Advice On Planning A Trip Around The World

A round the world trip planner can be a number of things.

It can be an online device that allows you to pick and choose a selection of destinations and then brings up a series of options for you to consider.

It can be something as simple as pinpointing places in an atlas that you'd like to visit and then doing the necessary research until you're happy with your choices.

Also, a round the world trip planner can involve little more than picking up a book on some of the destinations you're interested in, and booking flights and accommodation based on the recommendations you find.

The point we're making is that while all three of the round the world trip planner methods we've mentioned above have their merits, the only person who knows the best method to use is you.

With any round the world trip planner technique comes an element of pinning the tail on the donkey. Such is the scope of embarking on a project of this size that without proper research beforehand your round the world trip planner efforts will end up a big mess.

Here are our top five things to consider before you put your particular round the world trip planner into effect.

1) Consider your budget.

It's all very well having an online program pinpoint the best, most sumptuous hotels, best flight times and the like as you carefully work out how you plan to explore this great globe of ours, but without proper finances in place, your round the world trip planner technique of choice will fail before you leave your front door.

Consider budget flights, budget transport and cheaper accommodation. Also, try to avoid tourist traps. Some of the greatest destinations are those somewhat off the beaten track - you'll find they tend to be cheaper, too.

2) Value local knowledge.

So, you've worked out your budget and your round the world trip planner technique is looking foolproof.

Great, except given you won't have set foot in the majority - if not all - of the destinations you plan to visit, you could do a lot worse than research each country and each town you plan on visiting.

There are plenty of online travel forums where people with an intimate knowledge of an area are waiting to field your questions. Use them. They often have information at their fingertips you couldn't possibly know through simply reading guides plucked from a bookshelf.

3) Compartmentalise your trip.

As crucial a part of a round the world trip planner as you'll find. It's a big old world out there. How do you intend to get from A to B and B to C, and all the way through to Z? By breaking the world - and your trip - into slightly more bite-size pieces (for example, continent by continent) you can begin to get some semblance of the enormity of the task you're taking on.

4) Consider where you are now.

It's obvious but you'd be amazed how many people at the round the world trip planner stage of their dream trip fail to take account of their starting point. There's little point jetting off halfway round the world to begin with if one of the dream destinations on your list is just down the road. Start at the beginning and work out, do it methodically and you won't fail.

5) Make sure you can go.

The big one. If by this point you're approaching genius status as a round the world trip planner, it'll count for nothing if one of your destinations is in a warzone, or you're travelling to south east Asia in monsoon season. Research the meteorological and political climates before committing to anything.

Follow these five steps and before you know it you'll be a round the world trip planner machine!

I know how stressful planning a trip can be - small things can get in the way of what really should be a hassle-free experience, and money can be tight.