words Al Woods
It’s time to plan your vacation, and you find yourself completely overwhelmed; like a fish out of water. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Most people get stressed when planning their vacation because there really is so much to think about! The worst thing is to be caught unprepared, stressed, broke, or lost, and it can really make a great vacation turn miserable quick. For this reason, I’ve listed a few ways on how to make the most out of your vacation below:
Preplan
I know you may not be much of a planner, or maybe you are one, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to preplan your trip. The more you plan now, the less you have to plan later. So do your research, ask questions and really acknowledge what you and your partners want out of your trip. Maybe one of you wants to be lazy on the beach; maybe someone else wants to take day trips and stay busy. Everyone is different, and it’s important to meet somewhere in the middle so everyone can enjoy their time together.
Slow Down
Even if you are a busy body, don’t over plan your trip. Expect delays, expect the unexpected to happen, and allow time to rest and relax your body. You don’t want to come home from your vacation exhausted and needed another vacation! So do your best to plan well, but don’t overpack the schedule; and please, don’t be too anal about the timing. Allow yourself to be flexible; if it ends up raining one day, don’t let it completed throw you off track with nothing to fall back on. Allow some slow days, some quiet days to just enjoy being together. Flexibility is key.
Plan for Wait Times
Sometimes activities get booked up quickly or have long line ups. Planning for those wait times is going to ensure you don’t miss out on any of your already planned activities. It can be extremely stressful when you’re caught waiting in line for your tour, end up missing your lunch reservations, and are late to the night event you had planned. Now you’re stressed, hungry and not in a good place to enjoy your evening with friends and entertainment. Allow yourself time to wait in line, stroll slowly to take in the sights, and be quick on your feet for any changes that may occur.
Budget
At the beginning of your trip, create a budget and stick to it. I find all-inclusive resorts to be the best for those on a budget. There are have plenty of Bahamas vacation rentals to choose from, and you can rest assured that you won’t have to pay more than the original ticket price (except for souvenirs of course). Think about your food consumption, your travel cost, drinks, entertainment, and extra activities; all of this can add up very quickly, and the best way to combat unexpected cost, is to grab a great deal on an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas.
Be Friendly
Allow yourself to make friends while you’re away. Step a little bit out of your comfort zone and get to know the people you’re with. Even if you know you may never see them again, making friends while you’re gone can really make or break your trip. Not to mention, all the things and stories you can hear; it will create a really interesting dynamic and give you the opportunity to learn and experience the world through someone else’s eyes. You don’t want to spend your entire trip alone, or stuck with your travel partner (we all know how fast we can get sick of the same person); so expand your horizons and allow yourself to enjoy the people around you, not just the places!
Be Grateful
I wanted to include this last point because I think it’s so important to enjoying anything in life; especially things like vacations. Not everyone is able to enjoy fancy trips or luscious resorts; so, don’t forget to enjoy every single moment and be grateful for the opportunity. Show appreciation to any workers, servers, or personnel that you are happy to run into. Your enjoyment depends on their job, so a little gratitude towards them can go a long way in making your stay that much more comfortable and fun.
No matter where you end up vacationing; I hope you have fun! And make sure you stay safe. There’s so much to see in the world, so much to experience. Take as many vacations as you can to really enjoy life and appreciate this gorgeous world we share. Don’t forget to soak up the stories, hug some new friends, and take plenty of pictures to show off to your loved ones at home!
