What's On The Agenda When Taking A Longer Than Average Vacation
Sometimes the normal holiday and vacation can just seem like it passes us by within a blink of an eye. It is one of those things we look forward to, and then the time just goes by so quickly. But what if you decided to take travel to another level? What if you booked a holiday but instead of it lasting a week or fortnight you made it last months or even a year, perhaps longer? Wanting an adventure, a chance to experience something new or do things differently.
Many of us have that urge to make changes in our lives, and travel is one of those areas that many people have on their bucket lists. Places they want to go and things they want to experience. Could this next year be the one that you take that plunge and ignite a sense of adventure? If you find yourself seriously considering an extended holiday away from your normal routine and commitments then here is exactly what you need to consider.
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Consider where you might go, stay and how you might go about it
One of the biggest things to consider would be where you want to go, what sort of place you might stay in and how you might go about it in terms of leasing, renting or dealing with accommodation. Longer stays in hotels might also be an option enabling you to mix things up a little. First up is the destination. Could you be hitting the USA where you can party hard in places like Atlantic City. Enjoying new cocktails in hit bars and casinos and partying the night away, and combining it with a road trip of some of the most iconic states. Maybe you want the Australian lifestyle. Or a chance to backpack through Asia. Next on the agenda would be hotels versus self-catering options. Both of which will have their benefits. A great idea would be to mix up the two, and take some time out in hotels and treat that as you “holiday” part whereas the other time you can actually be experiencing normal life in another country. Which could be providing the experience you are really after.
Be well researched
Making a decision on where you want to go must have you feeling elated. But now you want to ensure you know all there is to know before you go. Heading on to the internet and doing a search will be the quickest way to obtain some information. From blog posts and articles, to trip advisor recommendations and reviews. But, you might also want to consider putting up a status on your social media platforms to friends and family. You may have someone in your followers or friends list that has been there before and can give you some insider info on places to eat, things to do and how to go about living there, if they have the experience of it. Another great tip is to actually talk to people as well, whether that's in the office, people you come into contact with daily or even at the school gates. You never know what knowledge you might pick up.
Think about what you will leave behind
Another thing to consider would be what you will do when you leave for your extended vacation. What will happen to your home, where you stay, your things, your job? If it;s your home and you own it, you may want to look at having a friend stay, or rent it out if it is a long enough vacation to do that. If you rent, then perhaps the tenancy is coming to an end. You could use a storage unit for the items you need to keep safe while you are away, and then maybe sell some things to raise funds for your trip. Your job might be another thing to consider. Perhaps you can take a sabbatical, so you have a job to return to. Or maybe it is time to look for something new and hand your notice in to leave. It is always a great idea to travel, but you also need to be practical about what happens when you return. You will need to spend some time finalizing things to ensure that everything is good while you are away. Even if that means extra security on your property like cameras etc for while it is vacant. It will also give you extra peace of mind.
Be organized with your packing
Packing may seem like a real tough task to overcome, especially because you are going for a long time, but the best thing to do in this situation is to be as organized as possible. Another great tip is to just pack the things that you want, and suitable for your destination. Once you are there you can always buy things as you go along, as of course, there are shops that sell clothes that you might like. This will help you to avoid feeling too stressed out over the matter.
Make lists
Before you go you may find that you feel completely overwhelmed as the days are counted to departure day, and that is to be expected. So lists will definitely become your friends as you navigate through the tasks you need to complete before setting foot on that plane. Make sure you write everything down, and continue to do it. A great tip is to have a pad and pen nearby, and every time something comes to mind and write it down, and everytime you complete something cross it off, when you finish the page go onto the next and re-write what was left on the previous list and keep adding to it. It may sound like you are being over the top, but the method of rewriting will also reaffirm that the particular task needs to be done at some point.
Let’s hope that these suggestions have you excited and feeling confident if you plan on taking a longer than average travel trip next year or in the future.