Book
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
IT All BEGINS WITH A DREAM AND A PLAN
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single
step. Confucius
As young girl, I spent hours perched in a mimosa tree outside
my bedroom window, day dreaming about all the places I
would go someday. Doing homework, I would
spin the old classroom globe and pinpoint all the places I wanted to see.
And, I developed my first travel plan. I would become
an airline stewardess…that
way I could see world and get paid for it!
Over 45 years later, I’m still twirling a globe. It’s a beautiful
onyx globe with all the countries inlaid in semi-precious stones. It’s
my travel dream globe, a special gift from Hank, to remember the wonderful
places we have been and find new adventures.
Six Steps to Getting Started
1. Dream a little. Spin your own globe or use a good world
atlas. Start a list of everywhere you dream of going. At
one time my travel dream list had over
100 places on it. Today, it still has thirty-five and continues to grow as
fast as
it diminishes.
2. Build a travel resource file. Use a three-ring notebook
with tabs for Trips to Take Someday, Upcoming Trips, Travel
Resources and Past Trips. When you encounter an article that
tickles your travel fancy or a website that piques your travel
interest, copy it and place it in your travel file under
Trips to Take Someday.
For Upcoming Trips, include a pocket folder to hold travel
documents. Get serious about upcoming trips. Research and
file articles on sights to see, restaurants to try, a currency
exchange calculator, a key phrases cheatsheet, and a running
list of essentials to take along. File copies of your itinerary
and your travel insurance certificate.
For Travel Resources, create a list of travel information
websites. File copies of your credit cards and passport.
File an address book of key travel related
phone numbers. Last, under the heading of Past Trips, keep records of past
itineraries, trip costs, notes on likes and dislikes,
local favorites and resources.
3. Narrow your travel choices and begin your research.
Once you decide on a destination, or maybe a couple of options,
learn as much as possible about your choice/s. What are the
main attractions? Make a list of “must-sees.” What
are your options for getting there? Where will you stay?
Will you take a tour or go independent with your travel plans?
What will the weather be like? Are there safety and health
considerations? And, of course, how much will it cost?
If you’re computer savvy, the Internet brings the
world to your fingertips. But, there is a downside to Internet
research. There is so much information unless
you know how to search; you may quickly become confused and overwhelmed. The
Favorite Resources section of this book includes dozens of our personal favorite
travel websites and other travel resources you may find helpful.
If you don’t have access to a computer, visit the
library or a good bookstore and buy several books about your
destination. Both Frommers and Fodors have excellent
guidebooks for virtually anywhere in the world. Visit a travel agent and collect
a pile of brochures. Call the local Chamber of Commerce or Visitor’s Bureau
at your destination and ask for information. Don’t forget to organize your
information in your Travel Resource File!
4. If your trip includes foreign travel, get your passport
early! Allow at least 90 days before your departure…six
months is even better. If you already have a passport, check
the expiration date. Many countries won’t allow you
in the country if your passport expires within 6 months!
As of this date, there are 13 cities with passport agencies.
In other areas, the Clerk of the Courts Office or Post
Office usually has applications. You will
need two 2” by 2” recent photos (available at many photo development
locations), a copy of your birth certificate with a raised state seal, a form
of official photo identification, a completed passport application and a check
for the passport fee. Check out www.travel.state.gov for the most current passport
details. Don’t put this off. With heightened worldwide security, entry
documentation is much tighter.
5. Choose your travel companions carefully. Share research
and planning.
While we don’t have much choice about our family members
(unless we opt to go solo), select your travel companions
carefully. A compatible and congenial travel mate can make
a trip more pleasurable. The wrong travel mate can destroy
the pleasures of the best trip.
Know each other’s “hot buttons” and any
personal prejudices or personal habits that could create
problems along the way. If you are a light
sleeper, traveling with a companion who snores like a chainsaw, you will have
sleepless nights and smoldering resentment. A constant complainer can find something
wrong with the best situations, and their pessimistic attitude is contagious.
Know before you go!
Ask each member of your family or travel friends come up
with travel ideas. Travel research is a great way to involve
older children. Ask them to “handle” some
of the aspects of research and cost comparisons, encourage their buy-in to the
trip, and provide a great learning tool.
Get to know an experienced travel agent…or two. Although
the Internet is great for gathering information and travel
prices, a good travel agent is important. He or she will
help you sort through the multitude of information, discover
the pitfalls in your plan, come up with options when needed,
help with problems that arise before and during travel, and
provide the personal-service touch that Internet sources
lack.
We research what we want in the way of cruises, accommodations,
tours, etc. We find the best prices and give them to our
travel agent to match as closely as
possible. It’s our travel policy to book through a local travel agent if
they can come within $100.00 to $150.00 of the trip prices we are considering.
Invariably they do and are able to secure additional perks not available through
the Internet sources, such as shipboard credits or upgrades.
Purchase Travel Wisdom and continue on. Next up…The
Pleasures and Pitfalls for Internet Research
 
Travel Wisdom:Tips, Tools and Tactics for All Travelers
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