1. Plan with Multiple Outcomes in Mind

Determine which outcome is the most important to you: time, cost, risk, comfort and do your planning accordingly. Always have a plan B, just in case the weather doesn’t want you there.

2. Consult with your friends

It is always fun to ask your friends and family about their experiences than read long impersonal lists with recommendations. These people are passionate about where they traveled to and want to share their experiences with you! You’ll be surprised to see that a simple question about “What shall I eat in Spain?” will get you a really helpful essay in return.

3. Okeey, consult TripAdvisor and Yelp as well

The truth is, we can’t avoid these sites. They are too good not to take them into consideration, but there’s also a trick. Focus on the three star reviews. These are often the most helpful, detailed, and honest reviews from other travelers and these reviews will often discuss both the pros and cons of a particular place/activity you are looking into.

And then you find yourself overwhelmed with information. Your browser has 20 open tabs and you can’t seem to give all the information a framework. If only you could write everything nicely down… and take that information with you in Spain, right?

My advice: move offline. And build the habit of writing.

Write down your planning.

Write down your memories.

Ah by the way! Did you know that taking too many photos can actually undermine your memories of a trip? This is because you are solely relying on your camera to make memories for you. So, starting a travel journal might be a good idea in order to completely emerge with all your senses into the trip.