6 Easy and Effective Travel Planning Tips

Are you looking for some quick tips on travel planning?

Travel can be frustrating or wonderful. Use these 6 quick tips to plan your next trip and find the vacation that you dream of.

We can’t travel right now, at least not with any freedom like before the quarantine. But we can plan easily for our next wonderful trip!

Because I want the trip to be enjoyable for all, I always like to do some research and trip planning before I decide on the feasibility of any planned trip.

If you follow these six simple tips to travel planning, you will cover all the bases and have the trip you really dreamed about!

1. Who?

This seems obvious, but write it down. If you look at who will be going with you and think about what their interests are, your trip will go much smoother.

- Are you taking the family and need to provide activities for little ones?
- Teenagers?
- Older parents?
- Do you need to factor in some down time for short attention spans for small children?
- Or will it be a weekend with just the girls outing?
- A bachelor party weekend trip planned for the guys before the wedding?
- Just you and your spouse?
- Or is it a solo trip for some down time just for yourself?

By taking the ages and interests of your travel companions into consideration, it will make a world of difference in how you travel and what you plan to do.

in addition, Be open to allowing family members to pursue different activities, within reason.

Remember, too, that you have the option to do different things.

For instance, when my sister’s family wants to go out adventuring, she is often content to sit at the pool. She and her family learned a long time ago that it is really OK to do different things and everyone is happy. They always meet up again and spend plenty of time together afterwards. You don’t always have to be joined at the hip to enjoy your vacation.

2. What?

Consider what type of things you enjoy?

- - If you are more active and adventurous, this will dictate a whole different set of activities than if you want to go to a 5 star hotel, read by the pool and get a massage in the afternoon.
  - Even if you think you know what all the people involved want, it is really a good idea to ask just to make sure.

I went on a trip once with a friend and I thought we were compatible, but I found out she wanted to shop A LOT, and that’s just not me. Even though we may have been compatible in temperament and friendship, our activity interests did not jive.

Then again, on another trip with girlfriends there were two of us who wanted to walk and explore and the other woman wanted to take a taxi or ride everywhere. That made for some awkward moments during the trip.

3. Where?

Where is it you are planning your trip?

- Be specific.
  - If you say Denver, you can go high in the mountains and camp or in the city and be visiting all the fun little boutiques. A day skiing in a resort or a day spent backpacking and camping look totally different. If you sort through the options, there will be a theme that stands out and you can go from there.
- Also, will you be visiting family or friends while you are there?
  - Will you be staying with them or do you need to stay close by in a hotel?
  - You need to create time in your schedule for them, make sure they are available (they have plans too!) and determine how much time your spouse or kids want to spend with them. It could be a little or a lot. Or none at all. You can arrange to let your spouse and teenagers do a little exploring on their own while you visit with your sister to your hearts content!

Taking the time to think these things through before hand is a really good idea for family harmony.

4. Why?

Why are you planning this trip?

Some reasons may be:

- - family outing
  - solo trip
  - honing a skill by taking courses
  - adventure
  - site specific activity:
    - festivals
    - family wedding or graduation
    - seeing a landmark or national monument
    - photography of a specific area

Be sure to take any of these into consideration as to the main purpose of the event. Schedule in enough time for the main activities so as not to be disappointed during the trip. Each facet of the above items takes planning drive time, meal breaks, wait times in lines, and timing for getting ready.

Whether it be a leisurely meal in a wonderful restaurant or getting up early to catch the best sunrise photo with your camera, try to anticipate your needs and what is most important to all concerned.

Express your need for help if your spouse or other members of your group have to make adjustments to help while you are getting ready for whatever you have planned.

Other parties in the outing are usually willing to help if asked correctly and they have the expectation that they need to jump in when you may feel stressed or overwhelmed.

Don’t be overwhelmed while you are on vacation. That is not a good feeling and will have an effect on not only you but on the other members of your group as well.

In addition, remember that sometimes when you are on vacation, the responsibilities that you have as a parent are even more stressful than at home.

Especially when you are camping, you still have the meal planning and prep, clean up and making sure that young children are looked after. Express that concern to your spouse and get a commitment from them to help out. Plan less elaborate meals, go casual in clothing and plan simpler activities if you feel over the top with care taking.

5. When?

- Trips we take are often dictated by time available off work and time specific events. Think about these:
  - Time of year – winter sports, summer beach activities, fall leaves
  - Specific local event, ie: Cherry blossoms in D.C., Balloon festival in Albuquerque, Chincoteague Island Pony Swim, etc.
  - Family event –
    - new baby being born,
    - family reunion,
    - graduation,
    - wedding,
    - 50th wedding anniversary
    - and so on…

6. How much?

Having a budget make things a lot less stressful. After you decide what, where, when, why and who, the last thing is the money. It becomes a lot easier when the first 5 parts of trip planning are done. (or maybe it should be the first thing… you decide)

For instance, if you go during high season, the area will most likely be more crowded and more expensive. But that may be the price you will need to pay to get what you want.

Be sure to budget for:

- Meals out, even if you are camping or staying with family.
- Hotel or campground fees
- Events
- Attractions
- Amusement parks
- Regional explorations
- Museum fees
- Extra shopping for souvenirs
- Toiletries – shampoo, sunscreen, over the counter medication
  - (these are much cheaper to get at home where you know the stores, but if you forget or run out, or the shampoo leaks during the plane trip…)
- Gas
- Parking
- Sporting Events
- Airplane fares and associated fees ( food, tips, etc)

Hopefully these 6 travel planning tips are helpful for you.

We have all had the odd trip where it seemed to be a disappointment and we couldn’t always put our finger on why. Planning ahead and understanding your “why” for going on the trip helps to focus your plans on your ideal vacation or extended trip.

To sum up, if you take these travel planning tips into consideration when you are dreaming about your next trip it will give you a much better handle on your travel plans.

Happy travel planning!

April 26, 2020May 18, 2020

Spending Time in Nature to Reduce Stress

Spending time in nature.

Lets face it. It is pretty stressful right now. I could go into all the different types of stress that is surrounding all of us at this time, but you know what they are. And they are different for everyone. So we need to find a way to naturally de-stress. It is now proven scientifically that spending time in nature, even only 20 minutes, can help lower our stress levels and cortisol

The lucky ones are those who can spend time with nature everyday. I am blessed to be one of them. Full time RV’ing can do that for you.

I am practicing being happy where I am.

When I started traveling full time last year, I thought I would be on the road and moving often, discovering new things. And I was. Every week was a new adventure. The very idea of this new way of life filled my heart and allowed me to let go of a more traditional way of living.

But now I have been stationary in our little trailer since last November.

6 months.

UGH.

And at least one more month to go.

I had only planned to be here through February. Stay here in the winter, ride out the winter cold in the balmy weather of central Florida, work with clients during this time and then back on the road.

Then back on the road. That was the plan.

Into Texas to see the Bluebonnets bloom, then on to New Mexico for a month to discover the “Land of Enchantment“. Or possibly a trip up the Natchez Trace. But a few lingering health problems pushed the deadline into March and then…Corona virus.

The night that all the state and national campgrounds closed early in March, I extended our stay for two months in a private campground.

This is a very pleasant park; safe, enjoyable, convenient to everything I need and close enough to drive to (previously) work with clients in the Tampa Bay area. But not very new and exciting.

Perhaps a sense of calm in this time of stress and uncertainty is exactly what is called for.

In the campground, there are a few quiet areas to just sit and contemplate.

This is one of my favorites. A lovely bench overlooks a wooded area filled with Cypress trees. Hundreds of white Ibis nest in this area every night. Flapping in all at once to get settled for the night is quite a sight to behold.

Bordered on another side by grazing cows in the lush fields dotted with ancient live oaks dripping in Spanish Moss.

Resurrection fern covers almost every oak in the park, green and luscious this time of year.

As we all deal with the stress and consequences of life with the Corona virus I am grateful for this peaceful area to quarantine in. I am, like all of us, trying to adapt to my circumstances.

This quote by Viktor Frankl impressed me today:

(download this book, Man’s Search for Happiness, for free here)

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

I have been, like many, bumping up against my former plans and what I am allowed to do at this time. I am choosing at this time to visit any local area that I am able to and write about it to give you a sense of adventure right near home, if the Tampa Bay area is where you live.(or where you are quarantined at this time!). Only a short drive from the theme parks in Orlando, but a world away in experience.

Lots of nature, kayaking on the springs of the Crystal River, exploring the historic homes in Floral City, (by car or foot, not going in) and the nature trail that runs through there-Withlacoochee State Trail , open for biking and walking.

I want to begin where I am.

So today I went for my daily walk around the park and photographed the lovely Florida Iris.

For years I had lamented the lack of traditional spring blooms in Florida. But Florida has its own beauty, if you know where to look. Jasmine, with its heavenly smell, gardenia blooms on bushes the size of trees and Florida Iris, just to name a few.

I have always loved the Florida Iris blossoms, partly because they remind me of the traditional iris blooms in the Midwest. Partly because they have a beauty all their own.

I created the image below to honor the beauty of this particular flower. If you would care to browse my other artwork please click here or on the image below.

Find time today to find peace in nature.

Thanks for reading. I hope I expand your view of the world and give you a few tips for creating your own gorgeous images.

If you would like to see more of my travels and hints for creating better travel pictures, please subscribe to this blog below.

Questions? Please let me know and I will answer!

September 28, 2019February 21, 2020

Hidden Treasures in Idaho + Photoshop tips

Stoddard Campground was a hidden treasure in Idaho. It was supposed to be a one night stopover on my way to elsewhere. A lot of these little out of the way campsites are becoming surprisingly pleasant. I was apprehensive because the review said ATV campground – read – NOISY!

But surprisingly not. It was quiet and lovely. I ended up staying a few nights instead of the one night stop over I had planned. All the ATV campers were in one area and had strict rules for while they were in the campground. And the ATV trails were far enough off to not be heard. Walking around the park provided me with these beautiful restful scenes.

One of my readers gave me insight into this particular forest. David Robinson let me know about the Aspen forests. “Did you know all those trees share a common root system as one huge organism. If you want to thicken the stand of trees you cut a few down and it sends up twice as many as replacements.”

Aspen tree groves are all linked to each other. I had no idea about this hidden network of root system that is tied to the healthy community of aspens.

Campground beauty in the trees and foliage.

Aspen Grove at Stoddard Creek Campground, Idaho

I approached both of these shots with a different eye. I liked the one above because it had the textures of the foliage on the ground, the dark evergreens to strengthen the image and the pattern of the aspens throughout. Because I cropped it with the rule of thirds it gave it more dynamic interest. Next, I brought it into Photoshop for a bit of post processing. I strengthened the color intensity of the ground foliage and brought the whites in the aspen bark back to where it should be.

Sometimes cameras don’t give you what you saw in the original scene, especially cell phones.

The second image to the left is much different to me. I positioned the leading line of the dead tree in the middle to bring the viewers eye into the scene.

Again, a short stop in Photoshop strengthened the greens and gave the white bark back its beautiful white contrast. If you don’t have Photoshop, and would like to get it, please follow this link.

You can have a subscription to it for under $10 per month for personal use and it is well worth the price if you are interested in making your photographs better.

If you use this link when you purchase, it helps support my blog and travels at no extra cost to you.

Great evergreens in Stoddard Creek Campground, Idaho

This third image I liked because of the size and strength of the evergreens. The circumference of the trunks was a stark contrast to the aspens. The bit of brightly colored fungi on the side of the trunk gives a bit more interest.

I positioned the tree so that the viewer could get grounded by seeing the bottom of the tree trunks and enough of the branches to get a sense of the scene.

By positioning the aspens in the back, it shows that they are secondary to the true focus of the image, instead of competing for center stage.

Next, a quick edit in Photoshop was done to strengthen the bark texture, the intensity of the greens and the yellows. Crisping up the whites again gave this image what it needed to turn from snapshot to an image that your eye wants to linger over.

Hidden treasures in Idaho – Opal Mining

While I was here, I tried my hand at mining. Ha ha ha!!

I always have loved opals. The colour variations, the way they catch the light and the beauty of the gem had always made it a favourite. So when I found the Spencer Opal mine not even 20 minutes from camp, I made it a priority to visit.

You don’t actually get to go into the mine, that it too dangerous for them apparently. But there is a great big pile of rocks that contain raw opal and you pay $20 to go in and mine for however long you want. Armed with a bucket, a water sprayer, gloves, and a shovel, in I went.

They give you a five-minute lesson on finding opals in the pile.

I think I needed more like an hour.

I was one of the first ones in, found a promising spot on the pile and sat down to dig. One of the workers came by with a sample of raw opal to help guide me in finding my hidden treasure.

Next, I dug down two feet. I was intent on finding a magnificent piece of opal! Digging, examining and spraying bits of rock with water to bring out the shine occasionally, afforded me nothing more than wet gloves. By using the water, you are apparently more able to recognize the opal in the rock. Still nothing.

Moved to another spot. Repeated procedure. Nothing.

Meanwhile around me was a younger couple, maybe mid 30’s and they were chest high in their rock digging. All the while letting each other know that they “found another one!”

Even young teenagers were finding opals.

But for me – NADA. Zip. Zero. Nothing.

When my backside wore out from sitting on rocks and my back gave in from bending over, I went with my measly 4 small rocks that I knew deep down were nothing and went to check out.

Yep, I was correct. Nothing.

I went to give back my sample opal piece and I think they took pity on me. They told me I could keep it.

Ugh. Pity Opal. Yes, here it is:

Hidden treasures – treats in Dell, Montana

Onward to a small town , Population 53, (yes, that is not a typo) to get a treat I had heard about from a fellow traveller.

He told me to be sure to stop in Dell, Montana at the little schoolhouse turned restaurant, for a cinnamon bun.

Well, after my opal mining fiasco, I figured I deserved a treat. So I stopped here and got one of the largest sticky buns I had ever layed eyes on. Almost 6” in diameter and at the outrageous price of… wait for it… $2.00! It really was a hidden treasure!

Apparently this little restaurant is quite a thing in the area. You should check it out if you are near there.

Calf-A Restaurant, Oregon Shortline Rd., Dell, Montana