Travel Plans 2016/17

I don’t know about you but one of my favourite times is when I first start planning a trip somewhere. It’s all the excitement of where to go, when to go, what to do and see etc.

Like I’ve previously said, after coming back from my month in America I 100% have the post travel blues. So much so, that I was back not even 24 hours and was already planning next years big travels, but I’ll start off with the not so distant future first.

 

• Dublin: Nothing is booked for Dublin as it was literally just brought into play a few hours ago. With one of my friends having time off work in the middle of August she mentioned she didn’t want to be off from work and not do anything so, Dublin. I’ve been twice before and I loved it, so why not go back? It will just be for about 2 days, but 2 days away from here and away from work is better than nothing at all.
• London: The weekend after I plan on going to Dublin, I’m heading back down to London. I cannot wait, London is a favourite place of mine. I’m going to London for 4 days, why? Comedy of course. You may not have heard of him but I’m going down to see a comedian from Boston (so fitting after my last post) who is based in NY. I unfortunately didn’t get to see him when I was in NY as he had shows in Princeton. Anything for an excuse to go to London for me.
• Kraków/Reykjavik: It will be one or the other, I’m still waiting to see if myself and my 5 best friends are going away for a weekend, but if not I might just have to head off to one of these places myself. It will be October/November time so it will be a good end to the year as my last trip of 2016.
• London: Again? I hear you ask. Again. Like before I’m off to London for Comedic reasons, two weekends in a row I’m going down to see the Impractical Jokers. The excitement I have for these shows is something else. If you don’t know who the Impractical Jokers are I beg you to find out. They are 4 of the funniest guys ever, from Staten Island. Check them out.
• Thailand: Camp Thailand to be precise, and possibly some travelling afterwards. I’ve applied for a new job and it all depends on the outcome of that as to whether I go for 3 weeks or 3 months (just a small jump in time). All I do know is, I plan on heading out at the end of August and am so ridiculously excited as Thailand is somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a few years now.

 

Well that’s my travel plans so far! I cannot wait. Leave me a comment and tell me all about your future travel plans! I would love to hear about them, maybe our paths will be crossing at some point?

Roadtrip Countdown.

With just under 9 weeks until we board our plane to Boston it is becoming completely real that this trip IS happening.

With all the important things so far dealt with; i.e flights, car rental and accommodation the conversation has turned to a completely new subject. What clothes are you taking? This has been the topic of our conversation so far today, because it’s never too early to start planning and I mean, just what do you take with you when you’re going to travel America for a month?? If I’m being completely honest though, I haven’t thought about it at all and probably won’t until about a week before we’re due to board our plane from Glasgow.

 

What I have been thinking about is the things that are next on our list. Now although all the main things have been booked there is still a few things we need to book (which we plan on doing in the next week or so) and they are things like, booking Alcatraz, escape games in Nashville etc. The little things we’re adding to our trip that we want to do and experience.

 

I just keep thinking ahead to this trip and what is waiting for us.

 

As some of you may know, it was my birthday about 2 weeks ago now and my best friends (that are coming on this trip) got me America related things. Dollars for a start and also a journal for our trip.

 

 

I’m so excited to get over there and start using it. It’s filled with pages full to record your trip details.

Things like:

• Who is travelling.
• What vehicle are you travelling in.
• Starting and ending points for that day.
• Your mileage start/finish.
• How many miles you’ve travelled that day and throughout the whole trip.
• Your stops. (Which city. Whether it is for food, gas or a sight).
• Any souvenirs bought or any other costs.
• Amount spent that day and throughout the whole trip.
• Which states have been visited that day and throughout whole trip.
• Licence plates seen that day.
• Best part of the day.
• Daily notes or pictures.

The thought of being in America, driving through the states with my best friends making some incredible memories. It makes me want this trip to hurry up something awful, but at the same time I’m seeing how quickly it is coming around and I know it’s going to have been and gone in no time at all.

 

 

For me, this trip is going to be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Shared with some of the most amazing people in my life.

Have you been on an epic road trip or adventure with your friends? Leave me a comment and tell me all about your experiences.

They say when you road trip

They say when you road trip that there are certain things you should or should not do. 90% of the time we have listened maybe just the first one we haven’t, that’s what happens when you’re friend is slightly obsessed with knowing every detail of everything though.

Do plan, but don’t over plan.

Well.. I’m not particularly one to over plan I’m more of a ‘I’ll see what happens when I get there’ type of person. One of my best friends however, weeeellllllllll she’s very much a plan every small detail type of person. She’s in her final year at uni and had finished her dissertation for the first week in January. She’s very much a think ahead kind of person. Needless to say every small detail of our trip has been pretty much planned out but that’s who she is. We’re all used to it and for us it will work.

Don’t choose driving partners on a whim.

Even choosing on a whim to go with these 3 gals on a road trip it definitely wouldn’t be a poor choice. For the past 18 years we’ve been friends and I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of lads. The longest we’ve been around each other before is 2 weeks and now we’re doubling that time which shouldn’t be a problem. Although every holiday we usually seem to lose a friend and not in the they’ll find they’re way back more of a, “they done my head in why was I friends with them?” kind of thing.

Don’t wait until the last minute to do research.

Well if you’ve paid any attention you’ll have realised my friend would not let that happen. This road trip has been in the planning for 2+ years, we have well and truly researched the shit out of it.

Do decide beforehand how you will divide costs.

This has well and truly been discussed and we have already divided some costs. All motels have been split 4 ways and we will be doing the same with gas etc.

Do consider alternatives to pricey hotels.

Well we’re definitely not staying in pricey hotels (apart from in Las Vegas), it will be all motels along the way apart from that so we’ve definitely saved a whole bunch of money doing that.

Do take a cooler.

Top of the list of what to buy when we get to America. I’m part of the walmart family (asda) so as sad as it is I’m really excited to use my discount card in America.

Do relax and have fun.

This, I believe we can follow this one.

Our road trip is fast approaching and we are all more than excited. I just keep reading posts from people’s experiences and get so excited when they are about somewhere we are going check my previous post on where we plan or road tripping and leave me a comment and link me to your road trip posts.

Yasmin x

Planning..

I’ve just ordered a few lonely planet books and I can’t wait to get and read them. I have a whole year to save and learn before going on my RTW trip and if I’m honest, these days I love nothing more than to read tips about backpacking it around the world or other peoples RTW adventures. I’m trying to cram as much information into my brain as possible, I want to learn as much as I can before I go. If anyone has any tips or advice of their own about travelling round the world by myself please feel free to give me any advice!

I told my dad today that I want to do a RTW trip by myself and he thinks I’m mad and said he won’t let me. Funny because he has no control over what I do, never has. I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t think it was a good idea, travelling is always a good idea. My only issue is, where to travel? I want to go everywhere and see everything.. So how can I pick a certain few places to go to at a time, I couldn’t afford to travel the whole word at once, well who could? Personally I’m thinking Asia, Australia, maybe Fiji and a little of a America for my first trip, if I can afford it that is. Saying that, I have over a year to save and I think I could easily do it. If not, I’ll miss something out and do it next time! 

I’m not a very great planner, and I guess with travelling it’s not all about planning, there’s the chance to be spontaneous and just have an adventure.. But, in my mind, as I’m going to be travelling myself I feel like I have to plan pretty much everything because I know people say ‘you never really travel yourself because you meet other people and travellers’ but truth is, I’m not good at getting to know new people, making new friends etc. I’ll give myself the next year to try gain a little more confidence so I can meet new people but if I’m completely honest I don’t see that happening unfortunately. 

Plying the waiting game.

I love planning things, especially trips around the rest of the UK or holidays abroad. One thing I am loving planning is my round the world trip, my only problem is.. It’s not for another year and a half I get to travel. I have to save like mad over the next year, work non-stop to be able to afford the RTW trip of my dreams.

i absolutely hate waiting and as I’m constantly researching things for my trip it makes me want to leave right now. I’d give anything to pack a bag, hop on a plane and see what the world has to offer, but I can’t. Planning a trip is almost as exciting as doing it but the time you have to wait isn’t any fun. Why is travelling so expensive? I know it can be cheap but when you want to do a big trip it definitely doesn’t come cheaply.