I recently came back from Puerto Rico, a trip that I have been planning since my sophomore year of college. When you are paying out of pocket for a good education, going on the trip of your dreams has to take a backseat, and sometimes that can take seven years. Those are the little sacrifices you have to make for the things that you want, and you don't regret making those choices. However, now that you graduated and things are getting a little more stable, it's time to pull out that dream trip from your list of future goals, and start planning for it. Here are useful tips to make your trip everything you ever dreamed it could be.
1. Figuring out your destination
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Congratulations!! You finally have the mental space to think about taking a trip. So pick well. If you have several places you would like to go to, make a list and sort them by the level of importance. Really think about pleasing yourself, whether you are planning to go on your trip to relax, to explore a new culture or to do some volunteering work, the end goal here is yours to pick. Just remember the end goal when you make the big decision.
2. It's about the company you keep
This step is the second most important decision. When I was planning my trip to Puerto Rico, I was initially planning to go by myself. I knew that I didn't want to compromise or waiver on the activities that I had planned to do, so I believed that going alone was the best decision. However, I ended up going with a friend of mine who shares the same travel ethics as I do. We would have breakfast together, then we would each do our own activities and link back up for dinner. Sometimes, we would share the same activities. The key formula here is having options, having the choice to either spend time together or not. So, figure out what works for you. If you like company, travel with a big group. If you'll lose your sanity that way, opt to go by yourself or with no more than two people. The best way to know is by being honest with yourself.
3. Where you stay matters
I'm only sharing this story because I truly believe that it can help someone. When planning my trip, I initially used Airbnb. The Airbnb room that my friend and I were going to occupy was simple enough but at least it looked clean (on pictures). Needless to say, when we arrived we were utterly disappointed at the state of the room. This, of course, was in no way Airbnb's fault. If anything they helped us tremendously with reallocation suggestions. To avoid recapping this awful experience, let's just say that we were not going to spend our trip this way. Luckily we found an amazing guesthouse hotel with an amazing ocean view and easy access to the beach. From this experience, I realized how important it is to have a comfortable place to vacation in.
4. Do activities and create memories
Spice up the fun when you are on vacation with tons and tons of activities. They are a lot of things that you can do for free on vacation but try not to focus on how much you are spending for once. While you are on vacation focus on letting yourself enjoy the moment and building memories that you can reminisce on. If you are a history geek, check out some guided tours. If you are a nature person, see if there are any botanical places or rain forests that you can check out. There's so much to do, and there are so many choices to make, so get going!
5. Bring a good attitude
If you are planning on having the time of your life, your attitude has everything to do with it. Understand that not everything will go as planned, and that's okay! For all you know, things could get even better. So keep a smile on your face, take a deep breath and keep things positive. If you have it in your mind that no matter what you'll have an amazing trip, then you will.
6. How long is too long or not long enough
If your job allows you to take as many vacation days as possible, you are one of the luckiest people ever. So realize your blessing and choose well. Just like everything about this trip, it goes back to what will bring you closer to your end goal. For example, at the end of my six-day trip, I was completely relaxed and realized that I was energized enough to go back to work. My trip gave me exactly what I was looking for: time away from the daily routine to think about myself and reflect on my personal growth.
7. Be a social butterfly
Being social during a trip opens up so many doors. Let loose, try to not over think things and start up a conversation with a stranger just because you can and you are on vacation. You'll be surprised where that can take you. All of a sudden you have formed a group of friends who are just as eager to have a great time as you are. So stay open minded because who knows how much of an impact those new encounters are going to have on your life.
