Travel planning can be overwhelming to begin with
It’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed while researching and planning a long-term solo and budget travel trip the first few times, especially when you’re not sure where to begin.
Practically every travel blog out there has a ‘how to plan a trip’ type of post, but the problem is, most are for short-term, set timeframe trips and are irrelevant for long-term travel. There are sparse long-term travel planning posts, but many profess to plan every detail, and at further inspection, those are for trips that only last a few months.
What happens if you want to travel longer, for trips that last six months or more, or you don’t know when you will return home, if ever at all? It makes you feel like planning a long-term trip is complicated.
Travel planning doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
Through this travel planning post and eBook you will learn travel planning doesn’t have to be stressful, or taken too seriously. You will learn how to simplify it, differentiate planning, itineraries and research and to have fun with the planning process.
Step by step travel planning aid
This travel planning and research aid is here to help you research everything you need for your long-term travel journey, it’s here to give you a starting point and act as a crutch pointing you in the right direction to get all the relevant information you need.
While it is a step by step aid, it’s not here to dictate to you, nor does it profess that this is the only way to plan and research. If you feel the need to skip steps, that’s fine. The more you travel and become experienced, the more you will develop your own ways to research and plan trips.
In saying that, these steps will help you get started and they are how I’ve researched and planned my journeys for a decade.
SECTIONS COVERED IN THE TRAVEL PLANNING & RESEARCH EBOOK:
- LONG TERM BUDGET & SOLO TRAVEL INITIAL RESEARCH
- FUNDING AND BUDGET RESEARCH
- FLIGHT RESEARCH
- ACCOMMODATION RESEARCH
- TRANSPORT RESEARCH
- SIGHTSEEING/EXCURSIONS/TOURS RESEARCH
- TRAVEL INSURANCE RESEARCH
- ALL THE COMPONENTS ARE IN PLACE
- RE-ADJUST BUDGET
- BOOKING YOUR TRIP
- FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE
- PRINTABLE CHCKLIST
Why take my advice?
When I first packed my backpack in 2010, I was the same as everybody on their first trip – I over-planned and wasted countless hours with the wrong type of research.
I spent months researching and planning, creating itineraries before my first trip, only to learn within hours of my travels starting it was for nothing.
All my planning and research was from the advice of short term travelers. Over the years through experience and trial & error, I’ve crafted, created and streamlined planning and research to suit long term travel. These steps, the advice within them have led me to live a nomadic life all over the years for over a decade now. Learn more about my traveling life
Section 1: LONG TERM BUDGET & SOLO TRAVEL INITIAL RESEARCH
In the first section we will look into and cover
- How long can you realistically go for?
- Destination preferences
- What type of trip do you want to go on?
- Where would you like to go?
- Visa checks/availability
- Rough idea of potential route
- Why you should familiarise yourself with destination
- Safety checks
How long can you realistically go for?
The very first thing that needs to be done before diving into any travel planning & research is to consider how long you want to travel for.
It’s all well and good saying you want to travel long-term, but what is long-term for you? Is it six months, eight months, a one-year sabbatical/gap year? Or do you just want to pack up, sell everything, and roam around the world for as long as you can without any end date in mind?
Take into consideration:
- Are you a person who will miss friends/family/home too much and think you can only be away from home for a few months?
- Will you miss home comforts too much?
- Are you ok with not having a set address, being on the move more times than not?
- Do you think you can live a condensed and minimalistic life?
Destination check – What type of trip you want to go on - Where do you want to go –?
Once you have a rough idea of how long for, the next thought should turn to what type of trip you want to take.
Do you want to go backpacking around the world? Do you want to slow travel through a specific country/region? Do you want to volunteer in certain places? Or are you not sure and just want to drift and roam around
the world wherever the wind takes you?
Do you have an idea of where you want to go?
- Pick a country/region you have always wanted to explore
- Pick a place you are drawn to
- Pick a country you feel you will have fun in
- Open up a map and see if a country or region draws your attention
TIP: Don’t put too much pressure on the type of trip you want. While it’s good to have an idea to start off with, you will start developing a style once you begin traveling
Visa check – do you need a visa to where you are planning to go
The next port of call is to check if you need a visa or not for your intended destination(s). This will depend on where you’re from and how long you’re planning on going for.
If you are planning on traveling through multiple countries, there may be a case of
needing visas for certain countries but not for others within the same region. There may also be different types of visas available for different countries.
Find the different types of visas in the FREE eBook
TIP: You don’t need to apply for all your visas at once, you can simply apply for the first country to begin with and the rest as you travel, but take note of processing times
rest of section covered in ebook
GET YOUR FREE LONG TERM TRAVEL PLANNING EBOOK
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SECTION 2: BUDGETING/FUNDS
In the second section we look into:
- Initial budget check
- Break expenditure down
- General costs in potential destination
- Currency check and exchange rates
- ATM’s/Charges/Money cards/Discount cards
- Flight/transport/Accommodation cost check
- Your personal finances
- Learn about replenishing costs
initial budget check
It’s time for some number crunching. For many, this is the scariest part of researching trips, the most off-putting, and when people decide they simply cannot afford to travel without actually looking into costs.
Before you shirk away thinking you cannot afford it, or start worrying about your own funds, take a deep breath. Not many of us who travel long-term have an infinite amount of funds; we learn how money comes and goes, how to replenish it, and learn that we only need money for the initial period of travel. In this section, you will learn how.
How do you travel the world? How do you keep it going? Those are two of the most common questions long-term travelers get asked and for good reason.
Traveling the world and doing it for years on end seems financially impossible, especially for those of us who do not have access to infinite amounts of money. The truth is, many of us are poor, but we keep it going.
Break your expenditure down
A way to beat the fear of thinking you won’t have enough money saved is to not look or think about your own funds to start with. Rather, you want to get an idea of general costs in your intended destination(s).
At this stage of the research, you want to break it all down. It helps build a better picture and helps you get an idea of spending habits and what you will be spending money on.
TIP: The most constant costs will be accommodation
and transport
General costs
Before starting a trip, from what you read and see, it’s easy to imagine you will be jumping from adventure to adventure. However, the reality is, for long-term travelers, there will be days you don’t do much.
There will be days you’ll float through without spending a penny or days you might end up spending on small things without realizing it.
TIP: It’s always a good idea to find out the small costs, that’s what will add up over time
Initial budget/funds check
Now that you have an idea of costs and how to break down where your money will go, it’s time for potentially the scary part—to look at your own funds.
Break out the piggy bank, empty the sofas, raid the penny jar, and check the bank account. Put together whatever you have, don’t worry if it’s not a lot, or even if you have nothing; this is just your starting point.
rest of section covered in ebook
GET YOUR FREE LONG TERM TRAVEL PLANNING EBOOK
STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL TO READ AT YOUR OWN LEISURE & ALSO RECEIVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
SECTION 3: FLIGHT RESEARCH
In the third travel planning section we look into:
- How to do the right flight research
- Different types of tickets for long term travel
- Working out best routes
- Finding the right flights for you
- Flight hacks
- Getting an idea of costs
- Different flight comparison tools/websites
Depending on how far your destination is, the cost of your flight is going to be the biggest chunk of money you will have to pay out in one go. It can hurt paying out so much, so research will be key. The more experienced you get, the better and quicker this process will become. However, for your initial trips, it can be quite daunting.
What type of ticket is best suited
First of all, you need to think about what type of ticket you will need and what will be better suited.
By this point, you should have an idea of how long you want to go and where you want to start from. With that in mind you want to look into the different types of tickets available. Would you prefer to buy just a one way ticket? Want the security of a return flight home? Or are you looking for an around the world ticket?
Keep in mind, different tickets and entering countries have different rules and regulations with what type of ticket you can have. This is covered in further detail in the eBook.
TIP: Check if you need an onward flight, or proof of leaving the country on a certain date (Usually before the visa timeframe expires)
Booking tools/comparison sites
Once you have an idea of dates and the type of ticket you want, the next stage is to actually look for your flights; this is where it can get a little overwhelming. There are a number of booking tools and comparison sites out there, and which one to go for can be down to personal preference.
To begin with, if you find yourself getting overwhelmed and confused at all the sites, the constant changes in price, and hidden charges, just take a step back and breathe. You will start to recognize most airlines have similar prices across all sites once you get past the first enticing price pages.
In the FREE eBook we look into and cover different comparison sites, booking directly from airlines and some hacks to help you book the right flights.
rest of section covered in ebook
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Section 4: transport research
In the fourth travel planning section we look into:
- Research your transport options
- Why It’s good to look into infrastructure
- Different types of transport for you
- Getting around locally
- Getting around nationally and multi country
- Land border crossing
- Renting/buying campervan or other vehicle
One thing that often gets overlooked with research and planning trips is transport. Our brains automatically think it will be the same all over the world as what we’re used to, but that is not always the case and sometimes it can leave travelers in shock.
While the mode of transport all over the world is practically the same, the state of vehicles, behaviors, and local customs are the things that can shock you and sometimes put the fear of life into you.
Different modes of transport
Like with accommodation, your means, funds, and preference will determine what transport you will prefer to travel by.
As you research your destination more, look into what type of transport is used locally and nationally.
If you are planning on staying in one location for a while, it’s worth looking into bus or metro discount passes to help save money.
TIP: While It’s good to check out different options on the internet, looking locally can save on costs
Buying renting your own vehicle
A popular choice for many long-term solo and budget travelers is to take to roads themselves by campervan or car. It is the ultimate feeling of freedom and one of the best ways to see a country.
If you are comfortable with doing it, there are plenty of options to rent and buy vehicles, starting with right at the airport. Rental companies will be lined up. Of course, you can look online and there will be local companies too.
How to rent and buy vehicles covered in FREE eBook
rest of section covered in ebook
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Section 5: Tours/excursions/sightseeing
In the fifth travel planning section we look into:
- Researching things to see and do
- Need to research more than just ’10 ten things’ as a long term traveler
- Guidebooks are just that and not bibles
- Managing your expectations vs reality
- Organised tours vs Independent travel
- Organised tours
- Full trips by organised tours
- Independent travel
- Why you shouldn’t pre-book or over plan as a long term traveler
What to see and do
It’s time for the fun stuff, time to wet your lips, get the juices flowing, and get excited about all the amazing things you will see, do, and experience on your travels.
It’s worth pointing out not to take this part too seriously though. Have fun with it, and remember you are researching so there is no need to book, over-plan, or cram an itinerary full of things to see and do. Far too many first-time travelers (I was guilty of it before my first ever trip) go overboard, plan too much, only to discover once they start traveling that plans can go right out the window.
Keep your plans lucid as possible
There might be an urge to get ‘organized’ and pre-book all your excursions and tours
beforehand, it saves on the hassle of finding companies during your travels and it frees up costs. That might be perfect for people on short trips with limited timeframes but not for long-term travel.
TIP: You’re traveling long term there is no need to have a crammed itinerary remember time is on your side!
Read the rest of the sections in the travel planning ebook
In a couple of clicks you can have the full FREE eBook come straight into your emails. Read it all your leisure and have it on your person when the time comes to plan your trip.
We will be able to travel again in the future and the best thing about the FREE travel planning eBook is it can come with you on your travels and you can use it as reference anytime you need it. The checklist at the end of the book will ensure you never miss a step and you will always be prepared for future trips.
GET YOUR FREE LONG TERM TRAVEL PLANNING EBOOK
STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL TO READ AT YOUR OWN LEISURE & ALSO RECEIVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Did you know I also have a long term solo travel book for you?
My debut book: You, Yourself & the World helps answer any questions, concerns & fears you may have about long term solo travel. It doesn’t just answer your questions, it takes you behind the facade, covers many on the subjects of the eBook in greater detail and shows you what long term solo travel life is really like.
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