When it comes to planning out your travels, less is more.

We all know that travel can provide you with some of the best memories and experiences of your life. You do things, see things, and meet people that can, and often do, change your perspective. I personally think that half of the fun of traveling is the spontaneity of it all; mainly, not planning too much of the trip in advance. To some, this seems frightening. The idea of not having everything mapped out ahead of time can lead some to believe that they will miss out on opportunities, especially if their time is limited. To others, having things coordinated in advance provides a sense of security – it can be nice to know where you’ll be sleeping that night, or which bus to catch to take you there. However, if I've learned anything from my adventures living abroad, it’s that the best experiences occur when nothing is planned. 

One justification for this “plan less, do more” mentality is that in doing so, you’ll get to experience less common (but more fun) modes of transportation. On a recent trip to Colombia, a friend and I decided to spend a few days on a remote island off the coast of Cartagena. There was the option to use a tour company to provide us with a pre-arranged boat ride to the island, but, in hopes of saving a few bucks and having a more authentic experience, we decided to map our own route. Very little information was available online, so we had no choice but to embrace ambiguity. After two hours on a crowded public bus, we got off at the port to catch a ferry over to the island. Unfortunately, due to the construction of a new bridge, the ferry was no longer in service. Motorbikes turned out to be the only available option, so we hopped on the back of two local men’s bikes, and hoped for the best. In doing so, we got to experience the beautiful scenery of rural Colombian back roads that are otherwise inaccessible, and definitely not advertised in any tour guide. Not to mention, there was the added bonus of getting to practice my Spanish with the local man who gave me a lift. 

Another piece of advice is not pre-booking you accommodation. I've found that waiting to book a hostel or hotel until after you've arrived at your destination is the best way to have an authentic and worthwhile experience. While this may not be feasible for everyone, those who are fortunate enough to make decisions on the fly should definitely go for it. Websites like Trip Advisor or Hostel World are great resources, but there’s nothing quite like scoping out the place yourself. I've stayed in dozens of hostels around the world, so I've experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some of my best experiences have come about from casual conversation with other travelers, who recommend hostels that they've stayed at. There’s something really unique about, say, meeting a backpacker in South Africa who’s just gotten back from a trip to Croatia, where you’re heading next month, who can give you the lowdown on the best hostels and bars in the area. 

I’ll be honest, there’s nothing elegant or straightforward about travel. It’s challenging, frustrating, and chaotic, but when all is said and done, nothing will make you feel more alive. The best ways to experience the most of what travel has to offer are to take a step back, and try to be a spontaneous as possible. You might not remember the name of that travel agent you used to go wine tasting in Argentina, but you’ll sure as hell never forget the time you thought it would be a good idea to rent bikes and create your own wine tour. Trust that figuring out your own route and making decisions on the fly will indeed be more stressful, but in the end, infinitely more gratifying.