The key to a great trip is quality preparation

An opportunity to be alone with oneself, a reboot for the brain, and, finally, new impressions... According to Oksana Isidorova, travel gives us all this. Oksana has long been fond of tourism and is ready to share with her readers her best practices so that any trip will bring only positive emotions and pleasant memories.

Журнал «Народний банкір» №16/2021

The night before departure, when you pack your suitcase. The moment you get on the plane... A moment of delight! You are in anticipation of seeing the world, and you will be able to feel a different life in another country (city). All this is preceded by choice of the route, the distribution of the budget, careful planning. But first things first.

«It doesn't matter if you go on a trip with a large company or come up with a vacation on your own; it doesn't matter if it's far abroad or another city in Ukraine. The main thing in rest is changing the picture.»

What is needed for a successful start or a Must have for beginners

First of all, a positive attitude towards the trip is important. Even if something does not work out as planned, be prepared to say to yourself: "But I saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa." You need to be calm about failures on trips, not to be disappointed, try again and again.

Oksana's love of travel began with a 10-day route that ran through small towns in France and ended in Paris. Where to start is up to you. The main thing is to study the country you are going to. Namely:

Finances. Of course, it is beneficial and convenient to use a card on any journey. But you should always have some cash with you, because you do not know in advance, for example, it will be possible to pay for transportation from the airport to the destination. Therefore, find out in advance what currency is in this country, in which bank the most favorable exchange rate is. Then you can, while walking around the city, find this bank and exchange currency. For Europe, for example, it is enough to have with you, in addition to the card, 100 euros in cash.
Local transport. Venice is water transport, Amsterdam is a tram, and New York is a subway. Find out which transport is in priority and how to pay. Everywhere has its own nuances. In addition, in 90% of cases, you can get cheap from the airport by public transport, and not by taxi.
Traditions, taboos, difficulties that exist in the country. If Europe is close to us in spirit, then we need to prepare very seriously for specific countries, for example India. Watch the video, chat with the people who were there. Indeed, in these countries you may face difficulties with food, hygiene on the streets, transport.

Журнал «Народний банкір» №16/2021

Lifehack for organizing a budget trip

So, you have a certain budget for your vacation. Start preparations on planning expenses for transportation (including flight or train tickets, bus), accommodation, meals, daily expenses for souvenirs, excursions, and the like. Knowing the amount in each expense item makes it easier to spend wisely.

1. Buying tickets.

If you buy a ticket shortly before departure, never do it for the first price you hit. Track the cost of tickets every day and buy them when you see that the price is more or less adequate. Mobile banking will help you – you can purchase a ticket at any convenient time.

It is better not to use agencies to buy tickets. In addition, to the fact that their working hours are limited (usually from 10.00 to 19.00, unlike airlines that are in touch with you around the clock), difficulties may also arise in a ticket exchange or its refund. As a rule, such issues with airlines are easier and faster to resolve. Based on the reviews, you can find out which airlines are more profitable for which country and track prices on their websites.
Everyone knows about the difference in the cost of tickets in economy class and business class. Still, many do not realize that you can also buy a ticket at different prices for the same seat in economy class. It's not a secret for anyone: the earlier you buy, the cheaper.

The story from Oksana Isidorova. I was going on vacation to Thailand. I started looking for tickets three weeks in advance. Prices didn't fall, and it was expensive. In the end, I bought a ticket the night before departure, even at a lower cost than I had planned for myself. How did it happen? I refreshed the page every three hours. At that moment, when I was about to go outside for a walk with the dog, I did it again – and I was lucky. Immediately, on the doorstep of the house, I paid for the ticket. Fortunately, mobile banking is always at hand.

2. Accommodation/meals. Many people are mistaken in thinking that good hotels are only 5 stars. When choosing a hotel via the Internet, look at the room itself, what it is, what area, how long it has been renovated (often it is in the reviews), the location of the hotel regarding attractions (transport costs depend on this). On Booking and TripAdvisor, in 90% of cases, hotel and room information matches reality. If you want to save money on food or have a special approach to food, pay attention to apart-hotels, which have a separate small kitchen. This is also convenient in those cases when you have only three days and do not want to waste time and energy looking for a place to eat.

The story from Oksana Isidorova. Many people are mistaken in thinking that good hotels are only 5 stars. When choosing a hotel via the Internet, look at the room itself, what it is, what area, how long it has been renovated (often it is in the reviews), the location of the hotel regarding attractions (transport costs depend on this). On Booking and TripAdvisor, in 90% of cases, hotel and room information matches reality. If you want to save money on food or have a special approach to food, pay attention to apart-hotels, which have a separate small kitchen. This is also convenient in those cases when you have only three days and do not want to waste time and energy looking for a place to eat.

​

Журнал «Народний банкір» №16/2021

3. Transport. Getting around the city in a taxi is expensive. Find out what public transport is in the city and its schedule, tariff, and form of payment. There is one more plus in moving by such transport – the opportunity to plunge into the local flavor. Leave taxis for emergencies, for example, if you get lost or do not agree in time with your bus schedule.

The avid tourist's set

Make a list of things (of course, except for a card, cash, and documents) that you think you will need on any trip. For Oksana, these are, for example, hygiene items, a minimum set of linen, a travel folding iron, and... a small coffee maker with a jar of favorite coffee. Also, lists of things compiled separately for European countries and long-distance travel will not be superfluous depending on the season. Remember to write down the addresses of the places you would like to visit. All lists are best kept on your phone. 

Before the trip, download a convenient application for yourself, where there is a subway map, convenient interchanges, a map of the area, and the like are shown. Many travel apps offer loyalty programs. For example, “check-in at the hotel through the application – you will immediately receive a 10% discount on accommodation”. Or if you buy a ticket to a concert, museum, etc., you will pay 2 euros cheaper. This is how a budget trip is formed: there I saved 2 euros, there 10%. Therefore, mobile apps are a good tool for budget travel.

Enjoy your travels!

View the entire issue