HOW WE ARE PLANNING OUR TRAVELS

Ever since we set up Make Travel Fair in 2006 we've been busy scratching at our itchy feet, eager to get back on the road for more experiences and lessons in the 'unreported world'.

A while ago we decided that we'd take 6 consecutive months out of 2008, pack a bag and put some wind back in our sails. It's been a few years now since any of us planned a long trip away so we thought we'd share with you how we are going about it.

1. Decide how long you've got.
2. List the places you'd like to go and things you'd like to see.
3. List any time constraints you have to factor in. Do you need to be somewhere at a particular time? Are there any festivals/events you want to experience?
   
4. Which places on your list (probably long list) of destinations are most easily linked in terms of travel in the time you have available? - don't try and do too much.
   
5. How do you want to travel? Land, sea, air? combination?
6. What is the best time of year to be where you want to go? remember that southern hemisphere seasons are opposite to the northern hemisphere. This may dictate the direction you travel in or the activities you can expect to do.
7. A plan is always a rough sketch to be altered as you progress but it is essential to structure and manage your time.
   

Useful online tools:

• Google: My Maps - Stick a pin in places you'd like to visit and draw on your route.
• YouTube - Useful videos about journeys and places all around the world

Other research methods:

• Guidebooks are gold mines of information, especially on little known destinations and border crossings. Spend a few hours in a bookstore having a thumb through relevant guides and take some notes.