In May – July, 2017, I kicked off a solo trip to Asia. It was a huge planning project, and I would like to share my planning process for this trip in this blog post.
Choosing a Destination
For me, I did not even know where I wanted to go. I had a ton of destinations on my to-go list, but I had no idea which ones to pick, where to start, and how to arrange the route. The only thing I knew was that, I finally graduated, I needed to do a grad trip.
First, the most important question to ask is what is your purpose of this trip. Is this for exploring new cultures & local experiences, relaxation, or food? Do you like big cities, small towns, beaches, or mountains? Do you like to walk? Do you drive? How many hours would you feel comfortable to be outside? Usually, if you end up in a big city, then you’ll likely be taking the public transitions, so be prepared to know how to read their map and subway schedules, etc. If you end up in outdoors (e.g., national park), then you’ll likely be driving around, so make sure that you get your international driver’s license if necessary. Also, there’s a big difference between travel and vacation. Generally speaking, traveling is much more energy consuming and tiring, and requires long day walkings, while vacation typically involves relaxation, sitting by the beach reading a book, doing water sports, etc. Think about these questions and do some research online, and you’ll find that your endless list of destinations will shrink quite a bit!
