How I Plan for Slow Travel
Where you’re going is important
But so is how you get there.
When I plan for a trip, it usually involves several spreadsheets and at least one new layer on my Google Map. (Why yes, I do sometimes map out how long it takes to walk from one museum to the next, thanks for asking.) To me, effective planning is the core of slow travel. If I’m going to spend my hard-earned money on a trip, it’s going to be done to the very best of my ability as a strategic coordinator and project manager.
I break down my planning like this:
1 - START WITH WHY
Why are you inspired to take this trip? What are your priority experiences? Instead of a checklist of sights to make sure you have your own personal picture of that is in no way different from the hundreds of others that are already on Instagram, what are the moments that you’re most excited to be a part of? Sure, that might include creating some beautiful images - that’s 2/3 of why I travel these days, no shame! But what about THAT place makes you say, “Holy cow I’ve got to go there!”
2 - FIND A WAY TO GET THERE
Now that you have your motivation, it’s time to find a way to get there. This is the reality check: it’s time to look at the budget. Money doesn’t have to be an ugly subject - especially when you’re doing this slowly and mindfully. Your budget is a lever that you can use to create an experience that meets your needs. I’ve written about some truly staggeringly awful (but CHEAP!) flight itineraries that I’ve strung together for myself, but that’s because my budget priority is my on-the-ground experiences and my lodgings. This may be different for you! Maybe you only want to eat at the best restaurants, or maybe you refuse to fly coach. You get to choose how you get to where you want to be. But be aware: the sneaky cost that always bites me in the butt is food. For this reason, I plan out a daily food budget and even outline my meals so that I can know what to expect and plan for that fancy dinner on the last night of the trip.
3 - MAKE A PLAN
So you know how you’re getting there, and you know what your money situation is, now it’s time to look at how all the puzzle pieces are going to fit together. Do your research - are there certain activities that are only available on certain days? Is the museum you’re most excited about closed on Tuesdays? What is the weather going to be like? Fit all this information together into your own personalized itinerary and watch it all fall into place.
4 - PACK YOUR BAG(S)
It’s the fun part! Packing is something that I can do in my sleep. Literally - one of my recurring dreams is packing. This is when you get to stand in front of your carefully curated wardrobe and choose which pieces to bring. What will you need to maximize your experiences? Is there anything in your itinerary that is going to require special equipment or wardrobe options? Is the weather going to be very different from where you live? And don’t forget to chase down all your power cords and reading materials! (Advanced level move: add your daily outfits to your itinerary.)
Because you’ve spent all this time preparing ahead of time, as soon as you arrive you’re going to be able to focus on the moment-to-moment experiences. The itinerary is essentially on autopilot, no major decisions to be made, so you can focus on what to order for dinner.
I know not everybody has the time or energy to make all these spreadsheets from scratch, so I’ve made a shortcut for you! No matter how far away your next trip, you can start planning NOW with my free slow travel planner!
