Don’t Make Decisions in the Dark That You’ll Regret in the Morning

Nobody thinks clearly late at night but sometimes our desire to escape everyday life leads us down paths that may seem exciting at first, but have an altogether different feel once the plan is in motion. You can avoid those awkward what-the-heck-was-I-thinking moments if you simply don’t make decisions in the dark.

How to Not Get Kicked Out of Bed at Dawn 
Your hotel may seem less than perfect when you arrive at midnight, but it’s usually best not to storm the front desk until you’ve seen things in the light of day. Often the stress of traveling, coupled with the edginess of stepping out of your comfort zone can make your first impression a lackluster one, especially in the dark.
Worse-case scenario is that they uninvite you on the spot, but at the very least they may cancel the remainder of your reservation, forcing you to follow through on your threat to leave first thing in the morning. Rather than yelling at a tired front desk host, try this travel happy approach.

• Step 1 is to secure the premises so that you feel safe.

• Step 2 is to do your best to calm the nerves of your traveling companions. Humor works great for that. Make fun of the old- fashioned curtains or the light switch that you have to position just right in       order for it to work. Laughter diffuses anxiety and makes you all feel like you’re in this adventure           together, bad accommodations and all.

• Step 3 is to get some sleep and wait for dawn.

When dawn arrives you may have a totally different attitude. What looked shabby in the dark may look shabby-chic in the morning. The darkness that felt threatening the night before may have simply been due to the fact that you left the bright lights of the city in your rearview mirror. And how cool is it that those weird noises you heard in the night were actually resident peacocks that are now standing on your front porch?

And if things really aren’t what you wanted, you’ll at least be addressing them with a slightly cooler disposition than you might have the night before, and most often with a person of higher ranking than the night crew.

With the wealth of information available on the Internet today, there is no excuse for ending up in a regrettable one-night stand with a hotel.

The real goal is to have done enough travel
research BEFORE you booked your getaway that you weren’t in the dark figuratively and knew all about the peacocks, the age of the facility, how far down a dark road it was, etc, etc.

That extra bit of research on your part can keep you from booking something that you really aren’t comfortable with and makes your arrival at any time of the night or day a happier travel experience for everyone involved.

Build a Travel Plan in 6 Steps

The quickest way to get going more is to plan to go more. Once you have a plan in place you’ll begin to feel the tug of commitment and that’s a huge step toward actually going.  A pretty good formula for being rested and travel happy is to rest weekly; escape monthly; retreat quarterly; disengage annually. So that’s where you can start your travel plans.

Here's our step by step method for going more.

Step 1: Make a list of travel activities you enjoy or want to try. Make this list long. Don't hold back. Anything you want to try is fair game. This is not exactly a bucket list, but think of things that you are always saying you want to do and add them to the list.

Step 2: Go online and look for places where you can enjoy those things. Be sure to look at some places close by and some far away. Write down the locations next to the activities. 

Step 3: Decide if each activity is suited for a monthly escape, a quarterly retreat, or an annual vacation.

Here's a sample wish list with notes about where & when to do them. Notice the overlaps that develop as the list takes shape:

Activity	Where	Rest, Retreat, or Vacation?
Learn to Scuba dive	Start course online or at local shop, get certified nearby, then dive on a cruise	Escape, then Vacation
Visit Mother	Take her on a trip to see a Broadway play	Retreat
Relax with a book	Local B&B	Escape
See a Broadway play	Manhattan	Escape
Take the kids to Seaworld	San Antonio, San Diego, or Orlando Combine with cruise maybe	Vacation
Take Dad fishing	Local lake or port	Escape
Get together with cousins	Camping? Nearby cabin resort?	Retreat
Take a photography workshop	Almost any city in the country	Retreat
Take a cruise	Orlando? San Diego?	Vacation
Go to a really good zoo	Washington DC maybe?	Retreat
Go to Washington DC		Retreat
Hike	Start with a park nearby	Escape
See a professional baseball game	Nearest city with a team	Escape

Step 4: Get your calendar and start blocking the time. Do this before you do any budgeting or actual planning. If you block the time you are making a commitment.

Step 5: Now research the cost of each outing. Figure out what you can realistically afford for each trip. You may have trips that you'll have to save up for, maybe even for a year or two. If that's the case, don't take them off the list, just find a substitute trip for this year and start saving. If money is tight think of what you want to give up to make the trip happen. Salon visits? Daily coffee on your commute? I can guarantee you that any one of the trips on your list will be more rewarding than the little things you give up to get there. 

Step 6: This is the hardest step... go on your first monthly escape. Go two days if you can, but go for at least one night away from your house. Sleep in the car if you have to, but go! It will energize you and bring you back to your list, your calendar, and your budget to figure out how to make the rest of the year happen.

9 Surprising Things Travel Writers Take on EVERY Trip

Obviously we have a list of important things that you'd expect us to take, maps, cameras, passports, laptops,  etc. But here's our well-honed list of little things that you might not think of that go with us whether we are are road tripping or flying to another continent:

1. Pencil & paper. Technology fails.

2. Food. Sometimes you just want a taste of home. We take snacks on airplanes and frozen steaks in our suitcases. Yes, really.

3. Zip lock bags. We take all sizes; they can be used for everything from food to leaky toiletries to vacuum packing undies when your suitcase is too full of souvenir t-shirts.

4. Clothes pins. Handiest little things ever invented. We use them on bags of chips, to keep paperwork firmly clipped together, and to actually hang wet clothes.

5. Extra car key. The ONE and only time we left home without one was in our daughter's car and guess what? Paying to get a Jeep Grand Cherokee unlocked in Dallas at 10 PM costs over $100.

6. Canvas tote bag. Perfect for shopping, grocery trips, as an airline carry-on bag, & as a picnic bag. We keep one packed with comfort items in our closet all the time.

7. 20 Ounce Styrofoam Cups with Lids. We take along one per person. Beats the heck out of those little plastic cups on airplanes and in hotels (And don't even get me started on hotels with real glasses. You don't drink from those do you?) We used to take stainless travel mugs, but learned that with a little care you can wash and re-use foam cups for up to two weeks, then just leave them behind.

8. Windbreakers. Ours have a lightweight lining inside that makes them perfect for any surprise weather event. They can even be rolled up to make good neck pillows in a pinch.

9. Sanitizing Wipies. Do we need an explanation?

Be a Purposeful Traveler

The happiest travelers we see at the resort are the ones who plan their visits well in advance and have some purpose for their stay with us. Develop that purpose by thinking of activities you’d like or need to do, like sightseeing, golfing, water skiing, visiting family and friends, continuing education, or simply resting. Unless you’re planning to make all of your journeys alone, be sure to include activities that can be enjoyed by your travel companions. As you make your list of activities start adding notations beside each one of possible destinations at which you could engage in the activity. Don’t limit yourself in any way. This is the time to dream. It’s the time to figure out ways to expand your life or make more memories with your kids.

Travel Activities to Consider

Camping—some people camp just for the sake of camping. For them it becomes both the type of accommodation and the activity engaged in on the trip.

Rock Collecting—this is a great one for kids. They all like rocks and it’s edu-fun. For those of us in the older set it allows us to enjoy the landscape while playing a big game of seek and find.

Caving—Gary and I spent several years pursuing this activity. The nice thing is that there’s a level of participation for almost anyone, from fully developed touristy caverns to genuine spelunking adventures.

Roller coasters/amusement parks—not everyone’s cup of tea, but one with plenty of options for those without motion sickness.

Fishing—one of the most popular travel activities in the U.S., and a great one to share with kids or the older generation.

Photography--add this activity to any of the others on this list or travel just for the sake of documenting it in photos.

Water sports—ranging from water skiing to surfing to scuba diving. Anywhere there’s a decent sized body of water, you can bet someone will be ready to help you get in it, on it, or under it.

Hiking/climbing—this is one that can take you to all points of the globe.

Zoos, aquariums, museums—don’t’ think that these are all about educating your kids and grandkids. Today’s zoos are a treat for any age.

Wildlife watching/wildflower viewing—what better reason to travel to a new destination than to simply enjoy the beauty of its wildlife?

Motorcycle riding—motorcyclists are some of the happiest travelers I know, and some of the most well-traveled.

A Destination to Match

If you haven’t got a destination in mind for each of the activities you picked out, now is the time to do a little research. Say you want to start touring zoos. Pick several possible destinations, including one close to home, a few that might be car trips, and a few more that would be your “dream zoos” to see. There’s an Internet resource for almost anything these days. To find zoos and aquariums try the Association of Zoos and Aquariums at www.aza.org/findzooaquarium/.  

Become an Internet travel junkie. It is easier than ever before to learn about the destinations you long to visit.  Indulge yourself on rainy Saturday mornings before the kids get up. Research places on your list until they become real in your mind. Travel planning has a way of solidifying your intentions and your goals. There’s a huge difference between just saying you’d like to see the Smithsonian and having a firm idea of how to get there and what you’ll see when you arrive. There’s nothing wrong with spontaneous travel, of course, but a trip well planned is a trip well executed.

When Can You Really Go?

The next step is to sort your entire list into the following categories: “This Year,” “Next Year,” and “Someday.” Now you have to get real. What can you afford this year? How much can you save up for next year’s travel? Everything else goes under “Someday.” Just knowing that you actually have a plan to go scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef makes it more real, even if it falls under the someday heading. If you see it every time you look at your list, someday you will make it happen. 

10 Ready Made Retreats

1. Dads and daughters—best in an outdoor setting where dads often feel most comfortable; think campfires, building things, and scavenger hunts.
2. Moms and daughters—you can do this almost anywhere, spas are fun, but do-it-yourself spas where you do each other’s nails and hair are just as good.
3. Dads and sons—same principles as dads and daughters, but maybe add fishing or sports activities.
4. Cousins—time for games from childhood, simple meals together, photo sessions, and maybe scrapbooking.
5. Sisters—dinner out, and talk, talk, talk.
6. High school buddies—be sure to bring old annuals or class newspapers, plus cameras for fresh photos.
7. Sunday school class—you can choose between in-depth Bible study or just fellowship outside the church walls.
8. Your immediate family—do things you never have time for at home. Play Monopoly, read to each other, take long walks together.
9. Your significant other—rest, romance, rest, romance. Quiet places are best, but almost any location will work, from a local hotel to a quaint B&B. 
10. Just you—eat simply or maybe even fast. Read, write, rest, or use the time to jumpstart a new routine like a diet or exercise plan.