Planning My 2019 Travel

I’d planned a whole trip to travel and live in New Zealand for 2018.

I also planned a trip after my university graduation that took me two and a half months in 2015.

So, why was it that when it came to planning my next year (2019 at the time), it proved a little difficult 🤔?

You’d think these things get easier as time goes by huh?

Nah, they don’t.

Yes, you may become more fluent in stalking flights, knowing what websites to check, knowing who to go to for certain things. But, what doesn’t get easier is deciding what you want and where you’re going to go.

These things are constantly changing because you are constantly changing.

You’re growing. You’re experiencing. So your travel wants will do the same.

I quickly learnt that for me, there were two major steps to the planning process:

1. Decide what you want and where to go
2. Decide HOW.

The first and most important place to start is to literally sit and ask yourself :

“What do you want?”

No. It is not an easy thing to do.

First, you have to admit that you gotta talk to yourself. Second, you have to be truthful to yourself too. *Corny alert* “Listen to your heart” or in the words of a great person I know “Do what your heart tells you”.

Side note: In one of my previous posts (which you can find here), I shared “how” I ‘listen to myself’ to discover what it is I want to do. In case you missed it though, I’ll give a mini recap.

Sit, and tap into that place that’s full of love, hurt or what ever emotion you may be feeling at the time and ask yourself where you would truly like to see yourself and what you truly would like to be doing when you plan to travel. What is it you’d like to accomplish? What is it you’d like to see? Where is it you’d like to go?

After asking these questions to yourself, hopefully your heart would’ve tugged at the answers that ‘spoke’ to you. And there. You have an inkling of what it is you actually want.

Next, write them down.

You made your heart achieve what it wanted to in your mind, regardless of whether you thought you ‘can’ or ‘can’t at the moment.

The question now is, how can you make them happen?

“The How”

Let’s go off the premise of never say never.

What do you need to think about that may affect your travel plans? First thing is usually money. Are there mortgage/car payments? Kids? Loans? Your business? Your partner? Your work? Time off? Your family? A visa?

You also have to think about the courage and guts, positivity and you know, all the ‘mental stuff’ for which the list goes on and on.

But the point is, you made a list (Did you make a list? If not, go make one right now). After making this list, you can now ‘see’ your dream and what it is you think is standing in the way of you and it.

Now, there are numerous things you could add to your list, but ONLY jot down the major major ones (try keep it to 5 – under 10 if you must go past).

Then, problem solve.

Come up with realistic ways you can work around each thing on your list.

It’s all about problem solving.

Oh, did I mention this is gunna take time?

Cause it will. Planning doesn’t seem like a big thing, but it is.

Case Study: Global Gyal travel 2019

While I planned my 2019 trip (in my case move actually), after doing all of the above, I landed on Australia. I wasn’t ready to move back home and it was technically ‘right there’ (next to New Zealand). So, why not?

Here’s a bit of insight into how I planned and what I had to take into consideration to do it.

(This is almost verbatim of the list I wrote for myself #copyandpaste)

Date written: 3rd September 2018

Place selected: Australia – 2019.

How long do I want to be over there for? – 3 months, 6months, a year?

1 year, granted I can go home for carnival, find a full/part time job in something I enjoy, I like the weather and I actually enjoy being in Australia.

6 months would be the sweet spot granted, I find a full/part-time job in something I enjoy and I actually enjoy being in Australia (and I skip the cold weather).

What are things I need to take into consideration? My Obstacles?

1. Loan – What do I do? How do I solve it? Options: A, B, C
2. How long can I stay away from home?
   1. I think you can do a year. It’ll be a challenge. But you can.
3. NGO I’m involved with.
   1. May need me back in time for September 2019
4. Family
   1. Not dire, but need to keep in mind with my plan.

If I actually return home in June/July of 2019, what are my options?

1. Work for Not for Profit – full/part-time
2. Work & do Zumba/Soca fitness classes
3. Work & teach ballet/dance

Are these all things you would enjoy doing? – 1 & 2 yes

If you go to Australia to work, what would you do?

1. Could work in a company that does training and facilitation.
2. Could study something that is in that field.

**The End of list** – Simple and to the point.

Now, there you have it folks

….my thoughts, some advice and even an example of planning a travel/move in your life.

This is just the beginning of the planning stages, but the important thing is, it’s a start.

You just need to start.