How To Travel When You Hate Planning

If you live life fast and loose, nothing ruins the excitement of a trip more than the planning that comes with it. Something that’s meant to be fun becomes a massive admin task and once you actually get there, you don’t have any flexibility because everything's booked. So, if you hate planning as much as I do, here’s how to leave your options open, but still make sure nothing goes too wrong.  

Have a budget 

You defs don’t want to run out of money and be stranded overseas, so a budget is one thing you should actually prepare. Know how much you should spend each day and stick to it as much as you can. There will be days you go over, so when you can, save some of your daily spend for a rainy day.  
 

Create a rough route 

Know the places you’re keen to visit and map out a route to take there. You don’t have to follow this route exactly, in fact, less planning can actually be better when it comes to routes because you can be flexible and spend extra time in the places you like and less in the ones that aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.  
 

Sort some travel insurance 

If you hate admin, the idea of organising travel insurance probably makes you scream internally but hear me out. If anything unexpected happens, like a medical emergency, lost luggage or cancellations, you’ll be covered. So, insurance will give you peace of mind, and help you enjoy your trip even more. 

Many credit cards offer complimentary travel insurance when you’re making purchases such as flights – so that could be the move if you’re in the market for a credit card anyways. 
 

Pick your timing 

Spontaneity can be a lot harder (and more stressful) when you travel during peak seasons. If you travel when it’s quiet, finding places to stay and transport will a breeze and you can spend more time doing the things you went there to do in the first place. 
 

Learn Basic Phrases 

If leaving some of your trip to spontaneity, knowing some basic phrases in the language of each country you’re travelling to is a must. Brush up on some simple greetings and essential questions so you’re all set when you have to book anything last minute.  
 

Grab a travel money card  

Running out of money is the last thing you want while you’re living it up overseas. It’s an admin nightmare. So, you want to prep your finances before you leave in the easiest way possible – organising a travel money card. They’re super easy to set up, and you can link it with your current Australian bank account, so you can stay on top of your budget and reload as you go.  

Don’t let boring old admin stop your trip from being everything you’ve dreamed it would be. Instead, focus on nailing the important stuff and leave the rest to spontaneity so you can live it up and adapt in a way that suits you. It is your holiday after all.  

The following content has been created by Year 13 and is sponsored by Westpac.