Short holidays are for fun, but Long term holidays are for serious travelers. Ones who love exploring, digging deep, craving for relaxation, wanting break from day to day commitments, bored of their monotonous surroundings, wanting private time with their families somewhere far far away, and more reasons that might vary person to person. But fact remains that they are stress busters, energizing, full of fresh perspectives, true healer, and a break you need most. Long term trips will coherently need more of your time in planning. But voila, we have made it easy for you.
Turn on your Financial Acumen –
On contrary to short trips, long term travel needs more precise budget. On short trips you can have luxury to spend more as it ends soon, but long term trips need to have a pre-planned EXPENDITURE PER DAY, stick to it and at least spend no more than that.
Make a budget of how much you can spend for hotel, and search for hotels in that range. Fix an amount you are willing to pay for Taxi, and try to nab a deal in that range.
For food check the Menu with rate card of hotel you are looking to book. You will find it on their website, if not then request them to mail it. See if rates are falling in your food budget or not. Also check nearby restaurants to your hotel for their rate cards and see what all fall in your budget.
NOTE – Google searches, traveler reviews, Guide Books will help you determine the budget. Plus you yourself can figure out how much you want to spend.
If you are staying in a Hotel, it’s a must do that you bargain with them leveraging the fact that you will stay long. It is a proven practice that only might not work with huge Five Star plus hotels or it might even do, it’s just I haven’t tried.
Find a homely Space –
On long term trips, if you are staying at a particular destination for a month or more, then try to book rental apartments or shared spaces or homestays. Each have their benefits. In Apartments you will feel like home in a distant place, shared space will save you money, and homestays will get you company.
If you are staying at a hotel and at a place where duration of stay is around a month.. There is another tip you can try, swap your hotels every 10 to 15 days. Explore all parts of city, and window views if you are on a hill or on a beach.
Don’t be in the Luxury of Budget – I know you are on a vacation or a holiday, but Long Term trips are sort of casual business. We have also set up a budget, but whenever possible try to save even from the EXPENDITURE PER DAY. Benefits are that you will feel good, and will have disposable money on odd days.
Planning the itinerary –
While doing so, try to keep it as superficial as possible. I mean focus on cities or towns or countries you will be travelling to. Planning sightseeing is also necessary move, but don’t fix days for it. Flexibility and Freedom are two most imp Perks of long term travels, so enjoy them.
Until your trip involves different countries, keep the schedule open so that you don’t have to kill your wish if you want to stay in particular city for longer than planned.
When your trip involves a single country, try to visit all corners till they are good destinations and they excite you. Reason is to make best out of trip and explore extreme cultures. Never limit yourself to spots clubbed in close vicinity.
Packing your bags –
If you are on a long term trip, it doesn’t means that you are going to need your whole wardrobe. There is something called Hotel Laundry or washing machine in apartments if you rent them, which will come in handy. Don’t burden yourself with luggage more than two bags. Keep the ratio of outdoor clothes to indoor clothes in 7:3. If you are cooler than average guys, then 6:4.
Always keep extra pairs of carry bags, they will help you in segregating fresh and used clothes. Never carry more than two pairs of footwear, they occupy lot of space. If needed you can buy locally ones that are cheap and use n throw..
Money pays the bill – We have discussed in our earlier blogs on how to carry money and how to save more of it. But what we haven’t is, on how you will pay your bills when out of country for that long. Check out all possible internet portals through which you can pay bills back at home, or make a pact with a friend to pay those and you will payback once home.
Keep your tourist hats away –
This is especially for cases when you intend in a city or town for about a month. More you will feel local, the better experiences willcome down your way. You will make friends, and memories to remember. The point is to create a comfort zone in a strange place. It will help you enjoy your days.
Before the start of your Journey, you can give a try to learn local language of the country you are visiting. I don’t want to assert on this, but if the language is Spanish, German, French, Mandarin, or Latin then it will be an added value even after the trip ends.
See whether you like it – Before booking your tickets and while planning your trip, see what season you are travelling to your destination. Check if it’s not too cold to step outside, or too hot to give you sunburns. I personally love rains, and most of us do, but a constant rain can ruin your trip, believe me. Sprinkles or showers for day or two in tropical regions or hill stations look good but not all the time. Be very peculiar on this.
Choose your partner wisely – Your partner will be crucial on how your trip goes. If its family, not a problem. But in case of friends, check whether their personality will suit you in long term trips. Especially if they are hot headed, short tempered, introvert, miser, lazy, etc. The experience of trip will depend on them.
Read or Write – Book lovers might find a long term trip a heavenly pleasure, as they can sneak into so many of books. My insight is, it’s a yes if you are young, and a no if you are 30+. In case of No, I say you carry a diary and write about your life and of course travel. Retrospect and introspect.
Postcard Photos – On short trips all you care about is having fun as much as in little time. But Hola, you are on a long vacation so open up your mind and instead of clicking stereotype postcard photos, also bring in more people in the frame. As to bring photos come to life.
It’s time to stop longing for a long Trip
