The 5 Emotional Stages When Making Your Trip’s Itinerary

These days, thanks to the internet, when it comes to travelling abroad for vacation, more and more people have now taken the matter into their own hands when it comes to their travel itinerary. Not only does it save more money (instead of relying on travel agencies), but it also gives you the freedom to personalize your travel experience and do things at your own pace.

So in my upcoming travel to Seoul, Korea this month, I was given the privilege (and the burden! Hahaha) of making our itinerary. Doing this, (especially if you’re in for a long vacation) can be mentally excruciating, sometimes even frustrating, yet rewarding. There are tons of things to consider, such as your preferences in getting around the city, the transportation costs, the list of must-see places, etc. I know you know it. 😛

So here I would like to break down the emotional roller coaster in making an itinerary. For those who have experienced making your personal itineraries, I’m pretty sure you went through this (if not, then you’re not human O.o). Haha.

1. The “How the hell do I do it” Stage

In here, I’m certain you’re very overwhelmed, there are lots things going through your head and you don’t know where to start. If you’re here, just take a deep breath, and tell yourself it’s just a phase. It will only get better. 🙂

2. The “Getting the hang of it” Stage

By this stage, you have found some reliable websites where you can base your itinerary (or even set your budget) from. You’re skimming and scanning through the pages to see which activities/destinations would go well together. And thankfully, you’ve managed to finish a schedule for one day! But you know you still got a loooooonnnggg way to go.

3. The “I got this” Stage

Now you’re getting pretty confident.  After some heavy research over the internet that you could almost feel like you’re becoming a Google Ninja, you little by little fill in your travel schedule with your sightseeing, shopping and even some of the activities in your bucket list, without failing to consider the budget, allotted time, as well as how to get to those places. And the next thing you know, you have successfully put together some kickass itinerary! Give yourself a pat on the back and relish this milestone. 

4. The “Like a boss” Stage

At stage 4, you have probably shown your itinerary masterpiece to your travel buddies. Here comes the feedback. They might comment and suggest or even ask you to change/cancel some destinations. With a smile, you listen to them, and all of a sudden you’re this crossover of travel agent and tour guide,

“Alright, let’s place DESTINATION X on this date, and let’s schedule it at night time because there’s a show that they do every 8pm, and then let’s move DESTINATION Y on a Thursday to avoid crowds of people. No problem.” (^_^)

And you leave them impressed. Like a boss.

5. The “Yeah, baby!” Stage

You know there’s no stopping your itinerary from happening. You’ve heard their comments, you’ve edited your schedule and even triple-checked the destinations to ensure they’re set on the right dates.

That’s where you imagine that “ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED” right over your head. Congratulations. You’ve made it through composing your travel itinerary without losing yourself. Cheers! 🙂

Featured image from: http://dariavoronina2.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/when-is-the-best-time-to-travel-in-your-life/