Psst... wanna a good deal?

Me, too. I get regular updates from practically every travel deal internet site. I belong to too many travel forums and hosting sites. I am fan-girly for ChrisMyden, the person behind the fugly but brilliant website YVR Deals. (For people flying out of Vancouver, I cannot recommend his site strongly enough!) I have tried every "hint" from clearing one's history to looking for deals on Tuesdays. I've heard the whispers that the magic time to get a deal is exactly 5 weeks before departure, on a day with a full moon, whilst standing on your left leg, facing south, and whistling "Ode to Joy" in the key of F#... but no one mentions the hidden costs associated with that stunning price. I don't know enough yet (!) about finding campsites, so that's going to be an education once Wanda and I hit the road in the New Year. I do know how to find affordable flights, accomodations, and transportation at prices that work for me, my budget, and my travel style so let's focus on that today.

I am sorry to report that that there is no magic, but patience and research are essential. It also helps if you match your expectations to your budget. If you have a small budget, then your expectations should lean more towards eating more street food than Michelin star meals. Spend your travel dollars according to your travel priorities. If you prioritise nightlife or high-adrenaline activities, your budget will be spent very differently than mine.

It's Gonna Take Time I begin to seriously watch fares and look for creative routing. I need to look at how many connections or stop-overs, where, and how long I have. I don't mind one connection but there's a point where I will consider turning a connection into a stopover. I hate arriving at my final destination needing to sleep for 12 hours straight! I need to get an idea of costs once at a destination. An inexpensive flight might lead to a very expensive destination, suddenly making a trip much less affordable. I need to decide what kind of trip I'm planning. I want to get an idea of my expenditures for food, transportation, and accommodations. I need to consider if I want to stay in hotels, hostels or if perhaps a campervan or something else would be a better choice. In the beginning, it's a whole lot of questions.