How do I organize my trips?
By following the questions and outline points below, you can plan trips in a simple and effective way.
The first questions I seek answers to are:
When and for how long can I travel?
After deciding this, it’s worth making a list of destinations that are recommended to visit during that period.
I usually take weather factors into account: it’s not advisable to travel during monsoons, typhoons, or similar conditions. For example, avoid visiting Asia during the rainy season, and keep in mind that this season does not fall on the same months in every country. In some countries, there are even regional differences (for example, Vietnam, Thailand, China…). During hurricane season, it’s also best to avoid regions like the Caribbean, as it can be a waste of money if you cannot leave your hotel.
What is my goal?
Do I want a longer trip that covers multiple countries, or am I planning a more relaxed journey that allows for plenty of rest?
Before making a decision, it is worth finding out the entry requirements for each country; the Consular Service website is the most reliable for this.
Don't rely on hearsay, it's better to be sure. For example, many countries require that your passport be valid for 6 months after you leave the country. Some countries will not allow you to travel with a wrinkled or damaged passport. In certain countries, even transiting through requires strict conditions. Many destinations can only be visited with a visa or prior registration.
You can also check how safe your destination country is, which helps in deciding which destinations to keep on your final shortlist.
With the resulting list in hand, I first start browsing the flight ticket prices.
I check Skyscanner or another similar comparison site to see which destination has the best ticket prices.
If I have several consecutive destinations and I’m not returning home from the same city I arrive in, I look for multicity tickets. However, it’s also worth checking the prices for each flight separately, as sometimes booking individual flights can be cheaper than a multicity ticket.
The best days to buy plane tickets are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Flight tickets are not necessarily cheaper if you buy them very early. In my experience, the best price is usually about 2 months before departure, but sometimes only 2-3 weeks before.
After comparing prices, I choose my final destination. Before buying a flight ticket, I check the prices of accommodations.
It's useless to find cheap flights if the accommodations are expensive.
It's worth comparing several portals: Booking and Agoda are my primary options, and I've never had any problems with them.
I usually stay in hotels because I don't have good experience with individual hosts.
I set up a detailed search, checking all criteria.
When choosing accommodation, the most important aspect for me is location: I don't like to waste time on transportation, so I look for centrally located hotels.
I read the negative reviews, filtering for keywords that are a reason for exclusion for me, such as bugs, rats, other animals that do not belong in the room (these can be important for Asian or African nature destinations), excessive noise.
I also check the hotel's location on the map - sometimes Booking says it's in the city center, but this is only true with great goodwill.
I book the best value for money accommodation, but I always choose the option with free cancellation. The reason for this is that I often find a more favorable accommodation among the last-minute cancelled ones, and it is even possible to get a cheaper room in the same hotel a few days before the trip. However, it also happens that accommodation becomes more expensive later, this is determined by the current market situation and the supply-demand ratio. That is why I book a suitable hotel in advance, just in case.
Once I have the accommodation, I will buy the plane ticket, preferably on Tuesday.
If multiple airlines fly the route I'm looking for, I compare their prices and schedules.
The cheapest is not always the best, taking into account transfer times, departure and arrival times.
I don't like very short - but also not too long - transfer times, I think the optimal time is 2-3.5 hours, of course it depends on the airport.
I know the European and major Middle Eastern transit airports, so I know the convenient transfer time in each one.
If traveling to the destination country requires a visa or entry permit, I usually arrange this first and only then buy the plane ticket.
This is especially true for trips to the US. Sometimes you don't get an ESTA and have to apply for a visa, which is a much longer procedure. I can cancel my accommodation if for some reason I don't get the visa or it arrives too late.
After all of this, all that's left to do is list the programs and attractions, place them on the map, and compile your daily plans.
I also tend to look for restaurants in advance because of my food allergies.
Finally, a well-organized travel medicine package is also very important.