I will say about it is packing cubes are amazing and underwear is small, pack as much as you need and/or extra.  Unless you are trekking through a foreign country, where weight or checking a bag for a flight is an issue, underwear shouldn’t weigh you down so much that is requires you wash the few pairs you brought out in the sink.  Besides the undies, pack things that you can mix and match if it is a long trip.  Think about your activities.  Will you be going out and need to dress up?  Will you be doing active things like hiking where you need hiking shoes?  How about a bathing suit?  Even in the dead of winter, many hotels have pools and hot tubs.  I booked my last trip with this in mind, picking a hotel with an indoor pool.  Unfortunately, my daughter’s selective hearing kicked in and she did not bring a suit.  By the time we purchased one, we ran out of time to swim.

Book!  Book!  Book!  You don’t want to get to you destination and try to figure out what you are doing each day.  Do some research.  I am huge fan of Pinterest that gives you an opportunity to search hundreds of boards to your specific destination and save it for later viewing.   I even start boards of places I would love to visit in case I ever get the chance to go there.  Another option when you are looking for true reviews from real travelers, is TripAdvisor.  They review locations, accommodations, restaurants and attractions.  You can look at a list of top things to do and more.

Plan how you are getting to and from the airport if you are flying.  I find it super convenient to drive to the airport and park.  If I go early in the morning, I totally miss traffic and there are not dozens of stops like you might have if you take a shuttle.  Some prefer Uber or Lyft.  That is a great option too.  Also consider transportation at your destination location.  If I am in a city with good public transit such as Seattle, San Francisco, New York, or Paris, I take the train.  Plan ahead though so you know your route.

I am pretty good at this part.  I prefer to travel early in the morning so I can do a quick shower, go elnatural, and throw my toiletries / make up in the bag before I zip it up.  There are no dishes or trash accumulating during your day and as you unplug your electronics you remember to grab your chargers.  You are not distracted by other things going on as the world is still asleep around you.  Things I always do before I leave is take out the trash, turn off the HVAC, check to be sure all doors are locked.