Travelling these days is such a hugely enjoyable pastime! Cars are designed to be so comfortable, most countries have some kind of reasonably developed road infrastructure & it must be getting increasingly difficult for backpackers to find those "off the beaten track" places that they prefer.
These days you can even find tailor made backpacking holidays for those who like a more rustice, independent feel to their holiday but don't have the time for planning & want to make the most of their limited break time.
Travel or specialist agents can provide you with an itinerary to meet your every need dependent only upon your budget & your spirit of adventure!
But what about those of us who aren't such experienced travellers, how do we decide what clothes are necessary, how much is 20kgs of luggage in a suitcase, what type of suitcase is best?
These travel tips are meant to give you a simple checklist of useful pointers to help make your holiday as enjoyable as possible.
Think carefully about the type of holiday that you want, sun, sea & sand, cultural highlights, tours, long haul, short haul or not out of the country?
The choice is pretty limitless but there are a few rules of thumb that are useful whatever you decide.
Make sure that you do a little research about the place you are considering before you book to be certain that it has the facilities you want during your holiday. For example, if you like village life & simple pleasures, don't bother booking into a 5 star hotel no matter how good the deal! You will find something to be disappointed about.
Think carefully about what the weather will be like at the time you have booked your holiday. Check out weather reports & maybe look for travel forums on the net which may have information about the place you will be visiting. Remember though, that one mans' dream is another mans' nightmare, always come back to what you prefer & want to get from this holiday before making a decision.
Make sure that your passport is in date if you are booking a holiday abroad. Check this before you book as you don't want to be biting your nails in trepidation, waiting for your passport to arrive the day before you are leaving! Plan you wardrobe. Consider what clothes or equipment you will need to get the most out of your holiday. If you are going skiing or scuba diving, so you need to take equipment of your own or will it be provided for you as part of your package? Do you need to go shopping or do you simply need to pull out the clothes you will take with you & make sure that they are washed & ironed ready for packing?
Plan your wardrobe for whilst you are away, make sure that you have several mix & match items that you can alternate to give yourself enough of a change. Try not to pack more than you will need, invest in a travel iron & travel soap for clothes washing & a length of line & some travel pegs so that you can freshen up some of your clothes as required. Don't forget to check airline regulations for what you can carry on as hand luggage at the time you are flying & make sure that you pack any electricals etc as advised by the airline you are travelling with. Leave in plenty of time to reach the airport, to reduce stress levels & if you don't like flying, take a good book or magazine that will help to distract you whilst you are waiting at the airport. Hopefully these few simple tips will help you to get the most out of your holiday, wherever you choose to go.