Last-Minute Travel Works!

Melbourne

I seem to be a 'last-minute' traveler these days. That is something VERY new for me, you know after being the queen of planning and organizing everything to the minute detail for most of my life. For as long as I can remember, I PLAN and I LIST and I PLAN more.

However, lots can happen when you blow your life up and leave the country without much of a plan! Yes, you can get stuck in staying in places that aren't that wonderful, travel for what seems like a hundred hours to get somewhere, and not be able to get money because the US thinks Albania is sketchy, but more often wonderful things happen. You meet lovely people while waiting for the train or boat, you find beautiful places, and you learn a bit of patience (something I will always be learning).

This last section of travel is all last-minute. I call it the 'by the seat of pants tour'. In December, while enduring the cold winter in WI and IA, I had no clue what to do in January, let alone February and March. So the hunt for something fun (and warm) to do was on!

All I could do was giggle a bit and shrug my shoulders when the impulsive decision to book a cruise in Australia/New Zealand happened. In less than a month, I was heading to a place I never thought I would make it to. I thought it to be too far, too expensive and I definitely would need to PLAN for that. Well, plan fast, girl! Cue the 'What the &*#% is happening here' music because it happened. I am sitting in Fiji after cruising around Australia and New Zealand.

Lots of people say, how do you do it? How do you travel without a plan...for a year?

Well, first you let go. I can hear a few friends laughing at that. Karen, let go ...yeah LMAO. But it is true. You can't be a last-minute traveler if you don't let go of the grand plan and be open to what the universe has to offer (only took 55 years to believe that). Here are a few other technical, less airy-fairy things to consider:

1. Be flexible. You can't have one place-one way of travel in mind unless you want to spend A LOT of $$$.

2. Use Google Flights Explore to see cheap flights. See #1, be flexible with time and place. AND, be patient and open with layovers, times and airlines. This is not the time for loyalty to one provider.

3. Be a traveler, not a vacationer. I am not on holiday/vacation all the time. I don't always sit around a pool with a cocktail. Sometimes I sit on the balcony, do a crossword and go to bed at 9pm. Not every moment is filled with vacation activities and fabulous dinners out, as a matter of fact, I had noodles in a cup last night.

4. Look for last-minute deals. Why did I pick this last cruise (besides it was freaking Australia)? Because it was ridiculously cheap...like $100/day. See #1 again and you can find the most amazing options.

5. Think outside the box...I have volunteered, watched pets, stayed outside tourist areas, gone to retreats, and found friends who shared expenses. There are a ton of resources for travel like this.

6. Use your credit cards and reward sites! I use a 0% credit card for everything and grab the points for flights, cruises, stays and tours. I use Viator for most tours because they give me $ back. In Europe, booking.com is great for stays and you reach 'genius' level early for deals.

7. Read, research, talk to people and learn tricks as you go. One of the most amazing things about traveling solo is you meet other solo travelers everywhere. And, we are all about sharing our tips and tricks. So, yes, I spend a fair bit of online research time but it often comes from another traveler's story.

See, a list! I am not completely reformed. And, I do have a plan for the next couple of months before I head home to celebrate Nikki and JT finishing their PhDs.

I plan to relax, explore and enjoy all the amazing, crazy, last-minute moments!