I took my first solo-trip abroad in 2015, an experience I urge everyone to take. 

However, the idea can quite intimidating, at least it was for me.

Thousands of questions ran through my head– 

 

What do I do first? 

When is the best time to travel? 

Where can I buy cheap tickets?

 

Not knowing where to begin, my dream of traveling the world just stayed that way–a dream. I wish I knew then what I know now–international travel is easy, or at least it can be with a little preperation.

So, to help you get started, I’ve created a simple how-to-series to make your next trip abroad a little bit easier.  

The First Five Steps to Planning a Trip Abroad

Commit

Step 1: Sign a Contract (with yourself)

 

 Take the one day out of the picture. One day, I’ll go to Europe. Maybe I’ll backpack through Southeast Asia. No. You ARE going. You just have to actually decide to do it. 

You’re the only one holding you back. Make the commitment and then keep it.

 

Money

Figuring out your budget will not only help you narrow down your destination possibilities, but it will also help you set your trip duration.

Before I was an ESL teacher I was a seasonal worker. This meant I had more flexible work hours than most, and I would travel in between tourist seasons– sometimes months on end.

Off season is often less crowded, and significantly cheaper, sometimes even half the cost.

Peak tourist season, on the other hand, is directly related to not only that’s region public holidays, but also its prime weather conditions.

So, where there are bright and sunny days— also lies, construction, long lines, and over priced tickets.

For me a little rain, and a smaller selection of museums was only a small inconvenience compared to the madness of tourist season.

*Traveling during Peak tourist season will heavily effect your budget.

Purpose

Step 3: Don’t forget about the why

What’s the Point?

No one talks about this! It’s important to pay attention to your needs, so you have to ask yourself–What am I looking to get out of this trip?

Relaxation? Adventure? Are you visiting a friend or relative? Perhaps, it’s time to finally work on that bucket list.

There is a big difference between a quick “get-a-way” and a “trying to find myself” type of holiday.

 Time

Step 4: Make a Travel Itinerary

How much vacation time can you take?

Are you working remotely, with flexible hours, or do you have a 9-5 with set vacation times?

Or maybe you are doing an extended stay—perhaps through a Work Holiday VISA or just to take a little time for yourself in between jobs.

Whatever the case, figure out your total time off, subtract travel days, (such as time to from and at the airport, bus, train station etc.) and voilà! You have the first rough draft of your travel itinerary.

Weather

Another important factor that effects your travel itinerary is weather.

It’s easy to forget that Northern and Southern Hemisphere have opposite weather seasons.

So, while summer may be from June to September in the Northern Hemisphere (i.e. Europe, Russia, U.S., Canada), it’s actually winter in the Southern Hemisphere (i.e. South America, Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia).

Also it’s important to keep in mind when your destination’s wet season is- the time of year where the region you plan to visit receives the most of its yearly rainfall.

For example, the wet season for Western Malaysia is from April to October, while in Eastern Malaysia it’s from November to February.

One side of the country you plan to visit might have completely different weather conditions than the other.

How many countries/cities/ continents can I travel to in X amount of days?

My rule of thumb is one day for small towns and villages, and two-three days per every large city—MINIMUM.

Personally, I’m not a big city person. The day I land I usually head straight to the train or bus station and catch the cheapest ride out into the country.

(But my-oh-my you gotta to keep an open mind— I spent seven incredible days in Barcelona and loved every minute of it!)

Less is More

Don’t schedule too much into one trip.

When I first started backpacking, I wanted to see everything. My eyes were finally opened to an entire new way of travel and I was hungry for more!

I wanted to pack as many places in as I could. And I quickly learned that it doesn’t really turn out so well. Unless of course you force it, which only leaves you stressed, exhausted, and burnt-out. And no one needs that.

Note* It’s very important not to forget to take your travel days into consideration.

It ALWAYS takes longer than you think.

Delays and cancellations WILL happen.

You will get lost. You will lose WiFi. Your phone will die with no outlet in sight.

Or you might get stuck behind a herd of renegade cows, like I did in Ireland.

You don’t want to stress your entire trip about making your next stop in time, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time for these little hiccups, and you will be fine!

Research

Step 5: Get your documents in Order

• Passport

Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your arrival date of whatever foreign country you plan to enter.

How to get a passport in a few easy steps

• Visa

You need a travel visa to get into most countries.  And just a heads up, some require you to apply for them well in advance.  

• Vaccinations 

Some countries require proof of vacination for certain diseases like polio and yellow fever. Usually you have to be vaccinated 4-6 weeks before departure. 

Personally, I would get the vaccines well in advance, just in case of any reactions you may get. No one wants to be sick while traveling abroad.

• Safety

I know safety is one of the biggest concerns when traveling as a female.

I recommend signing up for STEP S mart T raveler E nrollment P rogram,

which is found on the State Departments website.

It sends you email updates on the travel and safety conditions of your country of interest.

Check out the Department of State website for the most current information about travel advisaries, visas, and immunisations before you book your flight.

Flight

Step 6: Just Buy the Friggin’ Ticket!!!

Alright y’all, this is it. Probably one of my favorite parts.

Buying the plane ticket.

There are many options out there for budget travel. But I mostly use Skyscanner. Its by far the cheapest, and the most flexible. 

It’s Anywhere, Anytime option allows you to browse the cheapest tickets without limiting you to a certain time frame, or even destinations.

However, it’s best to use the option that best suits your needs.

• Skyscanner– Best for finding flights by destination or with those who have flexible time frames
• Kiwi– Best for finding the cheapest flights by departurue point. *use radius search
• AirTreks– Great for the world adventurers out there! Focuses on RTW (round-the-world) trips, build your own, or check out their special preplanned deals.

*Be aware of the fine print, a lot of budget airlines do not include baggage, food, or assigned seats.

So there we have it folks, our trip abroad is well on it’s way to becoming a reality!

Check out Part 2: Planning a Trip Abroad which will help you with accomodation, activities, and packing, in my next post that is coming  soon!

Have any questions? Leave it in the comment box below!