How Do You Get Started?

Simply put, you save money. You pick the place you want to go. You do some research. Then you book that damn trip.

Let's expand on that now. I'm not going to tell you in full how to save money in this post because there is simply too much to touch on. I have two posts, one called "Refusing Overconsumption" and the other "How I Save Money"- refer to those for detailed advice. The SparkNotes summary is this: decide if you're an overspender, then realize what that means, start budgeting or regularly monitoring your spending so you know where your money is going, then come up with a plan on how to only spend on a select number of things that you really enjoy. These are a good start and will truly help if you implement them with effort and consistency.

Now, you've got some money set aside, and you're ready for a trip. It's time to decide where you'd like to go. If you have a place in mind already, great. If not, it's time to evaluate what you're looking for. There are four main components of this. Logistics and constraints: time available and budget. The experience you want and your vibe: How do you want to feel during your trip? Relaxed, adventurous, or maybe both. Activities available: What do you want to do with your time? Finally, safety: Can I be comfortable traveling here? Do I need any vaccinations before traveling here?

Starting with your budget and time available, you can decide a few things. If you only have a weekend off, flying to Asia probably is not the best option. You'll spend a whole day just to get there and another one to adjust to the time change. If you're on an extreme budget, going to Greece for a week is not the smartest option. Decide how much time you have and what you're willing to spend. Now, let's find your vibe. Do you want to be laid back this whole trip? Do you want your adrenaline to be off the charts the entire time? Do you want to explore new cultures? What do you want to do with your time? Do you want to be constantly meeting new people? Do you want to be at the beach or by the mountains? Do you want the possibility of walking around the city all day by yourself? Do you prefer someplace you can rent a car? Do you want to spend the day shopping and eating local food nearby? Do you want to have a scenic view to hike or a body of water to swim in? After compiling your interests, tell Google or TikTok what you're looking for, or even a travel friend (ME!!), and see what they come up with. Research doesn't need to be daunting; we have so many tools at our fingertips- use them!!

If you don't have a place in mind, but love music festivals, search "coolest music festival in Europe" and base your trip and planning around that. You can search for the country/city with the best snorkelling, coolest museums, or best street food. Here are some other question ideas: Which countries are the cheapest to travel to? Which cities have the most young travelers? Which cities are the easiest to walk around in? Which countries have the most exotic animals to see? Which cities have the best nightlife? Which countries are the safest for tourists? Which city has the best sunset view? Where can I be immersed in nature but also close to city life?

At this point, hopefully, you have one or two places in mind. To narrow your options or to be sure of your final choice, look at safety and comfort. Are there an intense amount of inclining streets that will have you out of breath on a casual evening stroll? Will you be able to walk around and find nightlife comfortably? Can you travel here without a visa? Do you need any vaccinations before traveling? These are things that I didn't even consider before going to South America and Asia, only to realize I can't enter the Amazon forest without a yellow fever shot, and I need a visa for quite a few Asian countries.

When will you travel? Research the best time to visit. Look at local festival schedules, cultural events, and things that only happen annually. These will ensure a lively visit full of other tourists. Or maybe you want to be laid back, search for the low season, which will make your trip cheaper and calmer.

You have your location solidified, now where will you stay? My recommendation will ALWAYS be hostels. Hostels are the best way to meet locals and other travelers. I use HostelWorld to search for the best options. I filter my search by distance from the city center because I want to be in the middle of the action. You can choose to filter by price, recommended, or most reviewed, too. If you stay in a hostel or a hotel, always check the reviews. Regardless of how perfect the place seems, other people's opinions are important, and usually repeating comments turns out to be 100% true.

It seems like you have it all figured out now, right? Just a few more things to consider. You have your location chosen, the accommodation where you will be staying chosen, and an idea of which activities you'll do during the trip. Now, do you need travel insurance? If you're visiting somewhere for a week, maybe not. If you're fully confident in your health and ability to recover from any injuries, maybe not. For me, I chose based on the time of my trip and the resulting cost of insurance. For my month-long trip to Europe, I paid around $60. Of course, this was worth it to me. Likewise, when I spent 3 months in Central and South America, I paid $160. On both of these trips, nothing happened, and I didn't need to use it, but the small cost was worth the potential cost had I needed to visit the hospital. However, I am currently in Asia and plan to be traveling for 9 months in total. The cost of insurance for the entirety would be anywhere from $500-$1,000. I fear I am not willing to spend that, so I did not get it. Inshallah, there will be no accidents.

The last-minute necessity is packing. Quite honestly, every time I travel, I Google the place I'm going and for how long, and find other people's packing lists. None is ever perfect, and you will inevitably forget something as well as pack too much. This is the beauty of travel: you will learn as you go, and most likely, anything you leave behind that becomes essential, you can purchase on your trip.

Traveling doesn't need a guide or a planner; you have all you need at your fingertips. Do some thinking and asking around; the questions you have are not new or unique to you. There are thousands of travel bloggers with advice, recommendations, and even group trips you can be a part of if you don't want to go solo; all you have to do is look. Or email me, I'd be happy to answer any further or deeper questions you have.

If you haven't booked the trip by now, time to send it. Whatever doubts you have, do your best to ignore them. You will never regret seeing the world. If you need motivation, ask the elderly, almost everyone will tell you they regretted NOT traveling. Once you book your flight, you're locked in. Maybe do that before you even look into all the other details, that way there's no turning back. I believe in you!