Friday, June 26, 2015

Road to France Pt. V - One Month to Go!

29 days!

I can’t believe that France is only a month away, but I’m sure that my friends and family are relieved. I’ve been able to talk about nothing but my vacation since I booked it in March, and my mania becomes even more intolerable the closer the departure date gets. A large chunk of my weekends are spent creating my insanely detailed itineraries, I’m spending a small fortune preparing for the trip, and focusing on anything else is a true test.

So with only a month left until take-off, what does a type-A traveler like myself do? Here’s a peek into the insanity that is my brain.
  • Finalize the Itinerary – For me, finalizing the itinerary is a project and a half. Each of my days is broken down by the tourist attractions, food, and activities I have planned. Then I sit down with my Streetwise map and my laptop to get down to the nitty gritty. I try to plan out days based on the proximity of one site to the next, the hours they open and close, and also when my admission tickets and tours are scheduled. It’s like trying to solve a Rubix Cube at first, but it’s a great feeling when things begin to fall into place. 
  • Gather all the tickets/documents – I’m fortunate enough to have Go-Today.com for my travel documents and flight details, but there are always advanced tickets and tours to think of too. I print everything out and put it together in a folder with my itinerary for easy access. This folder and my passport are my lifelines when I'm abroad.
  • Create lists – I create lists for everything.  What I need to buy, what I need to pack in my suitcase, my carry-on, and even my handbag, what has to be packed shortly before I leave for the airport, etc. I told you I was type A! I’ll start getting my million and one lists together a few weeks before I go and make sure they’re as detailed as possible. 
  • Last minute shopping – Toiletries, memory cards, travel adapters, and maybe a few new holiday outfits will all be purchased in the next few weeks. Mom and I have already been stockpiling toiletries and clothing, but this is do-or-die time. 
  • Beautifying – With vacations come that desire to be pampered, at least for me. I already have my hair appointment scheduled but the Saturday before I leave, I’ll spend the morning getting a mani-pedi and getting waxed. I should get to feel like a pampered princess at least once a year!
  • Packing – Packing is so much more fun when you're going, isn't it? Thanks to my intense habit of making lists, packing is usually a breeze!  This is obviously one of the last things I do, but I do try to get the bulk of my packing done the day before so I'm not stressing out hours before I have to go to the airport.

2 comments:

  1. Ooooh, have fun! I've briefly been to France a couple of times, but not actually gone there on holiday!

    A Little Twist Of…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I'm very much looking forward to it!

      Delete