Research — Places to Stay
For me, figuring out where to stay is equally fun and overwhelming. The options seem endless! This is where I usually get practical and serious with the budget, if for no other...
Travel Planning
Research — What to See and Do
Researching the places you want to visit can be overwhelming, so it is important to pay attention to what you've identified as your priorities. It is also useful to think about why...
Research — How to Stay Safe When Traveling
Safety is a concern that prevents many people from ever venturing into independent travel, but it's often the illusion of what is or isn't safe rather than the reality that we focus...
The ROI of Travel Research
If you've picked a location and your travel companions, it's time to start your research. Wait! Please don't leave yet! I promise this isn't going to be as painful as you think...
How to Avoid Death by Committee
If you're considering traveling with more than one person, or maybe if it's only one but you both have big personalities, it's important to not let group dynamics stop the planning process....
Time and Money (aka Reality)–Part 2
A previous post about travel planning (Time and Money Part 1) focused on the financial budget and limitations, but just as important to planning is the time budget. It is important to...
Time and Money (aka Reality)–Part 1
I was once with a group and we were swapping stories about trips we had each taken when the topic of trip planning came up. As we shared how we initially choose...
How to Avoid Ruining a Good Friendship
All the friends and family you enjoy hanging out with will make great travel companions, right? Actually, not always. A group of us making memories on the cobblestones somewhere in England. Don't...
Some Questions to Get the Travel Party Started
It's important to make sure that you and your potential travel partners are well matched when planning a trip together. (See the post How to Avoid Ruining a Relationship.) Don't assume that...
When Less Is More
When you take that dream vacation, you need to plan to do everything, right? Well, in reality, independent travel...actually, all travel...is a situation when less is often more. More enjoyment. More spontaneity....