NoJoMo2020 #24 in Surveys

24 - How do you plan your holidays?

It depends if it’s domestic or international. Domestically it’s very easy and relaxed. I’ll generally fork out more for accommodation and relaxing.
Internationally, I’ll plan a lot. I tend to rough it so I’m outside exploring as much as possible, so I’ll just book a backpackers. I know I should be doing that here too but I like relaxing too and actually feeling like a holiday. It’s weird how the mind works. I have stayed in backpackers here too but not much. Overseas I have to much to see and experience.

Anyway, internationally is usually planned daily in advance, at least for the first few weeks until I get a feel of a place. It involves a lot of research, planning, public transport routes, etc. My last Europe trip, I had NOTHING planned for the final 10-12 days after Paris and it was awesome because it left my options open. But generally the planning is to work out my budget and how much I can spend each day I’m travelling. I’ll decide on a budget, divide it by however many days I’m there, and that’s how much I allow myself to spend each day (including accommodation, travel and food). I don’t want to get stuck overseas with no money. I even take note of the international bank fees to try and avoid them, which is totally possible. I’ll research travel insurance too. When at home, I don’t care, as we have a great healthcare system should something go wrong.
My trip to China last year, I came home with pretty much all the cash I’d taken out, as I couldn’t spend any of it, even though I’d done my research about not being able to use my cards (hence the cash). So that was a waste of foreign exchange fees, which I always exchange at the cheapest place I can find, and never at the airports, but still. Live and learn.