Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Planning a Dream Vacation

As wind and snow howls down the street, this is the time of year our thoughts turn to warmer climates. Whether your dream vacation is laying on a beach with a coconut drink in your hand, or taking a hot-air balloon safari across the Serengeti, it’s all possible with some careful planning.

Organize Anything has put together some simple tips and ideas to help guide you through the vacation planning process.

1)Location, location, location! Where do you want to go and what do you want to do? What location is the top of your travel bucket list? Do you want to explore the Mayan ruins in Mexico or be a beach bum in Hawaii? Go online and search out your dream location and discover when’s the best time to visit – you don’t want to plan a three week trek through Thailand during monsoon season!

2)What are you going to do? Are you someone who likes to immerse themselves in the local culture during their trips or does vacation mean “rest, relax, rejuvenate” to you? If you’re headed to a resort you may want to take a look at what activities and excursions are included in your package. If you are going on an adventure to a new country, borrow some guidebooks from the library and plan your trip to see the most famous landmarks and museums.

3)The devil’s in the details, especially when travelling. Before booking your fantasy vacation make sure you know all the important information about your country of choice. What’s the currency, what language do they speak, where is your country’s consulate located, does your health insurance cover traveling outside the country, is there any conflict happening within the country of surrounding countries? Knowing the answers to these questions can keep your heavenly get-away from turning into a trip to hell.

4)Have a backup plan. Life has a nasty habit of getting in the way sometimes, so have a backup plan if something goes awry during your time away. This can include having emergency contacts in the country you’re visiting, to setting up a few weeks of international calling on your cell phone so you can get in contact with the folks back home. If you’re traveling during the winter book a few extra days on either end of your vacation time in case there are weather delays.

5)Don’t forget about your house and the pets who live in it! If you’re going to be away for extended periods of time ask one of your neighbours to check in on the house, or have a friend housesit for you. Little details like putting the lights on timers and bringing in the mail on a daily basis will make it look like someone’s still at home. If you have pets, arrange for them to go to a kennel or have a trusted friend take them in while you’re away.

Planning your dream vacation doesn’t have to be scary. Just remember to look at the big picture and see beyond the white sandy beaches. If you have all your ducks in a row before you take flight, your entire trip will be smooth sailing.

If you liked this post and would like to learn more tips like it, please check out the Organize Anything website at www.organizeanything.com. You can also find us on Twitter (@organizenow) and on Facebook.

© 2011 Colette Robicheau
The Organizing Professional
Organize Anything
Phone:(902) 233-1577
www.organizeanything.com
www.twitter.com/organizenow
www.facebook.com/organizeanything

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