How much planning do you do? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

bertus · 09-01-2010, 03:51 PM

Hey everyone!

It has been awhile since I've posted but I was talking with a friend of mine who just got back from an impromptu road trip. So I was thinking I would ask how much planning everyone does before hitting the dusty trail?

My girlfriend is definitely a planner to the extreme. We are heading out of town this weekend and the two day trip probubly involved two days of planning. I on the other hand much prefer to fly by the seat of my pants. I've been known to simply disappear for a few days and end up on the other side of the country. Essentially as long as a have somewhere to sleep the next day I consider myself fully prepared and planned.

So how about everyone else? Fly by the seat of your pants, plan an hour-by-hour itinerary or somewhere in between?

**travelpunk** · 09-01-2010, 04:12 PM

I definitely plan...on winging most of my trip.

Even when you wing it, it's still a plan!

The only thing I do is pick the cities I want to visit (and that could change during my trip) and I peg a rough number of days that I want to be there for. Then, I'll book the first night or two online so I know where I'm headed once the plane/train rolls into town.

I'll get a free city map to see the lay of the land and or check out wikipedia online (usually right after I check into the hotel/hostel) and see what the main attractions are in that city.

Then, I just start wandering around and if I make it to some of those attractions, I'll go, but if not I'll get back to it when I eventually come back someday.

Some things I have to see like The Mona Lisa, the Anne Frank Museum, the Eiffel Tower, Jim Morrisons grave, castles, etc...

The other thing I plan is an amount/allowance each day.

Also, I usually plan on sleeping in just about every day. I just got back from a 3 week trip and had free breakfasts at every hotel I stayed at, but I was only able to make it down before 10:30 am (usual cut off at hotels), one time.

As far as bust out a day planner and plan every singe hour of the day....no,no,no....nevah

!

**mooloo** · 09-01-2010, 09:11 PM

I like to plan a bit if you have a lot to fit into a few days but not on longer trips, just roughly which cities in which order so that we don't back track (Keeping in mind my longest trip was 3 weeks so this was neccessary) If I was doing a longer trip I would just plan which countries I want to go and the rough order. Then I would look at lots of stuff to do but decide when we got there what to do and what not to do.

I like planning & lists though!

**mish99** · 09-02-2010, 01:35 AM

I am SUCH a planner!!! I dont know why, because I dont really ever stick to my plans......

Before my trip I definitely plan what country/cities and how long and I research good places to stay before I leave. But Im not neurotic about sticking to my itinerary. I love it when my plans change because the changes are always awesome!!

**expatben** · 09-02-2010, 06:33 AM

I sort of plan sort of wing it-it depends really. If I am going to a new city then I plan what I want to see and make sure I see it I may also look at youth hostels so I know what my options are. On the other hand I just loving winging it that feeling of not being sure where you're even going to be sleeping is wonderful or just going to a local and asking what there is to see-love it.

**Canadian Bacon** · 09-08-2010, 10:40 AM

I used to plan a lot, then kept realizing that my plans would change depending on people that I met. Then I stopped planning, but I found that only after I had left a city I found out about a super cool place that I should have visited, but didn't. Then I thought maybe I should start planning again, but then I realised the years of not planning made me lazy and that I will forever not plan any trips

**Dig** · 09-08-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian Bacon

Then I thought maybe I should start planning again, but then I realised the years of not planning made me lazy and that I will forever not plan any trips

Awesome.

I try and learn things about where I am about to go. I focus on a guestimated itenerary and focus on that. Cities do change and so do items on your checklist. On my first trip I over-planned a bit too much and dialed it back later on in the trip. Things went much more smoothly for me.

DharmaBum · 09-09-2010, 08:19 AM

Plans are a waste of time and money. I once planned a 3 month euro trp. bought plane tickets and booked hostels on this schedule i made up in my head. HORRIBLE IDEA. I ended up spending 13 months having the most whacked out random FUN trip ever. Never used one of the 7 flights i booked in advance. Hell I even hitchiked from london to frankfurt because i missed my flight after oversleeping AT THE GATE!!!!! GAH!!! lol and guess what?? i ended up having the best 4 day England,amsterdamn (netherlands), france, belgium, luxemboug, germany hitchiking adventure ever!

ßeta · 09-13-2010, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertus

Hey everyone!

It has been awhile since I've posted but I was talking with a friend of mine who just got back from an impromptu road trip. So I was thinking I would ask how much planning everyone does before hitting the dusty trail?

My girlfriend is definitely a planner to the extreme. We are heading out of town this weekend and the two day trip probubly involved two days of planning. I on the other hand much prefer to fly by the seat of my pants. I've been known to simply disappear for a few days and end up on the other side of the country. Essentially as long as a have somewhere to sleep the next day I consider myself fully prepared and planned.

So how about everyone else? Fly by the seat of your pants, plan an hour-by-hour itinerary or somewhere in between?

I think we're all planners to some degree. Why else would we be here, right?

That being said, I'm in the same boat. My wife is an obsessive planner. Me? Not so much. As I've gotten older flying by the seat of my pants has become less frequent. Oh well.

**simply_angelic** · 09-16-2010, 01:05 PM

I like to know my options, but then plan everything on a more day to day basis. I tend to make sure I've covered all the really important bases (like visas, shots, etc etc) and maybe done some basic reading on what looks cool in the country/city I'm travelling to then actually decide en route to the city or while I'm there. thank god for the travel guides lol. I love reading them as I travel to the city I'm going to....

j_wierzbowski · 09-23-2010, 10:18 PM

The accommodation is roughly picked out beforehand, and I'll definitely have a few things in mind that I'd like to see or do, but nothing is set in stone. Everything else is spur of the moment.

**ChasinJason1313** · 10-14-2010, 01:33 PM

I spent a year and a half and 8 travel books planning a 3 month Euro trip and other than where I was staying I changed almost everything within the first 3 days. Planning gives you comfort, but changing it up is the exciting part.

haraamzadaa · 03-07-2011, 04:56 AM

To plan or not to plan............that is the question.

On the trips where i planned fully, i loved and enjoyed and made the most of my time there especially when it was a short trip.

Other times when i had a little more time i planned the first few days and left the others free. It was pretty enjoyable too.

However, the times when i didn't plan at all not even my first night i found myself spending alot of time doing the planning whilst i was en route! I found that it did waste alot of time although it was enjoyable.

I think it all depends on how you like your travels planned or not.