This is how I plan a trip: obsessively. Hours spent organizing the ideal itinerary and a daily budget. Hours spent online shopping for the perfect flowy beach shirt. Hours spent researching the best reef-safe natural sunscreen. But if I need 1 oz. per application and I will be applying it at least twice a day for five weeks I will need at least 68 ounces and each bottle is 3 which means I need 23 bottles. That's almost $400! I did lose sleep over this.
This is what I love to do. I love to plan. I love browsing AirBnBs and mapping out routes and making capsule packing lists. I love comparing cave experiences in Belize and Mayan ruins in Guatemala. I love reading reviews on TripAdvisor and weighing personal safety with once-in-a-lifetime adventures. I love to challenge myself to do new things, like paragliding and scuba diving, and I love figuring out the logistics of how to do them.
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I could write entire blog posts about the My Maps feature of Google Maps. I could bore everyone with the details of how I list and prioritize each activity in each location (but you've got to leave wiggle room!). I could give you my tips for sticking to a travel budget and making one that doesn't limit your fun and spontaneity. I could tell you the best ways I've found to utilize Lonely Planet versus World Travel Guide, and explain the amazing phenomenon of Couchsurfing in all its ups and downs.
But wait! I'm getting way ahead of myself here. What about deciding where to go in the first place? I cannot begin to tell you how much research has gone into my ever-changing bucket list. And what about convincing yourself it's possible to take those extra three weeks off from work? What if you don't want to come back at all? Is that crazy? No, I don't think it is.
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