Introduction: Travel without a Plan
For us, travelling without a plan is the best thing ever. That is how we got some of the best experiences ever and we would recommend everyone to travel this way, at least once in a lifetime. Last minute trip is the best.
Of course, it did not happen overnight, and we step by step got there. After years of travelling and having lived as someone planning our trips and also travelling without a plan. Here will be
Table of Contents
7 Proven Tips to Travel without a Plan
Don’t make a plan
This does not mean that you need to have zero idea about what your travel will be like. You still need to get some idea about what you would love to see or visit.
For our last 3 months trip to South America, we only had one thing in mind. We want to visit south America. It does not matter where and when.
So, every day we were checking plan ticket cost to South America until we found one that accommodated us. And there we go; we bought a go and return ticket (because it is the same price as a one-way ticket in our case) to South America in two weeks.
Of course, we knew that we were planning on travelling around 3 months. And so, once we had our ticket, we simply made a quick draft of where we could go. We pinned it on our google map, booked a hostel for 2 nights when we arrive and leave.
We then saw day by day what we would do and where we would go.
Or just a small one
Now that you are going, let’s still discover the highlight and pinned them down. You may not know where exactly you will be going along your journey, but you could have some ideas.
Also, one thing, is that if you really wish to visit main landmarks (wonders of the world), you may need to start checking them out now and not wait the day before. Some place can’t be visited last minute.
Be flexible
Being flexible with the dates are the best. This is also going to make you able to save money. Why take a plane today when you could get the same one twice cheaper in 2 days?
Travelling without a plan will make you able to be flexible and get some of the best deal ever.
You like it here, then stay
When we changed placed travelling, we checked quickly what there are to see and to do and then book a place to stay at the last minute. Sometimes we booked 1 night, sometimes 2 or 3. It depends where we are heading.
But often we found yourselves liking the place. As we do not have a plan we can afford to stay longer and just extend our stay.
Sometimes we extend one day, and then another day and so on.
Don’t expect anything
That is one of our core rules! In travel, in life, we try as much as we can not to expect anything. This way, we cannot be frustrated to having it.
Especially if you travel last minute and without a plan. Sometimes you gonna found a beautiful and cheap stay on Airbnb or booking but it a second it will go away. Don’t get angry, it’s how it is.
Also, sometimes, we wanted to stay one more night in a place we really liked, but it wasn’t possible, even though we already extended. Well, it happens. Time to move on to other accommodations or simply to move on to another place.
Be ready for the unexpected
You won’t be able to get everything right, and even if you are a backpacker and budget your travel, there are some things you can’t control.
We found ourselves in south of Brazil, needing to buy a bus ticket without cash with us. Tried our CB a couple of time, but no luck there. We had to go to an ATM that was charging CRAZY HUGE fee to get the money. What else to do, we had to move on.
We also found yourselves, on a long overnight bus, arriving to a new city without a place to go. We often try to book for 1 day, so today we will book for tomorrow if we can. But sometimes it doesn’t always work.
This kind of situation will most likely appear if you travel without a plan.
Bargain your stay
One great thing if you are to extend you stay in one place or if you go to the accommodations by yourself is that you will be able to bargain the price.
Lots of time, when we arrived in a hostel/hotel without a reservation, we got a better deal from what we had found online. So, reach the hotel directly, call them or send them an email to get the best deal.
For AirBnb, we often book one or two night and then if we need to extend, we go to the host right away and pay in cash. That way you can get a cheaper stay.
I Would Rather Own a Little and See the World Than Own the World and See a Little of It
