Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t necessarily mean jetting off to the other side of the world, backpacking through the rainforest or crossing the Atlantic in a rowing boat.
The dictionary definition of ‘adventure’ is an activity that’s daring and exciting, possibly even dangerous. So, if you’re doing something new you can have adventures in the next city, at the nearest beach, or right in your hometown.
One thing’s sure, no matter how far or near you’re planning an adventure, the key word is, indeed, ‘planning’.
Share Tasks
All too often, planning falls on one person’s shoulders and sometimes it can be a bit of a burden, stealing some of the enjoyment.
When you’re travelling in a party, make sure others do their share of the planning. If no one volunteers, allocate jobs to them.
You can involve kids too if you’re having a family adventure. In fact, being part of the planning committee can help make kids, especially older children, more engaged in the trip. You could ask them to:
Plan a route if you’re going by car (obviously you’ll check it before you set off) but putting things like Geneva to Alpe D’Huez into Google will help you plan and know your route beforehand
Search for interested places to visit along the way, or even just a good place to stop for lunch.
Create their own packing list.
Find activities to do at your destination.
Find overnight stops within your given budget.
Obviously keep the tasks age-related but having done that, including and involving kids is always a good thing.
Make Lists
The longer the trip, the more lists are handy for keeping you on track with all that needs doing. Types of lists could include:
Home Security: Plan who’ll have a spare key, water plants, keep a casual eye on your house or look after the pets. Plan your basic home security such as getting timers so lights come on while you’re away. It can also give you peace of mind if your most valuable or precious possessions are kept elsewhere for safety. Self storage facilities are available in the short term, and perfect for the things you value most.
En-route lists: Plan your route to the airport, railway or ferry, research parking options or taxi costs, find out about car hire, transfers, or connections. Double check baggage allowances, current airport and airline security at your point of departure and your destination. Detailed planning like this lets you relax as you travel and enjoy the experience.
Packing Suitcases: Research the climate and factor in the activities you plan to do, then pack accordingly. No point taking high heels on a hiking holiday – not that you would, of course.
Final Walkthrough lists: Having a list of things you need to check before finally locking the front door when you leave prevents any nagging doubts about running taps or windows left open.
Some people love lists while others hate them, but forgetting simple things can ruin even the shortest adventure.
Suitcase Tips
When you’ve researched your destination and planned your activities as far as possible,packing is a lot easier as you can eliminate most unsuitable things. Packing always sounds like an easier task than it really is, though. Whatever you decide to take in yourcase, some strategies make fitting everything in a bit easier:
Use zip bags for cables and chargers or small items to amuse the kids or yourself. You can also use these to keep travel documents all in one place.
Use every inch by packing small items inside other ones, such as socks or other things inside shoes.
Try rolling clothes instead of folding them. Somehow, they take up less space when rolled.
Take clothes that are easy to wash and quick to dry so you can cut down on the number of separate items. Consider ways to dress up more casual clothes for evenings out and try not to take things just on the off chance you’ll need them. If you leave behind something vital, you can probably buy it unless you really are backpacking through the
rainforest.
Starting packing early is a good idea, so you’ve time to change your mind and double check the weight of your luggage if you’re flying.
When you’re going on an adventure it can be tempting not to plan at all, making the uncertainty part of the excitement. If you like a bit of security though, some planning frees your mind to enjoy the real adventure.
Whether it’s the security of self storage for your valuables or just having your itinerary mapped out, you’ll have a better adventure once the mundane stuff is organised.
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