i'm a well organized traveler. i try not to leave anything to chance as much as humanly possible. i have all the train/plane reservations made [especially train reservations in India as it's next to impossible to get a confirmed reservation even in the highest class of service at a short notice unless you are willing to pay the touts quite a bit more].
the only time i am sloppy is when i am returning from India. i tend to take a day or two more if it's possible. :)
they say, "getting there is half the fun" and it's very true in my case. i love the 'journey part'...i enjoy it! :)
Istanbul is lovelyyyy! Been there but just for a weekend - that’s what happens when Europe is not international You will have an amazing time. Just all the food and then halal .. yum yum! Good choice.
I've learned to not overplan or stress on vacations and to be open to flexible plans. I've added cities/deleted cities from my itinerary after getting to certain destinations. Even hotel bookings and inter-city/country transportation is booked on the spot.
On my last trip, aside from the flight to and from BKK, the hotel on landing and one internal flight, everything including hotels/busses/trains/flights were booked no more than 48 hours in advance, and some on the spot and it worked for me and my travel friend. We did 6 countries and at least 2 cities per country.
I would like to say I plan things but two years ago when we landed in Barcelona without any idea where to go, I was forced to revise my habits. I like having a general idea but the dots don’t have to be connected by straight lines, the squiggles in between are what makes traveling fun. Like missing your stop and ending up in Paris.
But I definitely think you should be thrifty. While hotels can be nice, meeting random travelers in hostels can really make a trip.
I like to know what the "main" highlights of a city are so that I can cross them off my imaginary list. Kind of like, must see Eiffel Tower in Paris or Big Ben in London. But aside from upto 3 main city/country highlights, the rest of the trip can be one of discovery - go where the bus takes you or the tuk-tuk/rickshaw driver recommends and especially exploring a city on foot where possible.
I like to know what the "main" highlights of a city are so that I can cross them off my imaginary list. Kind of like, must see Eiffel Tower in Paris or Big Ben in London. But aside from upto 3 main city/country highlights, the rest of the trip can be one of discovery - go where the bus takes you or the tuk-tuk/rickshaw driver recommends and especially exploring a city on foot where possible.
Exploring on foot is so much fun! We tried to stay near the historical centers of each city so you stumble onto great sites and without any heads up, like Santa Maria Del Mar in Barcelona. Literally had no idea it was there, we were just walking around streets which oddly reminded me of central Lahore, and then suddenly we enter a wide open square with this beautiful church.
It's incredibly touristy but I think those 2 or 3 day bus tours are very helpful for hitting the big stops and getting around town. You can choose to explore the sites and areas you find interesting. It also serves as a cheap way to get around the city. At least in Europe. South East Asia's tourist scene may not be as established lol.
I agree with this - the journey being half the fun. You cant really plan outrageous fun or soul shuddering experiences.. they happen somewhere along the way and usually the journey or the “getting there” lends heart, mood and direction to the trip.
I my weekend days i spend time on Playing different games. But i travel to Famous places in Pakistan after every 5-6 months. I Love traveling very much.
I am definitely a spontaneous traveler. I love to just get up and go without much planning. I think it is fun to see new places and not always worry about too much planning.
You will have an amazing time. Just all the food and then halal .. yum yum! Good choice.
