Weeks before our trip to Singapore, I spent hours, literally every spare minute, surfing the internet, visiting and joining every travel forum and tourist discussion board that offered even a hint of info on anything even remotely related to travelling to/in Singapore. I do this for every, single trip we plan.
While in the throes of trip planning, I even keep a pen and notebook beside my bed because I often wake up suddenly in the middle of the night thinking of something I haven't yet checked out or researched.
I pour over and print out map after map of the area, agonize over hotels, plot walking routes, stake out restaur
ants, check and re-check pricing to make sure we're getting the absolute best deal for the hotel, meals, sightseeing, souvenirs. At first I'm always really excited, I love the thrill of tracking down the information and putting together a great travel plan, and I always learn tons of really great, interesting stuff about different places that I probably would never have known otherwise, but then I just can't stop, I search and re-search, check and re-check, plan and re-plan. There have been times when I've become so completely overwhelmed with the planning part, that I get totally burned out on a particular location and just cancel the trip all together! And it drives Otis insane!O and I are planning a trip to Hiroshima next weekend for his b-day, at this point I could probably pop out at Hiroshima station right now and get to anywhere in a 10 block radius with no map or directions! I've even planned the 10 min. route we'll walk from our hotel to Peace Park! We'll barely be in town for 24 hrs, but I'm consumed with the notion that this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and we have to make the absolute best of every second (I always feel this way about every trip we take, whether it's really once-in-a-lifetime or not).
*Sigh* Back to the internet to check out reviews for Lopez Okonomiyaki........
>
>
>
6 comments:
I bought a Fodor's Guide to Tokyo before our trip last year. It was informative but out-dated, even though it was for 2008. Example: The restaurant we chose no longer existed at that location. We searched and searched with the help of some locals, but NOTHING!
Also, the guide was wrong about our hotel, which turned out to be beautiful and not small and worn.
Oh, well, it was helpful in other areas, e.g., the subway system.
I guess we may be able to plan to go to Osaka while I am there! You can start now to plan that city!!!
Can I suggest you give yourself some down time after the peace park? I planned a full on schedule when I went there but the museum was just so emotionally draining I needed to just wander quietly in the park for a while rather than my planned go straight for the markets.
Enjoy your trip and you should start a business working for those of us that find the planning all a bit overwhelming...
I am another Fodors kinda gal too, my mum is the same as well, it is difficult to see all the sights in a new place all at once = )
Gigi - I've skimmed through a few editions of Lonely Planet, but haven't ever checked out Fodor's. I rely heavily on the internet, and usually end up printing pages and pages of info!
Rob - Done! Although we'll have an expert tour guide, so I really didn't have to research much.
Fuka-chan: You were so right, I cried so much, especially at the Children's Memorial.
GJ - I agree, and I always agonize over what we MUST see, and what will have to be missed due to time constraints. It drives me crazy to miss anything!
Great read thank you.
Post a Comment