Travelling is one of those things that many people aspire to do at some stage of their lives. It might be that you have just finished a long stint of education at college and university and now want to take a break before starting your new career and working life. It might be that you have worked for a while and feel like a career break is on the cards. It may even be something you decide to do with your partner in later life, once the career is done, you’ve had a family and want to embrace a new chapter in your life.

Many people have a bucket list, and often long term travel or seeing different parts of the world from part of that list. Dreaming it is one thing, it is an amazing thing to aspire to and work and save your money for, but it is quite another thing to actually take the plunge, book a one way ticket and just go for it. You may be wondering how to plan the trip, the things to consider etc. So here are some of the things you might want to think about if you are planning any travelling excursions in the future.

Planning your trip

One of the first things you will want to do is plan your trip. You might want to take time thinking about the difference destinations, how and when you might travel. You may even want to consider who you are travelling with. If you are planning to travel with a companion, a group of friends or family, then ensure that you do consult them with any plan making activities. This is so you can bounce ideas off each other for the trip you want to take. Here are some of the things to think about when planning.

Flights and making savings

A lot of the time people choose to travel to destinations far and wide, and so flights are going to from a big part of it. Flying can be expensive, so avoid the high peak periods if you can which tends to be the height of summer, and during holidays in which children have from school. Travelling off peak can save you a fortune, as well as traveling at unpopular times like during the night or first thing in the morning. Make savings by considering alternative airlines or opting to not fly directly, this could enable you to fly to your destination at a fraction of the price without it causing too much havoc to your plans.

Deciding on the route and where to go

One of the most exciting things to plan is, of course, where you are going to go and what you are going to experience. Some of this can depend on exactly how long you have to spend travelling. Whether you are doing it for a month, six months, a year or longer. Think about where you want to go but also explore surrounding countries and cities that you may want to tag on to your trip. For example, heading to Australia may seem far away, so don’t forget the beauty New Zealand could offer you as well as other places like Indonesia, Fiji and other Pacific destinations you may not have ordinarily considered before hand.

Where will you stay?

Of course, like any holiday or travelling excursion, you will need a place to stay. This is when you also need to think about your budget and how much you have towards accommodation. Many people who travel consider staying hostels, but if that isn’t your thing then websites like AirBnB could prove useful offering great accommodation with facilities to cook and maybe even wash clothes while away.

Packing for your trip

Traveling for any long period of time means that you are going to need a fair bit of clothing and footwear to see you through. Especially if you are traveling to different places that may not always have similar weather patterns. You may not have the benefit of being able to take a huge case away with you, or multiple bags, so you may want to think strategically when it comes to packing. Here are a few suggestions to consider, but there will be some great advice online as well.

Capsule wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe can be a great way to pack for long term traveling excursions. This is where you think about key pieces that work together and enable you to create different outfits by mix matching the items of clothing. Think about different colors, textures of the clothes and materials, as well as adding different accessory options. There is some great advice online on how you can create the perfect capsule wardrobe for your travels.

Easy to wear clothes and shoes

You may also want to think about clothing that packs well, doesn’t crease and also is easy to wear. Most of the time, you will want comfort, especially when travelling within cities and countries going from one place to the next. You might also want to think about shoes and what you might want on your feet a lot. This is going to be important if you plan on doing a lot of walking around, hiking or site seeing looking for things that might be off the beaten track.

While you are travelling

You may be thinking about what to do when you are actually on your travels. Apart from being excited about the things you are about to experience, and the places you are going to see, you also have top be a practical about certain elements of travelling, especially if you are travelling alone. Here are some of the things to consider for while you are on your epic journey.

Keeping in touch with friends and family

While you are away, you are bound to want to keep in touch with friends and family about your adventures and to also assure them that you are safe and well. Normally, you might avoid using your phone unless you are in an area that offers WiFi but now with international calling plans you should be able to keep in touch with your family and friends as often as you like. This helps them to be involved and also gives you an outlet to share your fantastic experiences with the people you love the most.

Helping people stay aware of your travels

You may not always be able to give your friends and family a call, and that’s understandable, so there are other ways you may want to help people stay connected with you. For your trip, you may want to consider starting an online blog. This means you can keep people up to date without worrying about the time difference or disturbing them with a call. It will also give you an outlet to write and share your experience, and who knows, people who have written travel blogs have gone on to continue it in the future as apart of a job or career change. There is also social media that you can use to keep people aware of what you are up to. Post to Facebook or Instagram regularly so that you can keep people up to date.

How long should you go away for?

Finally, the last thing to think about might be exactly how long you plan on traveling for. This will vary for different people. Traditionally, the words gap year come to mind whenever you mention long term travel, and so ironically twelve months seems to be a popular way and time frame to aim for. However, you may want to think about a month or six weeks, or something in the middle like a three or six month trip.

Short term travels

Short term travel might be a little easier to plan. It could be seen as an extended holiday, and so you may want to treat it in a similar way. Perhaps staying in hotels and exploring the destinations exactly like a tourist would. It could be an easy way to start seeing different places, and to explore new options. As well as being a cheaper alternative to travelling for longer.

Long term travels

However, long term travels, so anything beyond three months, might enable you to experience not just the place, but the culture and a different way of life. If you are considering this, then you may want to look at accommodation for longer periods such as renting an apartment or room share. It could be that you end up getting a job, depending on whether you have a visa that permits that, and actually live a different way of life. It is the perfect way to explore and enjoy your travels, without doing the normal backpacker thing. Of course, backpacking will always be hugely popular and enables you to see some amazing places.

Let’s hope this has given you an insight on what to consider if you want to go travelling in the future. What are some key factors you always consider when you are planning a trip? Are there crucial things you always make sure to handle when travel planning? Let us know in the comments below!

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