How to Plan Your Slow Travel

Planning your travel itinerary depends upon your goals. For us we knew we wanted to spend the year in Europe because it related to our heritage. Initially, the countries swirled in front of us as we got excited about one place, then another. Each time we came together for a date, we would excitedly tell each other about the latest country, region, or city we explored virtually. Thank you, YouTube and the internet for immediate information gathering. For us, we knew we wanted to see some of the great sights of the world (Eiffel Tower, Roman Colosseum, Venetian Canals, etc.), but our goal was to balance those places with places people actually LIVE. We enjoy the quieter, natural aspects of the world and do not need to be constantly entertained by noise, parties, or electronics. While we were still working in the United States, it was easy to get lost in the dream of travel. Given plenty of time to plan, we were able to identify, shift, and re-identify the cities, transportation logistics, entertaining activities, and accommodations.

If you read our last blog Safety, Security, and Voluntary Pivot, then you know we have gone back to the drafting table to find a new location that will replace 30 days in southern Spain (5 cities we planned to visit). So, how do we decide where to go next?

1. Research the rules. How long can we legally stay in any country without a visa? Example: Since Spain was a country in the Schengen Zones, we want to replace it with another country within the Schengen Zone to balance our 90/180 day rule.

2. Make a list of the countries or cities which seem interesting to visit. Example: Prague (because it is beautiful, Germany (for the historical lessons), Greece (for the history, but which island or city?)

3. Analyze the logistics.

   a. How do we get from this location to that location? Fly? Train? Ferry?

   b. Once we get to the new country or city, how do we travel within the new location? Bus? Train? Car?

4. Begin listing all the activities you might want to do in those countries.

   a. Germany: Berlin Wall, Bavarian Architecture, The Rising of Nazi Power, Concentration Camps, Food, Rivers, Day trips, etc.

   b. Greece: The Acropolis, Santorini Architecture, Epidaurus Theater, Thessaloniki, Kalavryta Holocaust Museum, Olive and Grape Harvests, Food, Beaches, etc.

5. Consider your budget. Numbio is a great way to get a feel for the cost of a city, then do a search on Hotels.com, Booking.com, Airbnb, or VRBO to see if the general cost of accommodations (the most expensive part of travel) will fit into your plans.

6. Review the locations of your desired activities, then narrow down the most common homebase location through geography and transportation. Example: If we made the German home base Frankfurt, then we could fan out to other countries (France, Belgium, Luxemburg) or cities because of the great train system.

Slow travel planning (4+ weeks in each location) was rather easy when we had plenty of time to plan and sort out our wants, desires, and resources. We could go to bed at night and let our subconscious dream and sort out the successes and pitfalls of a location. We aren’t sure how fast travelers (people who spend a week or less in each location) get all of the planning done. As we work through the decision to pivot away from Spain to a new location, we will keep you informed. Nothing is set in stone until the tickets are bought.

So, if you are at home and considering travel, let your imagination soar like the wings of a bird. Read a magazine, search the internet, watch some YouTube, and look at pictures. Consider all the large well known places people travel (Munich, Athens, Paris, Rome), then tippy toe just outside the bigger cities. Chances are you will find a treasure nearby that would better meet your needs or budget. The more you dive into a region, the faster your travel plans will take shape as you decide yes, I want to _____, but no, I don’t want to _____. Happy Travels!