Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nodded, his mouth full of Edam cheese. “Sounds great, baby. We'll get online tonight and
start to look for hotels. But now try this Edam. Lekker!”
In order to maximize your enjoyment of planning your trip, let's now consider the various
levels of planning:
1.
Practical
. No matter where you visit, you'll need lodging, food, and trans-
portation. You'll also almost certainly need an up-to-date passport, and you
may need a tourist visa or vaccination records. In addition, you'll need a big-
picture itinerary, with an idea of which cities or towns you'd like to visit.
2.
Cultural
. When visiting a foreign country, especially for the first time, tra-
ditional tourist sites should still be visited regardless of how clichéd they
may seem—there's a reason these sites are famous. For instance, a visit to
the Eiffel Tower is essential for the first-time visitor to Paris. That said, more
enriching experiences wait for those who look a little deeper. For example,
perhaps your chosen destination has created a style of music that is uniquely
its own, such as the Portuguese fado music found in Lisbon. On a visit to
Lisbon, your Portuguese may or may not be sufficiently far along to under-
stand the lyrics sung at the Casa do Fado, or “House of Fado,” but the ex-
perience of hearing this haunting music in a classic location will likely stay
with you forever—I know it has with me. Your research should seek out op-
portunities for such experiences.
3.
Personal
. For this level of planning, you should look back at why you chose
your destination in the first place. Perhaps as a child you were struck by
the beauty of Venice's pigeon-filled Piazza San Marco as it appeared be-
fore you on a movie screen, or perhaps catching international footage of soc-
cer played in the Maracanã Stadium filled you with a desire to visit Rio de
Janeiro. Whatever your motivations, something about your destination ap-
pealed to you, and the more personal you can make your journey, the more
easily you'll be carried away by the planning process.
