Un-planning the Perfect Trip

In a world where everything is so neatly planned and organized, it can be quite refreshing to do something spontaneous and out of the norm, like travel at the last minute. When we think of a vacation, many of us have a destination, time, and plan in mind.

Not that this is a bad thing, but the thrill of travelling is discovering the unknown, which we often miss out on because we are so busy planning and researching every minute detail about our destination. However, coordinating a trip at the last minute, maybe just weeks or days before, can be an invigorating and exciting experience.

A few years ago, a couple of my friends phoned me and said they had spotted a great deal on-line for a one-week all-inclusive package in Cuba. The trip was in 2 weeks and coincided with my vacation time from work. My first impulse was to tell them, "No, I can't," because it was such short notice. Luckily, I went home, thought about it, and decided to give the trip a try.

We went to Cuba and had a terrific time at a fraction of what it would have cost if we hadn't taken advantage of the deal. The trip was spontaneous and full of adventure, since we had only enough time to get a general idea of what to do once we got there. We didn't actually plan out our days or schedule sightseeing tours or organize our trip before we went.

While I can certainly see the importance of being prepared, travelling on a whim can spice up your experience with a sense of excitement and wonder.