While studying abroad the past year, I had the opportunity to take many trips to countries I have never been to before. I remember planning my first trip with a friend to Brussels, Belgium. I felt a little nervous about it since it was my first weekend away that I organized myself. The trip turned out to be amazing and the subsequent trips I took were a lot easier and stress free to plan since I went through the same sort of steps I did for the first trip. I thought writing down the steps I used for planning a trip ranging in length from one to five days would make the process seem a little less daunting for anyone else wanting to travel, whether they are on study abroad or not. The following are the most important elements of a trip that I considered:
Transportation
Accommodation
Location
Trip Type
Transportation
How are you traveling? Unless I had a specific destination in mind already, I would go onto Google Flights and look at the most affordable trips running during a specific weekend of my choice. Usually flights are most affordable about six weeks out from your departure date but sometimes you can snag a very cheap ticket a day or two before the travel date. The two airlines I always took was Ryanair and EasyJet. While these two airlines are not known for being great, they got the job done. I was very willing to be cramped into a seat for short flights due to the affordability of the tickets. Ryanair and EasyJet are known as budget airlines but where they catch you in fees is baggage. I took a carry-on for almost every trip I went on but even a carry-on can be tagged and charged for its size. My best advice is to take a bag that is compressible, such as a duffle or backpack. The flight attendants are much more lenient with bags that can be squished into compartments that the hardcase rolling carry-ons that have no give to it. The airlines also try to trick you into buying a Priority ticket so that you can stow your bags in the compartment overhead. Really though there is always extra room and if you are one of the first to get on the flight, you can quickly stow your bag up top and no one will ever know.
In terms of transportation, you also have to consider how you will get from the airport to your destination. If you are lucky, there will be a train at the airport that goes directly to where you are staying. If not then you will have to look at other options, like a bus route, that will take you on your way. The airport location is another area where budget airlines can trick you. The flight maybe very affordable but the airport you fly to could end up being a few hours away from your destination. This happened to me when I visited London. I bought tickets heading to London-Stansted and ended up having to purchase bus tickets as well since that specific airport was a few hours away from my hostel near King’s Cross. I personally always prefer to go to the hostel or Airbnb I am staying in first to drop off my bags. The price of the bus ticket and flight was still more affordable than flying into Heathrow but it took a lot longer, especially going back to the airport at the end of my trip since the bus took double the amount of time, making some of the other passengers late for their flight.
Accommodation
Where will you be staying? This element is probably the most important one to keep in mind. On my trips, I would be out all day. By the time I returned to my accommodation, I was exhausted and the last thing I wanted to worry about was the safety of the Airbnb or the cleanliness of the hostel. I have been in spectacular hostels before but I have also been bitten by bed bugs in one hostel as well. This happened in London and it was actually my second stay at the same hostel and I was surprised at how different my experiences were. Showers can also be a bother. Always make sure you have shower shoes and you might want to think about bringing your own towel, or at least a wash cloth. I have rented towels before and they usually are small and paper thin. Despite some negative experiences at hostels, I still prefer them to Airbnb’s. I have stayed in a few before as well and more often than not the Airbnb was not good. One I stayed in had a moldy shower, rotting fruit in the fridge and pictures of Penelope Cruz plastering the door. Another one had no trashcans, spotty WIFI and a leaking toilet. Another had the wrong address listed on the Airbnb page, taking my friend and I to a sketchy part of the city we were visiting. Though hostels can be loud and cold and at times unclean, they are very safe and someone is usually always at the front desk if you need assistance. The hostel can also suggest things to do, giving you the chance to meet other travelers interested in the same things you are. Of course hotels or bed and breakfasts would be better but I am concerned with budget travel in this post.
Location
Where are you going? What is the weather like? If it is very cold and you are going for a few days, you might not fit all your layers into one carryon. I always tried my best to not overpack since I always bought a few souvenirs during my travels which can take up a good amount of space. The first few trips I went on I packed dressy shoes in case the occasion arose but I usually never wore them since I did not want to go back to the hostel to get them. I ended up not bringing them on the last few trips I went on since they were a waste of room. Also think about how will you get around your destination? If you are visiting a city, the public transportation is usually the best way to travel, though in London and Paris it can be a little pricey. Walking is always a great option; a great way to see the place you are in. You just have to be aware of your safety. For example, when I went to Brussels, my friend and I were warned by our Airbnb host to be careful while walking around late at night. After this kind advice, we made sure we were back at our Airbnb before midnight just to be safe. If traveling solo, even with a tour group, you should also have safety in mind. If you are not walking around with someone, you have to think about where you are going as well as when you have to return to your tour group so you do not get left behind. For my trips, my travel partner and I always planned beforehand the spots we wanted to visit, mapping out what sights were near each other so we would not waste anytime backtracking. There are a few websites that might be helpful in mapping out your trip. I have used Google Maps as well as Visit A City and found them both very helpful and easy to use.
Trip Type
Will you join a tour? How many days will your trip be? I have been on both tour led trips and self-planned ones. There is value to both of them. For hard to reach locations, a tour might be the best option since it takes the hassle out of traveling to the destination. There are tours that are very affordable and can offer discounts for certain attractions. Be wary though about the kind of tour you book. There are some that have everything planned out for you and involve staying together the entire time. Others though take care of transportation only and allow you free time at your destination to explore on your own. I personally enjoy the less structured tour. In terms of trip length, it really depends on where you are going. I suggest taking a look at all the sights to visit at your destination and determine how many you can see each day. I have gone on trips where I planned too many days and trips where I was not there long enough, although a longer trip can allow you to do a day trip somewhere nearby. It is up to you though. A longer trip will mean more spending since you have to keep in mind food and accommodation costs. It is a little stressful to have a very strict time schedule for a place like London or Paris when there is so much to see. It is important to keep in mind that even though you may have mapped out and scheduled everything you are interested in, trips never go exactly as planned. Some attractions can take a longer or shorter amount of time than you expected. You might run across an area you really like and want to explore more of. Give yourself some leeway since the unexpected parts of your trip are usually the best.
Everyone travels differently but I hope these steps were helpful or at least a recap that can be used for future trips. Traveling is what you make of it and going over these kinds of steps could possibly save you less stress later. Make sure to plan with the people you are traveling with since their idea of travel could be very different from yours. And have fun with it! Trip planning is supposed to be exciting not tedious!
Wishing you many trips to come,
Maria
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