Friday, June 17, 2011

Know and Book Your Own Stuff (and Know When Not To)

By nature, I am a total DIY'er. I like to learn about everything and and do things myself. Part of why I like this process is that everything can be exactly the way I want it, and it can be done on my schedule. I also keep that same DIY mindset when planning travel.

I typically like to do things off the beaten path when I travel. Don't get me wrong, I am not totally opposed to seeing things considered "touristy" but I keep that list pretty short, and try to get in and out of those types of places pretty fast. But planning your own trip, at least one more involved than kickin it at the beach, requires a lot of research. But the payoff is great!

For instance, a few years ago we went to Costa Rica. We went to Arenal, did a ton of hiking and canyoning, and saw lots of animals. We hired a driver who took us to a small fishing village on the Pacific Coast where we rented a beautiful open air house with an infinity pool looking over the bay. There was a family of monkeys in the tree in the yard. Horses were brought to our front door, and we rode up to the top of the cliffs and on the beach. We took a puddle hopper that took off in a field of yaks. It was an incredible trip.
Another couple we know also went to Costa Rica. They stayed at a great hotel a few beaches away from where we were. There were various group tours that you could take through the hotel, but without a car, they didn't really get to explore. They had a nice trip, but when we raved about how much we loved CR, they didn't share the same sentiment. After comparing trip reports, they decided that our trip just seemed more fun and adventurous.

I should also mention that what is fun and adventurous to us, may just seem flat out crazy to others (or not crazy enough-depending on your taste). But regardless of your taste in travel, the sure fire way to get a trip exactly the way you want it, is to do it yourself. *Note: There are times that having someone do it for you is best, perhaps if you don't have the time to dedicate to do good research, or if you want to travel to a place that is considered dangerous.

A good place to start is Google maps and Wiki travel. Wiki travel will give you a good idea what is in a country, what the main interests are there, and major airports and airlines that will get you there. With Google maps, you will be able to see how far away your desired destinations are from each other. This should give you a good start on building your own trip.

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