1. Do you know where you want to go?
Simple enough question. It is your dream trip, so you probably know where you want to go. But maybe you just want to travel and the destination is not that important.
I suggest, you research the areas where you are planning to go. Especially, if you are a woman travelling alone. There is nothing worse than browsing int a market in Egypt in a bikini, or walking into a Buddhist temple in Burma.
Read, read, read...
2. How much to save?
Well, again that depends on your destination and the time you will spend there, of course.
I would buy a travel guide, mark all the places you want to visit and list the prices of accommodation, food, transport and local attractions, then I would add 20% to the total. This should be a rough cost of the whole trip.
A very good tool, which I use for almost everything (it's a work related habit) is the Excel programme. It is great for listing, adding, colour coding etc, etc.
3. How to save?
Well, there are many ways. Some people take on extra shifts at work, other part time and weekend jobs, sell their furniture, cars and phones.
Think of how much you spend per month on things you can live without, like these 5 glasses of Pimms you had last Saturday in your local pub, or extra pair of shoes. Imagine that £50 in Asia buys you almost a week worth of food!
4. How long should I go for?
Well, how long do you have?
Do you have a husband or children you need to go back to? Are you a student? Do you want to go back to your day time job?
There are lots of questions you need to answer before you make the decision.
Maybe, you will plan to go only for 2 weeks and then you find yourself spending more time in Colombia and coming back home after 2 years...
5. Flights, packing lists, visas...
My advice is: read, read, read!
Buy or rent travel guides, google your destinations, ask questions on forums. There is never too much information! As a woman you need to be careful and prepare for the trip as much as you can.
No comments:
Post a Comment