ZERO planning for a trip?

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y2000k	ZERO planning for a trip?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 793 (02/10/09 00:47:18) Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I know similar topics have been discussed at length before, regarding how much or how little to plan for an upcoming trip. There are people like me who have OCD, who plan each day down to the minute. Then there are people who just go with the flow, though still have basic plans/ideas of what they want to achieve/see on the trip. But have you (I doubt it, since we're on a travel website) or anyone you know who has done almost no planning for a trip? Any stories to share? Last fall, DH & I attended a wedding at the Loire Valley. During one of the group dinners, I was seated next to a woman who has traveled a lot with her husband. However, they are so busy with work that they rarely have time to plan their trips except to buy the plane tickets and book hotels. Once they arrive, they wing it and figure out what to do. The most extreme story she told me, was that they arrived at the Venice St Lucia train station (by train, of course). As they are well-off, they usually just take a cab to their hotel no matter which city they are in. Well, she was shocked when she stepped out of the train station, as all she saw was ... yep you guessed it, WATER! She went into a panic: no roads = no taxis! Then she overheard some American tourist walking past, so she grabbed this person and desperately asked how she and her husband could get to a hotel when there are no taxis. The tourist kindly told her that they can take a water taxi to their hotel. Disaster averted! Can you imagine what was going through my mind when I heard this story? Seriously, I'm probably the most OCD person you'll ever know when it comes to travel-planning, so it was just inconceivable to me that someone can go to Venice and NOT know it's a city of water and canals without roads!
ChiChi Carbonado		#1	[-]
Posts: 6700 (02/10/09 01:07:18) Administrator MC's Alter-Ego Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	In the good old days I did lots of trips with very little planning. We had absolutely no hotels booked ahead of time -- just went to Tourist Information in each city and found a hostel or B&B on the spot. Went to Europe twice with a Eurail pass and didn't know ahead of time which cities we were going to. I think it's a lot harder to travel like that these days, even if you are young.
Sheila Ritchie		#2	[-]
Posts: 1042 (02/10/09 03:34:14) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I've done it, but usually when I'm on my own. The most extreme was turning up in Barcelona at 10pm at night with one night's accommodation booked and no driving licence. After the licence issue was fixed, I had a great time. I'm more focussed when I have other people to please.
Sallyoneil		#3	[-]
Posts: 510 (02/10/09 03:40:11) Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	My first trip to Europe was when I was a year out of college. My planning consisted of working for a year to earn the money for a trip with my brother. My aunt who was a traveler sent us lots of travel information, but we really didn't plan much. Our goal was to spend the summer traveling and camping our way across Europe and we had a ball. My planning started years later when my youngest child was in college and my husband didn't want to travel unless everything was all planned out. I would have just gone on our trip and looked for a hotel or B&B every night except that would have made my husband too anxious. Once we went to Venice for a week with only a week's notice. That was fun. I do enjoy planning now, but sometimes planning too much makes me feel a little obsessive. One of my favorite words is serendipity.
Rhea58		#4	[-]
Posts: 123 (02/10/09 04:40:48) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I read y2000k's post twice to make sure I read it correctly! Talk about clueless! As for moi, our local TV station held 2x/yr auctions for travel & entertainment. As a member, I had free number & would bid on anything foreign which would send hubby into angst not knowing where we might end up that year. I was often successful, albeit it would occasionally be only 1 air ticket. Our business was in NYC so would visit that country's airline for other ticket & tourist offices - multiple times. Then take all the books out of the library to decide which one to buy (for him - he loved to underline) & I would take another book... OK, so I date myself - this was pre-internet...Now I print out pages, post all kinds of queries, meet lovely people (like our Elaine) to glean more info and have a folder or two or more to take w/me. Gee - I bet if I really took to planning I would gain more out of these trips!!! Nothing obsessive there!
Nikki in Massachusetts		#5	[-]
Posts: 846 (02/10/09 08:24:01) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I was shaking my head at the cluelessness of someone who didn't realize Venice had no cars, when I remembered the following. I asked my older daughter where she would like us to travel on her spring break. My daughter, an exceptionally well-read and literate person who was at the time a second year college student, asked, "Is Rome still a city?"
CDDaisy		#6	[-]
Posts: 1012 (02/10/09 09:05:27) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Nikki - you made me laugh. One of my best friends was planning to spend at least 9 months or so backpacking. I head her tell someone, when asked where she was going, that she was going to Ireland, Europe and Spain. I SOOOOOOOOOOO wanted to stop her right then and there!!!
y2000k		#7	[-]
Posts: 794 (02/10/09 09:38:57) Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thanks for sharing your stories. I also have a few stories my own. I was a "wing it" person when I was in my early 20s, but of course, I didn't mind staying at hostels and such. Plus, that was before WWW, so booking things ahead was not something that was necessary anyway. However, I always had a guidebook which I read beforehand so that I knew what to expect and what I wanted to see/do. However, about 10 years ago, my good friend from HS and I attended a wedding in London. After we arrived in London, we realized that we both had about 4 extra vacation days after the wedding and we could go somewhere together. Another friend suggested us to check Ryanair, which, in 1999, was NOT a household name. We went online (which was still a novelty then) and found out that we could fly to Venice for 3 days for dirt cheap. And that's what we did. Of course, flying Ryanair means departing from Stansted and arriving at Treviso, but we had no idea how far these airports are. The worst was Ryanair cancelled our AM outbound flight, leaving pax to call the Ryanair HQ on the phone to rebook tix. We eventually flew out early evening of the same day, arriving at Treviso around 11pm. My friend and I were startled by how remote Treviso airport was (again, this was 1999) with nothing surrounding. For a few brief moments, I was panicking...how were we supposed to get to Venice? What if we couldn't? Where would we stay? Fortunately, we found the Ryanair coach and took that to Venice, arriving past midnight without a hotel reservation. Did I mention that this was in July??? We followed one of the main streets along Grand Canal, and finally found a hotel that has rooms. When we asked to see it, we were led by a man who took us out of the hotel, down a narrow and long alleyway, to the sister hotel. To be honest, I was quite worried that something bad would happen to us when we were in that dark and deserted alleyway. Fortunately, nothing bad happened. We were happy with the room (actually a quad room but we were only charged double), settled in and went out to get take-out pizza as dinner. I still have the photo of the 2 of us munching on the pizza in our quad room! Sometimes I do miss my prior carefree life. In some ways, the WWW and the excess of information takes out the fun and spontaneity of traveling.
simone1a		#8	[-]
Posts: 4710 (02/10/09 13:24:24) Destination Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I don't think it is just the internet that is preventing you to be spontaneous. I think you may be choosing this path without even knowing it. I am thinking my last trip to Paris. In one month I planned to change my mind about macaroons and crepes. I also wanted to be near Rue Mouffetard any Sunday at 11am to watch that singing theather group that is always there at that time. That's it. I had a wonderful vacation. It turned out that no plans was exactly what I needed. I didn't know that I was going to fracture my arm, all my plans would have been cancelled or scratched anyway. My sons were with me the first two weeks and we had our guide out every night, discussed what we would do the next day. We knew how tired we were, how much we wanted to push the next day and we set out to do it. When they left I spent hours and hours in cafes. I went to BHV and spent ours looking at their crafts department (awsome), I moved on at my own pace. I also went to museums and spent a whole day looking at paintings. As I write this I remember I posted a couple of years ago about my dream vacation. If I remember correctly, I stated that I wanted to sit in a cafe in Paris, watching Parisians and their lifestyle (did that). I wanted to go to D'Orsay and sit by the Caillebote's floor scrapers and enjoy the painting for hours (did that). I also wanted to take buses from one end to the other and get acquainted with areas that are not just for tourists (did that). I wanted to sit in bench by the fountains in the Tuilleries (yep, done). So in the end, all my plans had been made a couple of years ago and I didn't even know it. Last Edited By: simone1a 02/10/09 13:30:31. Edited 1 times.
marieclaude560		#9	[-]
Posts: 13771 (02/10/09 14:21:49) EZop Administrator "Assume Good Intent" Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I actually find I'm planning less and less. Must be a reaction to hauling students around with a need for every detail to have a backup. I DO reserve hotels and long distance trains, the latter mostly not to get stuck in a smoking car. But what I have is just a short list of "like-to-dos" with no particular order. And if I discover something else that interests me enroute I pursue it. Believe it or not this is my version of low planning
ChiChi Carbonado		#10	[-]
Posts: 6705 (02/10/09 14:30:56) Administrator MC's Alter-Ego Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	That's a great story, simone. I don't mind so much giving up the spontaneity when I think about all the weary hours I spent, bone tired, dragging my pack around, trying to find a hotel in peak season. Ugh.
Jocelyn P		#11	[-]
Posts: 7376 (02/10/09 14:49:20) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Even if my itinerary is loose, I like to research where I'm going so I don't miss something I would have really enjoyed. I would hate to return from a trip only to say "If only I'd known! I could have done xyz!"
TheRealDoctorLew		#12	[-]
Posts: 685 (02/10/09 17:02:39) Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Those unplanned trips are fine, but Mrs. DoctorLew and I did the ultimate, an unplanned trip to Europe for our honeymoon. We had airline tickets into London and out of Amsterdam 3 weeks later, the first 2 nights booked in London, the idea that there must be cheap transport fron London to Paris and trains from Paris to Amsterdam, a Michelin red guide for Paris, Europe on $5 a day, and a limited supply of traveler's checks. Most of the hotels we found had the bath down the hall, we saw everything, ate cheap but well, including the cheapest 2-star restaurant in Paris, daytrips and museums and walks and picnics. The flight to Paris from London went by bus except for a brief hop between two minuscule airports on either side of the channel, but the train trip Paris to Amsterdam had the most fantastic lunch ever: We were traveling in a 6-seat 2nd class cabin. When the other 4 travelers bought on board 1-slice mystery meat sandwiches, we pulled out a 4 course take-out spread from Gargantua and the local bakery/patisserie, fancy salads, gamehen, poached salmon en gelee, beverages, desserts, and, as a killer, a cheese course. Well, we couldn't stand the drooling, so we shared bread and cheese all around. If you ever saw the Avengers epesode where the ending irrelevant vignette was Steed pulling a steaming samovar out of his train luggage to serve Mrs. Peel hot tea, well, that's how it felt! Plans? Plans? We don' need no stinkin' plans! "In life, there are no disasters, only adventures."
elainesl		#13	[-]
Posts: 12198 (02/10/09 17:48:25) Board Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hotel plans don't always avert "disasters", as we all know. Many years ago, my friend and I had tickets for the Wimbledon tennis matches, and were flying to London after a few days in Paris. We were staying in a small London hotel. I confirmed in advance, and had a confirmed receipt of my fax, that our flight from Paris arrived around 11pm and so we'd be arriving at the London hotel quite late. Arrived at the London hotel well past midnight, it was locked up tight. We peered in through a window, saw an unattended and darkened lobby and front desk. We tried pounding on the front door, to no avail. I got out my London guide book and we started trudging around the neighborhood, looking for a hotel. I tried to use a coin phone, but couldn't figure it out. The response was repeatedly "Madame, I wish we could help, but this is Wimbledon tournament week, you know, we're fully booked." Finally, still wearily dragging our suitcases (this was years ago, it was the early days of wobbly wheels on suitcases on a leash), we found one larger hotel. The front desk clerk said that there was one unclaimed room, the guests hadn't yet shown up. I practically begged for the room, pointing out that it was nearly 2:00 am and the booked guests were unlikely to arrive, and anyway, we'd be out early the next morning. He warily let us take that room. We checked out of there by 8am, and walked back to the original hotel. They said that their front desk always closed down from midnight to 6 am. Then I pulled out my faxed confirmation of our late arrival. They'd also already charged us for the night before because we were "no shows"--they reversed that. We made it to Wimbledon.
ChiChi Carbonado		#14	[-]
Posts: 6711 (02/10/09 18:07:34) Administrator MC's Alter-Ego Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Good for you for having documentation!
TheRealDoctorLew		#15	[-]
Posts: 686 (02/10/09 18:20:14) Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sounds like another adventure.
elainesl		#16	[-]
Posts: 12199 (02/10/09 21:36:33) Board Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Cheech, having the documentation kept us from being unfairly charged afterwards, but it didn't keep them from making the mistake in the first place. Two things I learned: confirm and confirm and confirm (that's all one), and the other is, always have one all-purpose guide book with a map, in your carry-on bag.
ChinaCat00		#17	[-]
Posts: 3824 (02/10/09 21:50:02) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	the closest we ever came to an unplanned trip was one of those fly/drive/voucher trips to England and Wales in 1996 or so. My mom, my husband and I went, and all we had reserved were 3 nights in London. Then we had a book of B&B's, and vouchers so we could decide where we would go on a given day. Well, it was fun, but I'm not sure unplanned was more fun than advance planning. We never did get to Cardiff, because we couldn't get a place within 2 hours of there, because it was apparently a big election week. At least once we had to spend an entire morning at the phone, trying to phone ahead to get a place for that evening. One time, we wanted to spend 2 nights in one place, but none of the b&b's there had availability 2 nights in a row. So the idea that we would let serendipity guide us really didn't please me very much. I would have rather figured out what I wanted to see, made reservations, and then leave a bit of free time where possible to explore. Now, on a longer trip, I don't plan so much. When we spent a whole week in Tuscany, in an apartment, I didn't advance plan our days. I just went armed with ideas of things to see and do. Oh, and one definite plan to go to the Chianti festival in Greve...if I hadn't researched, I would have had no idea. On that same trip, I had so many pre-booked activities, I have to believe it saved much time. We only had 2 nights in Florence, I sure wouldn't have wanted to stand in line for the Uffizi for 2 hours. and I wouldn't have gotten into the Domus Aurea in Rome at all without advance rezzies. I know planning doesn't always avert disaster, as Elaine has so aptly illustrated. But I have to believe it helps a lot.
ChiChi Carbonado		#18	[-]
Posts: 6717 (02/10/09 22:24:12) Administrator MC's Alter-Ego Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	We never plan every day in advance. If there is something we want to do that requires booking ahead, we'll plan that. Otherwise we usually have some top priority activities or sights, and we figure out how to work them in once we get there. There is often some additional info we get once we're in the place (e.g., don't go on a Tuesday, or be sure to get there late in the day for the light). And then there's the weather, which will often influence our plans for the day. Seems to work out well for us, and we usually see and do a lot, although sometimes not the typical things.
WillTravelThere		#19	[-]
Posts: 415 (02/11/09 16:37:16) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Elaine's story is one reason I tend to feel more comfortable at hotels with 24-hour reception than smaller places. For those places that want you to arrive at a certain time, or press a code, or pick up the keys at a nearby pub, etc. - I just get nervous, even though most of the time it works out fine. One place said that the employee would stay until I arrived, if I paid an extra 10 Euros per hour after a certain time (I think 10 PM). I couldn't help but wonder if the employee got fed up and went home anyway, so I didn't book there. I know in Elaine's case, the hotel totally failed in its duty to tell its guests what its policies were, compounding the problem. Although I generally read a lot before I go, I find that I don't always have a clear mental picture of how to handle certain logistical issues until I am actually there.
simone1a		#20	[-]
Posts: 4718 (02/11/09 17:18:21) Destination Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	When I say I don't plan my trips, I don't mean to say that I don't research anything and everything about my destination. On my $10/day 3 month vacation I did go willy nilly to several places and researched as I traveled, Let's Go Europe and Europe on $10 a day were my constant companions. Those were the days. Nowdays I require a bit more comfort and security. Hotels, transportation and required reservations are a must for me. I am very aware of opening and closing hours, festivals and any temporary exhibits I may enjoy. By the time I get there I've researched what buses, restaurants and convenience stores are near my hotel. The actual planning of my day, e.g., 10 am here, 11 am there is not for me. Reservations are the only set time I honor, the rest is up for grabs. Arriving in Venice and not knowing that it is surrounded by water is out of the realm of anyone's imagination. Last Edited By: simone1a 02/11/09 17:20:38. Edited 1 times.

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