The Joy of Planning for Travel

This year I have started traveling again. I went to Taiwan in March and am now planning a trip for El Salvador in August, which happens to coincide with my birthday. As I have embarked on these two trips, I have become quite aware that a significant part of the enjoyment I experience happens before the trip even starts.

Where to go?

Always the most exciting thing to figure out. Where in the world should I go? Being almost 67, I don’t know how many more trips I have in me, especially as I need to be on my young children’s schedule. So choosing where to go is important.

In both cases this Year, I have considered at least 20 different countries to travel to. I look at the seasonal weather. Is it hot? cold? Is it typhoon or hurricane season? Is there stifling heat? Is it considered a good time of year to travel there? Is it high season for tourism or low season for tourism? How about plane flights, which vary significantly based on the time of year. Is it expensive? reasonable? How long are the flights? Can I fly directly or does there need to be transfers along the way? What time do the flights depart? Does it work on both ends with my schedule here?

I imagine that everybody has their favorite ways of searching for flights.

I typically start with www.kayak.com and Google Flights. Typically, once I find some flights that seem to work, then I go directly to the airlines site. When I book directly with the airlines, it is much easier to resolve any problems later. If you book via a third party, they will always try to push you back to that third party and then it gets messy. I seem to be able to always get the same or better price any way.

For this trip I am flying with http://www.unitedairlines.com

For Taiwan I flew with http://www.deltaairlines.com In general, the foreign airlines offer a better experience, but these two were the best choices at this time.

Time between flights?

I always try to leave plenty of time between flights. Airlines will often tell you that you have enough time to get off the plane and to the next one, but it seems like they are assuming there are no delays.

If your plane is delayed a little, the security lines are long or there is another issue, suddenly you might miss your connecting flight.

I don’t enjoy that kind of stress. I always try to arrive at airports at least three hour before the flight. It provides time to work out any luggage issues, wait in lines, correct any problems that arise. When flying somewhere with one stop along the way, if the first stop is in the USA, a couple of hours is usually plenty if with the same airlines, but when arriving from an international flight three hours is the minimum I will accept. You have to go through immigration, customs and retrieving your bags. This can get messy.

Thankfully I have not had a ton of issues, but many times when traveling with my family, we had problems with my wife’s passport as she was not a citizen yet. Every time we passed through an airport, my anxiety would rise. Unfortunate, but true. Everything legal, but you simply run into employees that don’t know rules, etcetera….or abuse their power.

Where to stay?

With hotels or places to rent, I have primarily gone through www.Booking.com. I have had good luck with them and the interface is very simple for cancelling, rescheduling and so on. I used to use http://www.Agoda.com when I lived in the Middle East and that was very nice as well. I tend to cross check the prices with places like http://www.Expedia.com just to see if they have significantly different prices. Sometimes they do vary. Lately, I have taken to finding the hotel on Booking, then communicating directly with the hotel to see if they can offer better and often they can. Cutting out the middle “man.”

Safety, money, communication, transportation?

Are there crime and or health and safety concerns? Do I need specific vaccinations? What are the dos and don’ts of the areas to make sure you are safe. What language is spoken? Which currency is used? What is the exchange rate? Is it easy to exchange money? Can I connect easily to the internet? Should I use my own cell plan or purchase an e-sim plan for that area?

What is there to do? Are there beaches, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, museums, good food? How will I get around? Should I take local buses? Uber? Taxis? Rent a car? Are the roads easy to navigate?

Where should I stay? How many nights in each place? What do I need to pack? Where do I keep everything?

Many of you probably have great ideas and even checklists for such things. I don’t have a checklist, but I go through a mental checklist as I begin my planning. It would be fun and useful to hear how you plan.

First, I start researching the different possible destinations? Have I been there before? I want somewhere new, which is somewhat challenging, as I have been to around 60 countries now.

Do I need to apply for a visa or can I arrive with a US passport and be permitted entry? Some countries require a visa. This can take time and be expensive. The two most difficult and expensive I have done are China and India.

How many days do I have and how long is the flight? These days I only have about a week to be away from my family, so the length of flight becomes more important. I also have to coordinate departure times that work with the local transportation I have here to get me to and from the airport, which eliminates some options. The cost of the flight does influence my decision, but not as much as when travelling with a family of four.

What type of luggage?

My most recent trip I took the backpack/suitcase below and another suitcase that was carry on size. I could have brought them both on the plane, but checked one in as I then didn’t have to carry it everywhere. Much easier, but if in a hurry I could have brought it in the plane.

The luggage below is very convenient as I can carry it on my back and it has lots of different compartments.

Lodging?

Once I think I have found a good destination, I check for lodging. Is there decent, reasonably priced places to stay that I would feel safe in?

I usually make sure they have a safe box in the room. If not stated online, I contact the place to ask. I don’t like rooms without a safe as it is is difficult to figure out where to hide things in your room. I figure a thief could go through your bags and find stuff. Safes could be broken into an employee with a key, but they seem safer to me.

Recently I have taken to finding a place via Booking.com or otherwise and then contact them directly online via e-mail or whatsapp to see if they can offer a better price, which they often can. For flights, I typically use www Kayak.com or Google flights, which both track prices for you as well.

You can also see which time of year is least expensive to travel. When choosing a place to stay, especially in a major city, I will do some searches on the “best neighborhoods” to stay in. This can be quite instructive. I prefer somewhere safe, good for walking and easy access to transportation.

Transportation?

Transportation once there is always a big issue. Do you travel via metros, buses, uber or rent your own vehicle? Do you need to take a flight within the country. I think the transportation piece is one of the more challenging parts of it all.

Right now I am debating driving in El Salvador or relying on hiring private drivers, taxis or Uber. I like the freedom of driving, but it also is one more thing to worry about.

Where do I park? Is the car secure? What if there is an accident or vehicle failure such as a flat tire? Suddenly your trip is being used up solving the crisis. I am leaning towards not renting a car at this time. Maybe I will once there?

Language?

Language is always a factor. In this case, El Salvador, I speak and can communicate effectively in Spanish, so that is helpful. The currency is the dollar, so that makes some things very easy.

Papers in order?

Before the trip, there are certain things that you simply cannot travel without. Your passport has to be up to date. You need at least six months remaining on its validity. If you need a visa that needs to be taken care of. Many countries now have electronic arrival forms you need to file before boarding the plane.

Most airlines now have electronic apps and these are critical to have and know how to use. If your flight gets delayed that is how you can re-book or get communications from the airlines. You will also have your boarding pass, ability to check in, etc…via the app. I do all of that, but also take screen shots of everything and keep in an electronic file. In addition to that, I have a hard copy folder for my flights, hotel reservations, travel insurance, car rental information, etc….You never know when electronics might fail you.

Travel Insurance?

The link below will take you to a list of travel insurance providers. It all depends on what you are looking for.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/l/best-travel-insurance/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20955941671&accountid=1703363182&utm_content=192893646659&utm_term=kwd-1242737716&network=g&device=m&placement=&location_physical=1027669&device_model=&creative=795716788542&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20955941671&gbraid=0AAAAACeErZlCtw5mmrpOfS__0iiRrVLKt&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjIPSBhCCARIsABGyK7vN4cEv_tmzXvvEP30heb-sPfTkm-JM56rKjYPz9uOATulIRKEbg3gaAonREALw_wcB

Regarding travel insurance, I do always get it now. When traveling with family, the odds of one of us getting sick is much higher than traveling solo. I purchase insurance that covers the cost of the trip, but also covers medical issues.

I have twice had to use the insurance I have purchased and that has paid for more than the insurance premiums I have paid for over the years. We recently had to cancel a trip to the Middle East and the insurance covered the flights that the airlines would not cover. Another time, three of us had to go to urgent care and that was paid for. Both times I did have to fight a lot with the insurance companies, but ultimately, I won the battle. Make sure to document everything!

So…before travel, you must have your travel documents. Passport, Visas, Driver’s license, flight tickets, hotel lodging, money or source of money. I typically bring a lot of cash in dollars. Many people rely on debit, but I don’t fully trust debit machines and sometimes they are not functioning. I do pay for the hotel and other things via credit card. On that note, before leaving the country, you should alert your credit card companies and banks that you will be abroad as they might block your account if they don’t know. That can truly create problems.

Theft Prevention?

Another area of planning that is vital is how to keep your money, credit cards and documents safe? If you have never been robbed in a foreign country, this may not be at the top of your list, but it can happen to anybody. I have always planned well for this area, but finally having been robbed in the middle of the day in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, I know that this can happen.

When travelling from home, I plan it all out. I normally use a money belt as one of my strategies. I wear it below my clothing by my waist, out of view. It would be very difficult for anybody to know I have it there even if they pulled up my shirt. I keep money, credit cards, sometimes documents or even my phone. The phone can be critical.

It’s not a bad idea to travel with a second phone, although I don’t do that a lot. I also have a “thing” that I wear around my neck under my clothing that carries my passport, other ID, possibly a credit card and money in several different areas (It has several areas with zippers). I need the passport to show the agents at the airport, I need the credit card to make purchases and may need a little money. I have taken to carrying a thin wallet in my front pocket only (much more difficult to take from the front pocket than the back). In that I may carry a credit card and some money. Sometimes I just carry loose cash in my pockets. I distribute money into several different pockets, typically wearing pants with several pockets, ideally pockets that close with velcro or a zipper. My thinking is that I can easily empty a pocket and give a thief some cash if needed and they can’t readily see that I have other cash in other pockets. Cargo pants work well as they have many pockets that can be closed.

When I arrive in a new location after making my way out of the airport and to the hotel or place I am staying, I like to get well organized in my room. Security is always a top concern. It’s not that I am super paranoid about something happening, it’s just that if something happens when you are on the other side of the world, it is much more problematic than something happening in your own country.

So, once in the hotel, I figure out the security box. If it isn’t functional (which happened initially on my last trip), I contact the front desk and either get it fixed or my room changed. Although even a lock box can be broken into if someone in the hotel has access to a key. It just reduces the likelihood of somebody casually going through my belongings and taking stuff. I lock my documents in there, electronics, money, etc…..I often see if there is a way to conceal things even inside the box. Sometimes there is a pad covering the bottom, so I may slip part of what I have under there.

Once situated I determine my approach to hitting the streets. I usually just stuff cash in a bunch of different pockets, so that if some was taken I would be ok. If it is a particularly sketchy place, I may use a money belt for my phone and some cash as well. Normally I leave the money belt back in the hotel safe.

As I have been typing this I have been realizing the many other decisions I have to make for travel. When should I purchase the flight? The prices often change. If I choose a seat, where on the plane. In the past I have always preferred the aisle because I can get up to walk or use the restroom more easily. I don’t like bothering someone to get by them. On the other hand you have to get up every time somebody needs to leave their seat. Recently I purchased a ticket without determining my seat. I paid less and risked not being able to get a refund if something happened.

How will I get to the airport? These days I am taking a local bus transport that works very well. Other times, when I am travelling with the family, I typically park the car at one of the sites near the airport.

In the country where I will arrive, should I take Uber, a taxi, ….do they have busses or rapid transit trains? How will I pay for everything? Do I need to exchange money? Will my phone work there? The last few trips I have taken, I have used an e-sim card from a company called Airalo (www.Airalo.com). You have to turn off your own sim within your phone, but this has worked ok. You need to be comfortable with the settings on your phone. In some countries taxis work better from the airport than Uber in others, no. Be careful to nail down the price before agreeing to a ride. Exchanging money in the airport is often much more expensive than in local banks, so only change enough in the airport for the first day or so. At least that is what I do.

Transportation within a country?

This is always a big decision. For Taiwan, the decision was easy because their public transportation system is so efficient, easy to use and inexpensive. Safe also. In El Salvador, the situation is quite a bit different. There are very inexpensive buses, but you need to change buses frequently and they add a lot of travel time, of which I don’t have that much. Renting a car seems great, except there are some drawbacks. Where do I park? Is the car safe wherever it is parked? It is the rainy system, so the roads could be very wet or even flooded. I always think about what happens if I have a flat tire or an accident, etc…suddenly my entire trip would be hijacked dealing with that. Uber is used a lot there, there are taxis and there are also private drivers I can hire. There are small group tours one can find if wanting to go to a specific place.

Presently, I am most likely going to take a taxi from the airport to my first destination, as I will be tired from an overnight flight. After that I am not sure yet. I have looked into a private driver through the hotel I will be staying at and it sounds reasonable for one day of the trip. Will most likely try Uber at some point as well. The buses might be amusing, but could be uncomfortable for my back and also challenging if I have any luggage. These are some of the many decisions to be made while traveling.

Medical supplies to bring?

Everybody probably has their unique issues. I try to bring a variety of things to address possible health challenges. Band Aids. Pain Pills. Antibiotics in pill or cream form. Prednisone for more serious pain. These days I travel with athletic tape for my feet and achilles issues. Antacids, anti-diarrheal pills….what if you need to board a plane and are facing that type of thing. I do usually carry a roll of toilet paper in case there aren’t facilities. If one takes prescription drugs, of course that is a must. Fortunately I do not. Vitamins. I usually take whatever vitamins or supplements I am accustomed to.

What about food? Snacks?

Depending on the itinerary, I may have to spend a fair amount of time in airports. With that in mind, I usually pack some protein bars, nuts and dried fruit. I also pack a bit extra for when I am in my lodging. Gives me something to eat if I can’t find a suitable place or don’t wish to go out. I am a coffee addict, so I often pack chocolate covered espresso beans for some caffeine, but I think they would melt on this trip.

Clothing?

I try to keep clothing pretty simple. Lots of underwear. Socks. Much depends on weather. Good to have something for cooler moments, even in warm climates. It also provides you more pockets to put things in. I typically have pants with lots of pockets that can be closed. Probably referred to as cargo pants. I have places for money, phones, chargers, etc…and they are closed, so for somebody to get into the pockets, I would feel it.

Electronics?

Normally, I have just carried my phone, a charger and the necessary cables, along with an electricity adapter. I often bring the adapter even if I have read that the country has the same type of electricity and outlets as the USA (where I live). You never know. A charger is very important, as you may be out for a long day and need to recharge the phone. You may need it at the airport as well.

I have only been robbed once in my life traveling, but it was my phone that was robbed. I was lost initially without it. Very unusually, I had packed an old phone as well that time. I actually thought to bring it at the last moment in case my phone got wet or something, which I had experienced once before. I had no idea I might be robbed. It ended up saving me. I was able to get it going and load up a bunch of my apps and I was able to function. With that in mind, I highly recommend a back up phone, even though I don’t have one right now. As I type, I am thinking I better get one. Some people use one phone for photos and another for all of their important information. Not a bad strategy. One is so dependent on electronic communication, that losing a phone is a significant crisis. All of your flight and hotel information. That’s how you find out when flights are cancelled or rescheduled, and so on. I guess one can find a computer somewhere or ask somebody for help, but without your phone, things become challenging. If you have such strategies, I would love to hear about them.I just ordered a back up phone from http://www.backmarket.com. It arrives today. How fun!

Random questions?

With the use of AI now, whenever I have a question, I will quickly query AI in a variety of manners and get lots of information. Sometimes it can be inaccurate, so be careful. You can ask very specific questions about the roads, how long it takes between locations, things to do in a given area and more. I have found it very helpful and somewhat amusing.

Shoes?

Shoes are critical for me. I walk a ton when traveling. Good to have extra pairs. Not a bad idea to have something like sandals or slip ons for when you are relaxing. Beach shoes if near a beach, hiking boots if needed.

Much more could be included in this entry and I may return to add more details. Fun stuff!