Planning your First International Trip

Planning your first international trip may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be! In fact, as with packing for your trip, less is more.

By setting too aggressive of an itinerary, you may get a lot of snapshots next to monuments, but you will be cheating yourself of all the small pleasures that make traveling so special. The essential to budget travel is to plan onward. When it occurs to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved trips and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the actuality of cost and budgeting is generally in the back of our minds. Considering and expending our travel budget properly is a concern for most families. Curbing expending and prices, while still experiencing your vacation to its fullest, is the key to guaranteed accomplishment and fiscal responsibility. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thinking regarding economizing money while travelling is simple: Even if your personal budget is incredibly limited, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also remembering that while traveling, whether on a price range or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a large vacation or travel bill!. Slow down, look around, and remember, travel plans don't always work out the way you expect them to in developing countries.

Here are some things to consider for planning your first international trip:

Slow down. Add buffer days in your trip; sometimes travel in developing countries does not go according to plan. Avoid the stress of sticking to a rigid schedule when your heart is telling you to stay somewhere a little longer.

Seasonal Weather. Traveling during "off seasons" may seem appealing because of less crowds and cheaper prices, but there may be a good reason why people avoid an area during that time. Monsoon rains and the mud that accompanies them can take a lot away from your trip, plan around them.

Budget Considerations. Sure, you may want to visit Europe more than anything, but you will not get much enjoyment out of a trip when constantly worried about financial woes. Consider going someplace with a better currency exchange to get more adventure for your budget.

Time of Year. Other than weather, you should research the dates for festivals, religious holidays, and other scheduled events that you may want to plan around. Holidays will always mean higher prices, but it would be a shame to miss a great cultural celebration due to poor planning.

Language. Language should not really be a big concern when planning your trip. People will understand a little English nearly anywhere that you go and half the fun is trying to learn the local language anyway. Consider picking up a "Point-it" book to help bridge the gap in vocabularies when you need something.

Beware of GuideBooks: Sure, guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guide offer lots of great information about things to do in a country. Just remember, these books need to be used properly. Don't make the guidebook your "bible" - there are lots of great places and things waiting to be discovered that are not in the book!

See Also:

Step by step Backpacking Guide

Welcome to Travel.State.Gov
www.travel.state.gov/index.html
This site is managed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an ...
Ireland : Vacations in Ireland Official Vacation Website of ...
www.ireland.com
Official Website of Tourism Ireland for visitors to Ireland. Information on accommodation in Ireland, activities in Ireland, events in Ireland and much more
Official Walt Disney World Site Disney World Holidays & Resorts
wdtc.disneyinternational.com
Experience the magic of Walt Disney World Florida. Plan or book Disney Holidays, Disney Tickets or Disney Hotels by visiting the Walt Disney Travel Company.
Slow Travel, vacation rentals, villas, reviews, Europe travel ...
www.slowtrav.com
Travel community with vacation rental, villa, hotel, and restaurant reviews for Europe and worldwide. Trip reports, travel guides, message board (forums), travel photos.
Traveline Cymru Your Complete Source for Travel in Wales.
www.traveline-cymru.info
Start your journey today, keep updated and discover Wales. Travel in Wales and get relevant transport advice and guidance from Traveline Cymru.
Rick Steves Europe: Tours, Trip Planning, Travel Guides &
www.ricksteves.comTours Travel Store Plan Your Trip Helpline Graffiti Wall
Rick Steves is America's leading authority on European travel. Whether you plan your own trip or take one of Rick's value-packed tours, everything you need is here.
Cruises - Vacation Planning - Cruise Ships - Travel Destinations
cruises.about.com
Cruises travel site from About.com with comprehensive cruise vacation information on planning, cruise ships, cruise lines, ports of call, news, reviews, travel ...
Travel News, Guides and Tips - Plan a Vacation, Weekend or
www.cnn.com/TRAVEL
Find travel news, pictures and video from CNN; Learn about the best destinations, the best ways to get there, the travel business, vacation tips from CNN's Travel ...
Simple Plan Official Website: Get Your Heart On! Music, Videos ...
www.simpleplan.com
Simple Plan - Get Your Heart On! Official Website: News, Music, Photos, Tour Dates, Videos, and more - SimplePlan.com
Dopplr Travel planning, advice & tips for the smart traveller
www.dopplr.com
Dopplr is a service for sharing personal and business travel plans privately with the people you trust. Find city tips and travel advice on the Social Atlas
Travel Tips, Trip Planning and Discount Travel - Independent ...
www.independenttraveler.com
Find travel tips and discount travel deals. Read trip reviews and plan everything from international travel to local trips with the Independent Traveler.
EveryTrail - Travel Community, iPhone Guides for Sightseeing ...
www.everytrail.com
Write guides and review trails you have done; Map a trip route with your phone or GPS; Add trip photos to your map instantly; Add maps & photos to your blog or website
American Express Travel: Flights, Hotels, Cars, Cruises &
https://travel.americanexpress.com/home
Book a cruise or find travel tips, travel discounts and travel adventures with American Express Travel.
About Us - Lonely Planet
www.lonelyplanet.com/about
At Lonely Planet we tell it like it is, without fear or favour. There's a whole world of amazing sights, hotels, travel companies and gear manufacturers out there ...
Group Travel, Meeting & Event, Group Sales Delta Air Lines
www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/planning-a-trip/...
We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us.
Traveline Scotland - Public transport information
www.travelinescotland.com
Timetables Find, customise and print a timetable; Plan your Journey Create and print a personal travel plan; My Bus Stop Times Find the next departures from a stop
Japan Travel Guide - Travel to Japan
gojapan.about.com
Helpful information and tips for Japan Travel - includes Japan maps, Japan hotels, Japanese culture, Japanese translators, Japanese geisha, and Japan pictures.
A world of information to plan travel or shop whatever you need
countystation.com
Shop National companies at home! Information on interesting international or local places and attractions to visit. Shop or make your travel plans here without all ...
Yahoo! Finance - Personal Finance Retirement
finance.yahoo.com/retirement
Jul 12, 2013 US News - If you have a long vesting schedule or small match, your employer is providing a subpar 401(k) plan.
Welcome to The Couple to Couple League
ccli.org
Provides information, teaching and support for couples using or wanting to learn about Natural Family Planning.
Great Ocean Road
tourism.vic.gov.au/maint/maintenance.html
We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us.
Strategic Planning Articles - Find Strategic Planning Related ...
www.articlesbase.com Business
Find Strategic Planning articles at ArticlesBase.com a free articles directory. Submit your articles for free distribution and find Strategic Planning content for ...
Party411- Party Ideas to help you plan a fun party
www.party411.com
How to plan a party. Thousands of free, fun party ideas. Party planning ideas and help from the premier party planning site on the web.
Wedding Planning + Wedding Ideas by Top Wedding Planning Sites
www.topweddingsites.com
Start Your Wedding Planning Here. When first starting the wedding planning, you're probably feeling overwhelmed with the sheer number of things you need to plan and ...