PLAN YOUR TRIP
In this article we’ll help a little on how to organize your trip. In all our trips we have done everything for ourselves, without resorting to travel agencies. If you don’t have time and if you don’t like adventure and take some risk alone, well, this article is not for you. Travel agencies are really for that, to help you with everything and to research and plan everything for you.
We do a lot of research, we read a lot of travel blogs and we participate in some Facebook groups (we now also have one, just search on the gay groups tab Gay Men On the Go) in search of help and sometimes even in deciding a new destination. Sometimes we start planning almost a year in advance. The more time we have in advance the better, the more time you have to know and organize everything. For us this research is not a sacrifice or waste of time, because we like it, you get to know a lot and get the feeling that you are already visiting.
– First what you have to know is whether you want sun, snow, beach or/and city or a mix of the two.
– You have to know what dates you have available to make your trip, then research what the weather is like in X month to see if those dates are good to visit.
– Start searching for flight prices. We researched several price comparison sites such as Momondo and Skyscanner.
– The more time available for the trip the better. For us, it does not pay to make a trip of almost 24 hours by plane and then be at the destination only a week. If you go to Asia, for example, coming from Europe, at least 18 days in the destination is already good. Try to add your free days with weekends.
– You chose the destination and you will travel from north to south on a visit. For example, when we went to Vietnam, we entered the country through Hanoi and left through Ho Chi Min. It’s often cheaper and it’s more convenient to enter a country through one city and leave on another that will be your last destination. Even if it’s not cheaper, if you go backwards to leave where you entered, you have to think that there will be costs in the backwards.
– After buying the flight, don’t forget, always make a travel insurance. If you do it through us with Iati Insurance you have 5% discount right away: find it HERE.
– After choosing the destination, the search for accommodation begins. Here it will depend on what you need. For us the location is the main point, then safety and cleanliness. Research where to stay in the X city. Another aspect that we always keep in mind is that we like to go out at night so we always try to stay in accommodations where we can move on foot to those places. By day it’s always easier to use public transport.
– Speaking of public transport, research if there is Metro or train (easier to travel than a bus). If you normally use Uber app, research if it exists in that city. For example in Asia there’s no Uber but Grab and sometimes others.
– When booking your accommodation, the sites often ask for a credit card: never use your personal one. Create a virtual card such as Revolut. If you don’t have an account with Revolut, use OUR CODE and receive a free physical card, which you can then use also on your trip. You recharge it as needed and this way you keep your personal bank account protected.
– What to see in the destination is what we research as well. It often pays more to go and visit something through a tour, because it can be cheaper and you end up visiting some more attraction or out of convenience. The website or app that we recommend with the best price is Get Your Guide and you can find links in our city reports.
– Always check whether a visa or pre-authorization is required to enter the country, as well as whether it’s necessary to take any vaccine and passport. Many countries where a visa is required it’s possible to handle everything online, so that when you arrive at the destination it’s faster to cross the border and avoid queues, as well as problems in having to pay the visa and photos on arrival.
– Also check if there’s a fee to be paid when leaving the country. If that is the case, don’t forget to keep that amount in cash, because on leaving most countries do not accept card payments.
– If you go, for example, with 4 friends, it’s sometimes worthwhile to rent a car for internal and long trips. Check if you can drive in that destination. We suggest renting with Rentcars.com.
– Check if it’s easy to take public transport from the airport to your accommodation. After a long flight we prefer to always have the convenience of having a transfer waiting for us. One of our predefined transfers is Zip Transfers, but it does not exist in all countries.
– At the time of packing the suitcase, take the essentials. For example in Thailand or Vietnam there are many laundries on the street, it’s easy, cheap and you avoid going loaded with a lot of clothes.
– Take a rope in your suitcase and clothes pegs. Sometimes you can wash small pieces of clothing in the bathroom and if you have a balcony, the rope will be very useful.
– Always take a roll of toilet paper with you on your tours and trips. You never know if it won’t be necessary.
– Don’t forget your medications and always take painkillers, anti-inflammatories, anti-istaminics for allergies, anti stomach heartburn, sunscreen, mosquitoes repellent among others
– A small flashlight can be useful, you never know where you are going and may be needed. Also take batteries.
– If you take hand baggage and checked baggage, in the hand baggage always take a simple change of clothes as well as underwear, to prevent in case of the checked bag is late or lost.
– If you have, take a waterproof bag, just in case.
– Always leave empty space in your baggage so you can bring some souvenirs.