Getting Ready to Go

_{Who does your planning?}

People often ask who plans my travel. The answer is “we do!”. Planning the trip can be almost as interesting and somewhat as much fun as going, so I always want everyone involved to have a role in the planning. Many of my treks have been with my long-time friend, Genny, who works just as hard at planning as I do. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that we spend as much or more time planning the trip as we do executing it. My sister used to find the best places for us to eat, especially the local “holes in the wall” that you would pass deliberately by if you didn’t know better.

I really believe that traveling is a mindset. Even when I go “nowhere” for months or years at a time, I am reading about, watching, or talking to others about places they have been and places I would like to go. In this age of thousands of pictures on our cell phones and fingertip access to photos and videos – never mind immersion in virtual reality, “going there” can take on a whole new meaning. For me, getting ready is an all-of-the-time setting.

_{How do you get information?}

I rely heavily on others who have gone before me, reading books, searching the internet, watching videos, and talking with other travelers. I have finally found a really good use for Facebook – having joined several travel groups specific to various locations I planned to go. It is amazing what people will share on these sites. I almost feel as if I’ve been before I leave!

Before my Mom and I went to England for the first time, I was temporarily working in Washington state, not far from the location of “Rick Steves’ Europe”. We were both reading his material to prepare and I was super excited to go to the location of the man himself. (My Mom always said it didn’t take much to amuse me.) I researched some of the locations we were considering, purchased travel bags for both of us (I still travel with mine – and sometimes hers 18 years later), and sat through a fascinating lecture by one of his staff.

_{Where do you begin?}

The type of trip determines what gets decided first. Generally speaking, we choose the location, determine what we want to see, how long we think it will take, whether we use guided tours, self-guided or a combination, how we will get there and how we will move about while we are there, and then determine where we will stay and eat. We even schedule in some free time (yes, I know that sounds paradoxical). Of course – cost factors into all of the above.

We juggle, shift, reset, insert, delete and do it all again – and again – and again, discovering additional “must do’s” along the way, until finally everything is in order. Then we start booking whatever needs to be booked in advance and adjust accordingly.

When Genny and I travel, we always prepare an itinerary – typically in a spreadsheet, print copies of tickets and reservations in case electronics aren’t working, and only pack one carry-on sized bag each, with a back pack for me and tote bag for her. I also pack a foldable duffle bag for souvenirs. We can always put clothes in the duffle and goodies in the suitcase if needed.

_{Is that it?}

Weeeellllll, no. There are a myriad of other details to which to attend, from maps and electronics on the road, to medicines and vaccines, to local holidays, languages and customs, to weather, to….. Lists are made, lists of lists are made, items are checked off and new lists are made – well, you get the point. The more you go, the more prepared you are for futures goes, but each journey has its own unique requirements as well.

Fortunately, we have great house sitters, family, and friends who look after things back home, who are actually willing to drive to the airport through Atlanta traffic – especially to pick us up when we return, who pray for us the entire time we are gone, and who ramble along with us as we journey from one fascinating locale to another.

And with that, I think I have some getting ready to do!