This is one of the most asked questions in my circle and among the followers of my blog: “How do you plan your travels?”. I'm not sending a shuttle into space, I'm not splitting the cell into parts. I'm planning to go around the corner 🙂 I think it's not that hard, but I realized that for many people, this is the hardest part of the job. Travel plan There was even someone who asked if I could do an internship with him, he knows himself 🙂

How to Make a Travel Plan?

Every Journey Begins With a Dream!

I usually make my annual travel plans at the beginning of the year and finish them. I'm taking out the public holidays of that year. I make preparations such as which season is suitable for which, where I can take my long vacation, where I can go on short vacations, and finally I determine my travel dreams for that year. In other words, in January-February, I have largely decided on the places I will go in that year and I have bought my plane tickets. If there are extra plans during the year, they become giveaways, they can't be eaten 🙂

Public Holidays Save Lives!

First of all, I don't have a definite destination in mind. I can't go to the places I said I will go for years, see İshakpaşa and Mongolia 🙂

I am open to more than one alternative and even routes that I have never thought of. The biggest issue for me is time. Therefore, how much are the 19 May, 23 April, Ramadan and Sacrifice holidays? public holiday If there is, I'll definitely check it out.

Don't Say Long Short, Hit the Road!

I think one of my biggest advantages is; I don't have a situation like "I can't travel soon, I won't go, I'll go when I have time". I'm not lazy to go to Egypt for 3 days and Norway for 3 days 🙂 All my time is spent on the road, I am running around without sleep but I am the happiest person in the world 🙂

Visa Free Countries Priority

My priority is because it has less cost and less effort. visa free countries is happening. Maybe one of the reasons is that I have already seen many places in Europe. Europe is the same even if I go 50 years later, but I think the sooner I see underdeveloped countries, the better. Because the places where civilization has reached are rapidly losing their exotic/authentic state.

I Don't Forgive If I Have a Schengen Visa

Even if I already have a Schengen visa, I continue to tour Europe briefly. For example, this year (2015) I had to get a Schengen visa to go to Norway. I also went to Greece, Hungary and Romania to do justice to the 6-month visa and to get the money I paid.

Cheap Transportation

I took the calendar and the world map in my hands, and I also came up with alternative itineraries suitable for the appropriate seasons. Back to these cheap transportation It remains to find ways.

My biggest advantage is being able to plan early. For this reason, I can find cheap flight tickets to distant dates, or I can find suitable flight tickets from campaigns for flexible route and time alternatives. When I find a round-trip flight ticket to Budapest for 250TL, I don't miss it, of course, I go with my schengen ready.

I think the main formula here is to really follow the campaigns of airline companies, cheap tickets can be found to places you never expect.

When it comes to cheap transportation, some people prefer trains, buses and even hitchhiking. However, as I said at the beginning, I'm trying to find the fastest and most convenient mix there, since I have a time problem.

Determining Places to Visit While Making a Travel Plan

We determined our route and bought our tickets. Well, I hear you ask how we will determine our route and places to visit. This is a very personal area, and it can also vary greatly depending on the duration of the trip.

For me, my goal is usually to see the maximum number of places, whether it's 3 days or 20 days.

  1. First of all, I review travel blogs and travel guides (like Lonely Planet) and make a list of places or cities I want to see. If a friend has gone there, I definitely get their ideas and suggestions.
  2. I roughly decide how much time I should devote to those places/cities.
  3. I roughly determine the transportation times between places / cities.
  4. Then I take the paper and pen in my hand, I make a route day by day. While doing this, the places/cities that I should give up the list appear. I say goodbye to them.

Accommodation / Accommodation

After the route is out, the issue of accommodation is very easy.

  • Sometimes I sometimes book my entire trip online. For online reservation Booking.com It's my first choice.
  • If the route I go is an expensive place, I try to book early and try to get the accommodation cheaper.
  • Since the plan can always change on long trips, I do not make a reservation and send my options to a friend, I let him know when I am on the way, and he will take care of the reservation before I go. During my trip to South America, my boyfriend gave me constant reservation support in Istanbul.
  • Again, on long trips, I book the first day or the first few days, I take care of the rest on the way. For example, in South Africa bazbus The subject of staying was very practical because I used it.

If you say that the above sometimes changes according to what it is, it is completely according to my taste 🙂 In the past, I used to plan every day minute by minute and travel accordingly. Now I'm much more comfortable, I let it flow more, I plan less.

When the above is finished, all that remains is to enjoy traveling!

Stay on the road 🙂

"Does he who reads a lot or travels a lot?" I started by saying, I am still looking for an answer. I travel after my dreams and share my experiences on my blog, newspapers and magazines. I love to travel, read, write and dream.

4 Comments

  1. Your writing is very good, thank you for your work. Could you please write the links or the names of the sites you use in the campaigns of the airline companies?

    • Sevil Mert

      I become a member of airline companies' own websites, this is the easiest tracking method for me.

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