Trip Preparations

Going on a trip requires planning. You can't just go on your favorite destination without preparations. So I'm listing some things to do before your travel date, here it goes.

1. Months or weeks before your travel, you should start saving some money for your budget. Having enough budget is good but having a buffer is far more better. It's good to have extra for some "just in case" situations. Of course,it's always a must to have it on cash because there's some places without easy access on atm machines though a credit card also helps in some emergency situations. :)

2. Research is the KEY for a successful and enjoyable travel. You should have a background or knowledge about the place you're going. Places to visit, the locals, cheap accommodations, the peace and order, and the weather. These are the things you'll need to know. It will not only save you money but it will also prepare you with what to expect about the place. Needless to say, it will also save you from getting into trouble.

3. Now, you already have your budget and research, it is now time to plan your itinerary. List down the places you'll visit on your first day, second day and so forth. It is advisable that you make the best out of your time. Allot time for each place to visit. You should group the places you want to visit according to its location. For example, on your 1st day, try to explore the northern part of the place, while on the 2nd day explore the south, in this case, you'll not only save money for the transportation but also you'll save hours of travel and energy. :)

4. This is my favorite part, (when budget, research and itinerary is already settled) it is now time to plan what to wear. Of course, I am an addict for pictures so it just follows that I need to look good on my shots so I need to prepare the clothes I'll be using for the getaway. I'm a sucker for fashionable dresses, not necessarily designer's item but I want those that will look good on me so everytime I have to travel, I always see to it that I had my best on my luggage. I also do some last minute shoppings.

5. After deciding what to wear, it was now packing time. Two days before your travel date, you must already started packing your things. Your baggage should be based on what kind of airline booking you have. If you're travelling light, you must take into consideration the allowable baggage allowance of your airline. Different airline companies have different allowable baggage allowance, they also vary depending on the place you're going. Check available baggage allowance on your airline website. As for me, I always choose travel light because it saves me some peso. I usually chose dresses and light clothes to save me enough space for my other things. I'm so OC when it comes to packing and I used to packed almost everything 'coz I don't want to run out of clothes but it was a lesson learned when I almost go over the allowable weight for my handcarry bag. Now, I am really trying my best to pack only the things I need. Oh please don't forget to have some first aid kit on your bag and medicines for simple headache and diarrhea, I'm sure you wouldn't want to ruin your travel with these simple problems. And be sure to have an extra space on your luggage for your "pasalubong".

6. Now you're almost ready for the big day. Have an extra small bag for your personal things like your wallet, passport, your airline tickets, phone and camera. Check your camera's battery (charged it), if you need additional memory card buy an extra.

7. Leave a copy of your itinerary to any of your family members so that they will know where you are at what day. Tell them when or what time you'll be calling them and if you're not able to call them at that time each day, ask them to call you (this is for "emergency" or "just in case"" situation). You should also list the place where you'll be staying and the numbers of these places and also the police station of the place if you knew.

8.So everything is now ready, this is the big day. Get up early and fixed yourself. You should be at the airport at least an hour before the flight. You should eat at your house before your flight, food at the terminal is so pricey and if you want to save a little, you shouldn't be buying anything there.

These are some of my tips for an enjoyable vacation. Remember the reason of your travel is to RELAX and ENJOY, stop worrying 'bout your work and just savor the moment away from your usual life... ENJOY!