12 Steps to Plan the Perfect Vacation

I've summed up what makes the perfect vacation, from my point of view. Honestly, I've had some amazing and some less amazing vacations. I’m sure this list will change with time, as I learn something new every time I go on a holiday.

Sitting around at my hotel in Africa, avoiding stress.

1-Travel with someone you know you're compatible with
Even if you are best friends, it’s not sure that you’re compatible for traveling together. Ask your potential travel partner what he or she would like to do while on the vacation. It’s also nice to have somewhat the same travel budget. Although I think that everyone should travel alone at least once, vacations are better spent together with someone you like. (Read my post about traveling solo here.) 

2-No alarm clocks
Under no circumstances should you use an alarm in the morning during your vacay. When you’ve got time off work and you’ve gone somewhere to relax, sleep until you wake up! The only exception is the day of departure. 

3-Stay with locals 

If it’s possible, stay at an Airbnb or rent directly from someone local. They can provide priceless advice on stuff like local food and hidden gems. I do like a comfortable hotel now and then too.

4-Pack only a bare minimum 

When I was younger, I brought tons of clothes on my vacations. I always ended up wearing ten percent of my clothes. Bring your essentials and travel light. 

5-Pictures are nice, but.. 

Photographing on vacation is fun. But if you go somewhere spectacular, take a couple of shots and put your camera or phone completely away. Enjoy the moment, let the view sink in and just enjoy it with your friend(s). 

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janerio. 

6-Avoid stressful situations 

I always make sure to have enough time between flights. Although I’m a very relaxed person, flights can be delayed and that can cause me to miss my next flight. That's stressful. I’ve run through some of Europe’s biggest airports and there’s nothing relaxing about it. Having a good travel insurance is also crucial to reduce the potential vacation stress. 

7-Plans are fine, but keep some days open

I like to research and decide on a couple of sights and activities. But I always make sure to have a couple of days completely open, in case some cool opportunity shows up. Spontaneous outings are always fun!

8-Authentic 

Make sure you get the authentic experience. It’s easy to notice when the food, music and culture feels real. My friend went to Italy and ate at a McDonalds every day. He never got to experience the delicious Italian bruschetta, gnocchi and ravioli. His loss tho.  

9-Talk to people 

I can’t believe that some people manage to go to a new country without having had one conversation with a person from that country. My dad has always told me that it’s important to speak to the locals. By doing this, you learn about their situation, the daily life and the culture. I can admit that I’ve gotten embarrassed a couple of times when my dad chatted up randoms or hotel staff. My friend @karianne and I got to know a very interesting lady in Jamaica, just by being a little bit friendly and open to get to know people.

10-Go somewhere you’ve never been 

I know that especially grownups and families enjoy the safe and the familiar destinations. Well, I agree that it’s comfortable to go to a place where you know where the nearest ATM is at all times. I went to the same place in Spain for eight years when I was younger. I get why you would do that when you travel with kids. But, now that I’m traveling to only new places, I think that is so much more rewarding. Speaking for myself: travel equals exploring. I refuse to travel to a place I’ve been before.

11-Don’t stay too long 

Research has shown that eight days is the ideal length for a vacation. (source)
The perfect length for me is about ten days. If I travel very far and jet lag is involved, I usually stay longer. I spent three weeks in Rio de Janeiro. A lot of the time was spent alone and I noticed that I started to get bored in the end. (I know, how could I be bored in Rio?) I should’ve traveled around a bit more while I was in Brazil. Lesson learned. 

One week in Greece was enough, although it's undeniably beautiful.

12-Have fun 

Try something new, explore, be curious and have fun. Don’t check your work emails if you don’t have to and enjoy some quality time with whoever you decide to travel with. 

Listen to this wonderful song.

Auf Wiedersehen

Susanne