How To Make And Keep Your 2017 Travel Resolutions
2017 is the year of the new you right? Well, we all know how that goes. If you want to create a new and healthier you, then a lot of time and effort way beyond making a resolution, needs to go into it. How about instead making some travel resolutions? Let 2017 be the year of wanderlust and of traveling the world!
Here’s a guide on how to make, and keep, your 2017 travel resolutions
Research
1. Spend a decent amount of time doing some travel research. Explore book stores, travel blogs and magazines, guide books, basically anything you can get your hands on.
2. Make a list of all the countries/cities that you’ve taken a fancy to. Rank them in an order with ‘1’ being the place you want to travel to the most.
3. Next to those destinations, write out how many days/weeks you would want to take to explore each one.
Plan ahead
1. Figure out how many days/weeks you can take off from work for the whole year.
2. Can you break up the days or do you have to take them all at once? If some of your destinations are achievable weekend destinations, make a note of them as you won’t need to take any extra days off for them.
3. Take out a calendar and jot down rough dates for traveling for the whole of 2017.
Budget
1. How much can you spend per trip? Don’t forget to include flights, accommodation and spending money. Always overestimate how much money you will need!
2. Will you need to pick up extra work and/or start a savings plan to pay for the holidays? If so, come up with a savings plan.
Book
1. Sign up to all your budget airline newsletters and stay alert to all sales. As soon as you see something in your price range, book!
2. Check booking.com and airbnb.com frequently for deals on accommodation.
3. Never exchange money in your home city. Always wait until you get to your destination as the rate will always be better there.
Learn to take good pictures
1. You can take a good picture regardless of what kind of camera you have. I have seen amazing pictures being taken with iPhone’s as well as DSLR cameras with amazing lenses. Pick a camera that will work for your holiday plans.
2. Research how to take a good picture with that camera. There are plenty of books/articles about how to take amazing travel photos with all types of cameras. Buy one and dedicate yourself to it.
3. Take a short photography course. There are plenty of day courses out there to choose from and it will give you confidence to take good pictures.
Prepare
1. Do you have a passport? Has it got more than 6 months left on it until it expires? If not, you might need to apply for a new one before you leave. Make sure to leave enough time for the process.
2. Check you have the correct visa for the country you are visiting. You don’t want a nasty surprise when you get there and not be allowed in to your country of choice!
3. Make copies of your important documents.
4. See your doctor in case you need any vaccination or immunizations before you leave. The last thing you need to to get sick while on holiday.
5. And just in case you do get sick, make sure you have travel insurance!
But most importantly, make sure you have the best time possible. Life is meant to be explored, so go out there and do it!
xx
