Nov 21st, 2024 Thursday Snowy
Many people enjoy traveling – for fun, at least – but few like the process of planning a trip. I happen to be one of the latter.
You might ask, why is trip planning appealing to me (or to anyone)?
I believe it boils down to the sense of autonomy.
Thanks to the internet, the vast majority of information needed for planning a trip can be obtained easily without leaving my office. Not only can we book typical logistics like flights, hotels, and car rentals with just a few clicks, but we can also plan routes and schedules for public transportation, methods of currency exchange, ways to stay connected, sights to be seen and tours to join, before we pack our luggage. Sometimes I have noted all these with such details that I could even visualize the trip in my mind while lying on my bed.
Then here comes a big part of traveling – dining. Finding all the yummy spots that we could potentially savor on this journey may very well be my favorite portion of trip planning. Foodie as I am, I keep reading about various delicacies around the world, and often repine that I cannot taste them at home – while our kitchen is pretty global, there are many dishes that cannot be replicated elsewhere. However, now that I AM traveling to that city/town, it seems a pity not to indulge myself with some local specialty. Browsing online to jot down promising restaurants/vendors, with the knowledge that in a few weeks’ time, I will be able to BE there and order from that interesting menu, always puts me in a good mood.
You might say, well, with internet access, I can look at restaurants during my vacation, and select what my appetite says in that moment, right? What is the point of doing all the work ahead of time?
It is because of my indecisiveness, of my uncomfortableness in making a decision unless I feel that I have enough information to be confident in my choice. In an area that I have never been, I would not have the familiarity to arrive at a conclusion quickly, and it would take a lot of time to research on the spot. Since every minute on my vacation feels precious, and I am particularly low on patience when hungry, shortlisting decent options beforehand seems worthwhile. And what if our top-pick requires reservation that we could have done earlier but cannot do right now, and we have to wait for an hour? It would be so frustrating to me because it is a situation we totally could have avoided, had we prepared for it.
Some folks might wonder, if I want to have a super relaxed vacation, why not entrust the planning part to a travel agency, or a friend to guide me?
Of course, to a certain extent, feasibility would not allow it. Travel agency can be expensive, and it would be amazing if I had a resident friend everywhere I wish to visit. The true rationale, though, is the pleasure of feeling so well-oriented and at ease that I myself could pass as a local. Despite having been in Kyoto for only two days, I was approached by several Japanese tourists to give directions because I looked like I knew where I was!
Not to mention that, a trip that I undertook the planning myself always seems more memorable. Creating memories and experiences is the real reward of traveling, isn’t it?