Instagram as a social media platform has opened us to a world of beauty we never thought exist. To some, it has made them observe their environment and surroundings very well. And to some, it has shown them the different travel destinations that were never on their radar.
Are you the type that keeps wondering which is the best destination to go to. Here are tips that will guide you for choosing travel destinations for the year 2020. I am using the Nigerian environment for this but you can adapt it to your own country.
Tip 1: WHEN do you want to travel?
You need to figure out the vacation duration. For families, working parents do normally take their annual leave when the children are on a long holiday which is usually about a month.
For singles, you might look at the long Sallah holiday which lasts about five days or the Easter period, or holidays that last about three days and inclusive of the weekend makes it five long days. For those that love to use their leave for the vacation period, do take your leave around the periods that have many holidays.
Remember your leave is counted with working days, so with holidays in between, your leave period gets extended.
Tip 2: WHAT is your budget?
How much are you ready to spend? Having a budget adds a lot to the planning. Put pen to paper and breakdown your budgets into the following segments:
Transportation: Are you flying? Going by road? or sailing? DO your research for the period to determine the transport fare. Also, do a search for transport around town. Will you use Uber, or the normal taxis or even a bus? Research and do find an approximate price.
Food: Will you be eating out all day? If yes, how much are you willing or can afford daily on feeding? Will you be cooking? If you decide to cook your own meal, this will largely contribute to the type of accommodation you will get.
Accommodation: Will you use Airbnb or hotel or hostel? Does it have complimentary breakfast included? Can you cook on your own there? Answering all these questions help you determine the type of accommodation well suited for your stay.
When I travel outside the country with friends I do rent an apartment where we can share rooms comfortably with our own privacy and also be able to split the cost. And where possible I like to cook for I do miss pepper in my food.
NOTE: when you are using Airbnb you will pay utility bills most of the time. It is not included in your accommodation fee. Do take notice of this.
Tip 3: WHERE do you want to go and WHEN do you want to make the trip?
This has to do with the state, town or county. Do your research and learn about what to do when you get to the town. You can find travel guides for some activities and places to visit on my website.
Determine whether it is best to go during the rainy season or the dry season. If a waterfall is on your list, it is best to go immediately the rainy season is over so you can have a feel of the water been full than during the rainy season when it is impossible to move closer.
While some waterfall is okay to visit during the early dry season, some the year-round, but mostly it is advisable immediately after the rainy season.
Climate should determine what you will carry along in terms of clothes and shoes. Do not forget to check the season for when you will travel.
Tip 4: Determine Language Barriers.
Do you speak the native language? Can you communicate to pass by or you will need a translator? There are some places in Nigeria that you will need a translator, especially up north. But if you are traveling out of the country you can use apps like Duolingo or use google translator on your phone to get by.
Tip 5: Type of trip
There are different types of trips. Some go for shopping trips which is just to shop for clothes, shoes, and bags. Some go on business trips, some for a conference, some for adventures, some for food, resort or road trips. Which one are you interested in?
I do go on road trips most of the time. This means I do all my travels by road because I want to take in the view, be able to stop on the road to take pictures and engage with people.
What type of trip do you want to embark on? Once you have made up your mind, you can use all these tips to put together your itinerary for a trip.
Tip 6: Form of exit in case of emergencies
Do note how many types of exit are available in case of emergencies and you need to leave your location immediately. This is more important for people traveling by air, do make sure that there is a minimum of three airlines flying in and out of where you are.
I had a terrible experience over the new year when I decided to spend the New Year in Cape Verde with some of my friends.
Unknown to me it is only the aunty’s airline, Cabo Verde that flies directly to and from Nigeria.
On our departure day, we boarded but could not land in Nigeria, due to serious harmattan haze. Remember the weather tip? This came into play. I was in three countries and was in the air for almost 12 hours without getting to my destination. We were returned back to Cape Verde and was on whether we will be able to get home or not.
During this time traumatic experience I realized that there was no other airline that can get me out of the place except there own airline.
This was really an oversight and I promised to never make that mistake again. Though this can happen to anyone.
Wishing you a lovely year filled with adventures. Welcome to 2020
Thank you for reading, please do post your comments about this article, and do kindly share.
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ABOUT THE WRITER
Funmi Ajala is a visual storyteller, who uses the medium of photography, video, and writing to document travel, culture, festivals, portraits, and everyday people. She is profound for her travel stories and pictures. She documents her stories and pictures at funmiajala.com. She can be reached at Fa@funmiajala.com
