Your 17 (Easy) Step Guide on How to Plan Your Trip in 2019

Updated: 10/9/18 | October 9th, 2018

10/9/18 | October 9th, 2018

I remember when I started planning my first trip around the world. I had no idea what I was doing. When I decided to quit my job and travel the world, I walked into a bookstore and bought Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia on Shoestring. It made the trip seem more real, but it didn’t prepare me for planning a long world trip. Back then, there weren’t really travel blogs, guides, sharing economy websites, and apps like there are today. I was lost. I figured it out as I went, just hoping I didn’t miss anything.

Trip planning can be a daunting task. Where do you begin? What’s step one? What’s step two? What’s step three? It’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially when you haven’t done something like this before.

I’ve planned countless trips and vacations for over the years (for myself, friends, and even group tours) and I’ve developed an efficient checklist that ensures I don’t miss anything important (I like lists) during the trip planning process. I don’t want to get to my next destination and then realize I forgot something.

And neither do you!

There is a lot of information on this website (and even more information packed into my book), but one question that comes up frequently is, “Matt, how do I put this all together? How do I plan a trip?”

In a continuing effort to help you get out the door and into the world, I’ve created this step-by-step guide on how to plan a trip. It works for any kind of trip and no matter how long you’re going for! Just follow this checklist and you’ll be off in no time!

If you want to jump ahead, simply click on any of the links above.

How to Plan Your Next trip

Step 1: Decide Where You Want To Go

Defining where you want to go sets a goal to work toward. A lot of people talk vaguely about travel. They never say where they are going, just that they are going. Picking a destination is immensely important, as it gives you a definite goal. It’s a lot easier to mentally get behind “I am going to Paris” than “I’m going to Europe” or “I’m going somewhere.” Not only will your trip become more concrete for you and easier to commit to, but it will make planning easier as well…because you know what to work towards.

Defining where you want to go sets a goal to work toward. A lot of people talk vaguely about travel. They never say where they are going, just that they are going. Picking a destination is immensely important, as it gives you a definite goal. It’s a lot easier to mentally get behind “I am going to Paris” than “I’m going to Europe” or “I’m going somewhere.” Not only will your trip become more concrete for you and easier to commit to, but it will make planning easier as well…because you know what to work towards.

Resources for picking your travel destination:

Step 2: Decide the Length of Your Trip

How much does it cost to travel? I have no idea without knowing for how long you’re going away. You can’t figure out how much you need to save if you haven’t decided on how long you’ll be in your destination. After you say “I’m going to Paris,” add “for 10 days.”

Now, you have a concrete plan to work from. “I am going to Paris for 10 days” is a trip that you can plan for.

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Step 3: Research Your Costs

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So you know where you’re going and how long you’ll be there, but to really nail down how much money you need, your next task is to research the costs in your destination at the style of travel you want. Do you want to backpack, or would you rather stay in luxury hotels? How much are hostels, hotels, restaurants, and attractions? Knowing will allow you to estimate how much money you’ll need for your trip. Here is how to research costs:

1. Buy a guidebook.
2. You can begin with my travel guide section.
3. Ask on community websites like our forum and Facebook group or Lonely Planet.
4. Google prices for specific things you want to do.

You don’t need to do more than that. There’s so much information on the web that if you go down the rabbit hole of overplanning, you’ll get lost and confused by the firehose of information. Stick to those four things and you’ll be set!

In our example, if you are going to Paris for 10 days and need $75 a day (not including your flight), you know you need to save $750 (though round up to $800 since it’s good to have extra) for your trip. If you were to travel around the world for a year, you’d need $50 a day.

Step 4: Start Saving Money

Write down all your current expenses so you can determine where you are spending money and how you can cut back. People bleed a lot of money every day through small purchases: that bottle of water, the dollar for that snack, that extra coffee. All of that adds up and creating this breakdown can let you know where you need to cut and save.

Write down all your current expenses so you can determine where you are spending money and how you can cut back. People bleed a lot of money every day through small purchases: that bottle of water, the dollar for that snack, that extra coffee. All of that adds up and creating this breakdown can let you know where you need to cut and save.

For example, if you need $2,000 USD for the trip you’re taking in eight months, that means you only have to save $8.33 per day. Couldn’t you find a way to save $8 per day? Heck, your daily coffee is most of that!

You can read this post 22 Ways to Cut Your Expenses and Save for Travel for more in-depth and creative ways to cut your day-to-day expenses.

Step 5: Get a Travels Rewards Credit Card

While you’re working to save money,

While you’re working to save money, get a travel credit card so you can earn sign-up bonuses to redeem miles and points for free flights and hotel stays. Most cards have bonuses of up to 50,000 points when you meet their minimum spending requirement (often $1,000 within a three-month period). That’s enough miles for a free flight almost anywhere in the world!

If you want a free flight, use the cards that help with that. If you want free hotel rooms, get a hotel card. You don’t need to sign up for very many cards; pick one or two and focus on those. Do this the moment you decide you want to travel. Don’t wait — waiting equals lost miles, which means less free travel.

Collecting points and miles (which is called “travel hacking”) is what all the experts do to cut their costs and travel longer. It’s what has kept my costs down and me on the road for so many years.

I am always doing this so I can travel for as cheap as possible.

For more tips, check out my post on how to pick the best travel credit card.

Step 6: Switch to No-Fee ATM Cards

Don’t give banks any of your hard-earned money. Save every extra dollar you can by using a no-fee ATM card. I use Charles Schwab, but there are lots of other banks (don’t forget to check your local banks) that don’t charge ATM fees. Additionally, you can join a bank in the Global ATM Alliance.

Step 7: Stay Focused and Inspired

Keep feeding your desire to travel. Travel planning can be daunting and a lot of work and, if your friends and family aren’t that enthusiastic about it, it can be a little depressing because the support you’re looking for isn’t there. Luckily, there are tons of ways to stay focused and keep your spirits lifted thanks to the amazing community we have on this website. Here are some inspiring travel stories to help keep you inspired to travel:

Step 8: Check for Last-Minute Deals

Okay, you’re inspired, prepared, and on your way to saving money for your trip. But before you go buy that flight or book that hotel, check for deals you might have missed. You may dream of Paris but maybe there are great deals to Berlin right now. Maybe you can get a seven-day cruise for 70% off, a package deal to Hawaii for the price of your flight to Paris, or 50% off sailing trips around Greece.

It’s a big world, and there are lots of places I want to see, so if I end up choosing B over A, I’m happy! If you’re flexible too, make sure you look for any money-saving deals. Some deal websites worth checking out are:

Step 9: Book Your Flight

After you’ve used your travel credit card and received your sign-up bonus, use your miles to book your flight. It is harder to use miles these days due to less availability, so make sure to book early to ensure you get your desired flight.

After you’ve used your travel credit card and received your sign-up bonus, use your miles to book your flight. It is harder to use miles these days due to less availability, so make sure to book early to ensure you get your desired flight.

There are still many ways to avoid being the person on the flight who paid the most. My favorite sites for finding cheap airfare:

• Momondo – A great platform for finding really cheap flights.
• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is one of the best websites for searching multiple destinations at the same time.
• Kiwi – Kiwi is great for finding lesser-known routes or smaller carriers.
• AirTreks – AirTreks focuses exclusively on multi-destination RTW tickets.

For the best deals, book your flight about two months in advance. Here are two articles on how to score a cheap flight:

Step 10: Book Your Accommodation

If you have a set schedule, feel free to book accommodation for the duration of your trip, but if you are going to be traveling long-term, book just the first few days. Once you know the dates you’ll be in your destination, there is no real reason not to find a place to stay. My view is that waiting will just lead to you losing your top picks.

If you have a set schedule, feel free to book accommodation for the duration of your trip, but if you are going to be traveling long-term, book just the first few days. Once you know the dates you’ll be in your destination, there is no real reason not to find a place to stay. My view is that waiting will just lead to you losing your top picks.

Love hotels? They won’t save you money, but you can sign up for some hotel credit cards and get free rooms, too. Marriott has a great rewards card whose sign-up bonus is equal to one week’s free stay. Starwood’s AMEX card is wonderful too, but the spending threshold in order to get the points bonus is higher.

The following booking sites offer the best rates for accommodation:

• Hostelworld – Hostelworld has the largest selection of hostels and is my go-to site for finding affordable hostels online.
• Agoda – Agoda has the best results if you’re heading to Asia and the widest selection of properties in the region.
• Booking.com – Booking.com is the best overall platform for finding budget hotels and guesthouses. They have the biggest inventory and best deals.

Alternative: Contact people on hospitality websites like Couchsurfing, Be Welcome, or WWOOF and ask if they would be willing to host you. You want to do this in advance so people have time to rearrange their schedule and plan for your visit.

Step 11: Plan Your Activities

Outline the major activities you want to enjoy and how much they cost. Make any last-minute adjustments to your savings so you can ensure you have enough money. This will also help you figure out if you need any reservations for your chosen tours or activities.

Step 12: Sell Your Stuff

Outline the major activities you want to enjoy and how much they cost. Make any last-minute adjustments to your savings so you can ensure you have enough money. This will also help you figure out if you need any reservations for your chosen tours or activities.

If you are going on a long-term trip (six months or more), sell your stuff in order to earn extra money for your trip. Start doing this about 60 days before you leave. Some sites to use are:

• Gumtree – An online classified site with a focus in the UK and Australia.
• Amazon – The biggest online store in the world.
• Craigslist – Online global classifieds that have both local and global reach.

If you aren’t going to be gone that long, skip this step. If you are going away long-term but want to keep your stuff, move it to a friend’s house or keep it in storage. A good storage company in the US is Public Storage, which starts at $50 per month.

Step 13: Automate Your Bills

Get rid of your mail, go paperless, and set up online bill payment for your recurring bills to ensure you won’t miss any while overseas. If you are still going to get paper mail, use a service like Earth Class Mail, which will collect and scan your mail for you. (If you are going on a two-week trip, you don’t really need to worry about this, so you can skip this step, too.)

Step 14: Tell Your Card Companies You’re Traveling

No matter how long you’ll be gone, it’s a good idea to let your credit card companies know you will be overseas; that way any transactions that you make aren’t flagged as fraudulent and your card is less likely to be blocked. There’s nothing worse than having to sit on the phone with your credit card company instead of enjoying your vacation.

Step 15: Pack!

Time to pack for your trip!

Step 16: Buy Travel Insurance

Time to pack for your trip! Here’s a suggested packing list to help you take just the right amount of stuff and avoid overpacking. While what you pack will depend on where you are going, remember that you don’t need to pack everything you own. I usually travel with a 40L bag and then a day bag, and that’s probably a great size for pretty much any trip. You don’t need a massive 70L bag stuffed to the top for a trip around Europe or Asia. So collect your items and then remove at least 20%. You’re going to be lugging this bag around for months, so less is definitely more!

While a lot of people think, “I’m healthy, I don’t need travel insurance. I won’t get sick,” travel insurance is much more than just medical protection. It covers you when your camera breaks, your flight is canceled, a family member dies and you have to come home, or if something gets stolen.

Travel insurance is something you will need on the road. You never know what might happen, and most health plans won’t cover you overseas. I never thought I would pop my eardrum while I was scuba diving or break my camera in Italy. My friend never thought he would break his leg hiking; another friend certainly didn’t expect her father would die and she would have to fly back home.

Travel insurance is only a few dollars a day and only a fool doesn’t buy it. Here’s my ultimate guide to picking a good insurance company that shod you how to pick a good plan that covers you for when you get sick, flights get canceled, you get injured, something gets stolen, or your trip is delayed! Travel insurance will cover you for all of it!

My favorite company is World Nomads and I use them for all my trips. If you’re older than 70, check out Insure my Trip as they are the best provider for older travelers.

Step 17: Enjoy Your Trip

Go on your trip and have fun! Head to the airport, board your plane (don’t forget your passport!), and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ve worked hard to get here. If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry — that’s perfectly normal! You’re about to embark on an amazing adventure. Trust your planning, follow your instincts, and you’ll have the trip of a lifetime. I guarantee it.

Go on your trip and have fun! Head to the airport, board your plane (don’t forget your passport!), and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ve worked hard to get here. If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry — that’s perfectly normal! You’re about to embark on an amazing adventure. Trust your planning, follow your instincts, and you’ll have the trip of a lifetime. I guarantee it.

***

By using this post as a guideline for your trip planning, you can better organize and prepare for your trip. You’ll check all the boxes, not miss anything, and have plenty of money for your vacation. It can be as simple as booking a flight and packing or as complex as rearranging your entire life to go backpack the world forever.

But, no matter how long your trip may be, this list will help you stay organized and motivated as you plan your trip and to step onto that plane and out into the world.

P.S. – Yes, I did leave out visas and vaccinations, because needing those isn’t as universal as the other stuff on this list, but don’t forget to check if you need those, too!

Want to have this information at your fingertips? Download this post as a PDF

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Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Prince Harry Reveals How Many Kids He and Meghan Plan to Have

Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, may have just welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Archie, in the spring. However, it sounds like the royal couple is already planning to have a second child. But, according to Harry, two will be their limit.

As the world now knows, Meghan guest-edited the September issue of Vogue. In it, Meghan herself sits down with former first lady Michelle Obama and even helped design the issue’s cover. But, she wasn’t the only royal to have a hand in the magazine’s creation. Her husband, Prince Harry, did a little journalism work for the project as well.

For the issue, Harry sat down with famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall to discuss everything from climate change to unconscious bias. And when it comes to climate change Harry said it may be his moral imperative to limit the number of children he brings into the world.

“What we need to remind everybody is: these are things that are happening now. We are already living in it," Harry said in their conversation about climate change, according to an excerpt published in the Telegraph. "We are the frog in the water and it’s already been brought to the boil. Which is terrifying.”

Goodall interjected and made it a bit more personal for Harry by noting, “Happening and happened. It is terrifying. Especially as you’ve just had a baby.”

“It does make it different,” Harry replied. “I think, weirdly because of the people that I’ve met and the places I’ve been fortunate enough to go, I’ve always had a connection and a love for nature. I view it differently now, without question. But I’ve always wanted to try and ensure that, even before having a child and hoping to have children…”

But, before he could finish, Goodall interjected, “Not too many!”

Harry then surprisingly replied, “Two, maximum! But I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed. And, surely, as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”

Read the entire interview when the September issue hits newsstands on Aug. 2.

Why T-Mobile Is the Best Phone Carrier for US Travelers

Posted: 03/20/2014 | March 20th, 2014

A long time ago in a state far, far away (Massachusetts), I used AT&T as my cellphone service provider. I had been using them since I was 19. When the iPhone first came out, I bought it because I could remove the original AT&T SIM card, insert a local SIM from the country I was in, and still have a handy-dandy smartphone to tweet from. So I unlocked my phone (hacked it so I could use it overseas) and off around the world I happily went.

Flash forward to the end of 2012, when Verizon announced taht their phones would come automatically unlocked for international travel. I needed a new iPhone at this point, AT&T had awful customer service and high fees, and since the new phone would already be unlocked, it would save me some hassle. It was the excuse I needed to leave AT&T.

Flash forward again to the end of 2013, when T-Mobile announced it was giving all their users free international data and text messaging in over 140 countries — plus all calls while in those countries were 20 cents a minute. This was a pretty enticing offer since I pay a lot of money a year in phone coverage.

Here’s a table of international fees I pulled together from each carrier’s website so you can compare:

T-Mobile AT&T Verizon Data $0 $30-120 per month $25 per 100MB Texting $0 Starts at 10 cents each 50 cents to send, 5 cents to receive Roaming 20 cents a minute $30-120 per month $4.99 per month

That chart pretty lays the numbers out there. T-Mobile is the clear winner here.

Now, historically, T-Mobile had a reputation of being a really bad service provider. And for a number of years, they were — but thanks to money they received after the failed merger with AT&T, they heavily invested in their network and began offering 4G and LTE speeds. Now, their coverage map is almost as good as the other carriers (it still doesn’t have Verizon-level coverage but they cover 96% of the country).

With their plans starting at $50 USD per month, it was hard to make the case to stay with Verizon. I found Verizon had awful customer service and high roaming fees (one quick phone call in Canada cost me over $10!), and with my basic service plan costing $110 a month, it became a financial no-brainer.

So I made the switch. I broke my contract with Verizon, ordered a new iPhone 5S, signed-up for T-Mobile, and hoped I made the right choice. My phone plan is now $70 per month (with taxes) — that’s a savings of $40 per month right away, but the big question remained: would I have good service both at home and abroad?

Service at home in New York City has been fine. I have 4G or LTE wherever I go, and I haven’t had any dropped calls. At the recent SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas, I had some spotty service, but with 20,000 people there, that might have been the reason. After using the phone for close to three months now, I haven’t had any dropped calls and only a few instances of “no service” when I was in a few rural areas, but that usually only lasts a few seconds. However, that used to happen with Verizon too, so I’m not concerned about it. (According to a new study, T-Mobile has the fastest Internet coverage, too.)

And how does it do internationally? Well, I flew to Hong Kong in February, and the second we landed I turned on my phone and waited for service. “Searching” my phone shouted back at me. Searching… searching… no service.

I slunk in my seat, deflated. I kept turning the phone on and off in hopes of finding a connection. The plane came to the gate. Still nothing.

I hopped on the airport Wi-Fi and tweeted at T-Mobile. My plan was the right plan. It was all set to go. But nothing.

Deflated even more, I walked through the terminal when it happened — service. 3G service. On my phone.

I had overreacted.

When I touched down later that day in Bangkok, my phone buzzed alive with updates as I connected to the local phone operator, AIS with 3G service.

I was set to go. But service doesn’t mean good service.

So how did it work out?

Excellent.

I didn’t have any dropped calls, all my texts went through, and for the most part I had a 3G connection. A number of times while in the slightly rural areas, I only got the “E” network and had to deal with slightly slow Internet, but I always had it. (The only 4G network in Thailand is through True Move, and T-Mobile doesn’t partner with them.)

When I came home in early March, I found my bill wasn’t $10,000 but still the same old $70 I was promised. There were no hidden fees! It was all as promised.

The following week I was in Berlin and London. My phone worked perfectly there. There was still no 4G/LTE service but I always had fast 3G service and was able to upload and share information quickly. No dropped calls, missed text messages, or bad service.

I am thrilled by this, and T-Mobile — with its contract-free (and cheaper) plans, free international data, and better customer service model — now has me as a customer for a long, long time. I never again have to worry about buying foreign SIM cards and coverage again. There are no more additional costs in my travels. I know what my phone bill is going to be every month, and I get to keep the same number worldwide.

If you are a traveler and live in the US, you should 100% get T-Mobile. Your life will be a lot easier, you’ll be able to keep the same number, and you’ll stay connected around the world. (And your bill will be a lot cheaper.)

If you already have T-Mobile and don’t think you have this plan, you should. It’s available to all users, so make sure you call and get this service attached to your old plan if it isn’t already.

I’m really excited about T-Mobile, the land of no contracts, no cancellation fees, and free international data and texting.

They really are the “uncarrier,” and anything that breaks the Verizon/AT&T hold in the US is something I completely support.

So, to all the travelers out there (or people who are just fed up with the fees and services of the other carriers), make the switch to T-Mobile and simplify your life and lower your overseas phone costs.

Update 3/15/15: Using T-Mobile phones in China gets you around the Great Firewall. I was able to use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram without a problem.

Update 3/10/17: You can send/receive unlimited texts and picture messages from the air using T-Mobile phones on GoGo WiFi-enabled flights.  You also get one hour of free GoGo In-Flight WiFi on each flight!

Note: I know people will wonder, so I want to say that no, T-Mobile didn’t sponsor me or ask me to write this post. I pay my own monthly bill, switched when I heard about this amazing offer, and have been very happy with the service since. I’m just here preaching about something I believe will help other travelers.

For more tips on saving money on phones and data when you travel, read three related posts below.

How NOT to Feel Overwhelmed When Trip Planning

Updated: 07/17/18 | July 17th, 2018

Planning a trip can be stressful.

Where do you start? What should you do first? What’s step two? Will everything work out? Is there a best route to take? There’s a lot to think about!

Taking time off and traveling around the world is a big life change, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Multi-month trips just don’t happen. There’s a lot to do to make your dream a reality.

And your list of things to do can seem endless.

So how do you manage to stop feeling overwhelmed? How do you get over the anxiety of not knowing where to begin?

It’s easy — and I’ve developed a unique four-step process to doing so (patent pending):

First, buy your plane ticket to where you want to go first. (Not sure where you want to start? Simple. Start where the airfare is the cheapest.)

Second, turn off the computer and stop visiting 93,754,302,948,320 websites about travel (except for mine — you should always read mine!). You’ll suffer from information overload if you don’t.

Third, go out with your friends and celebrate the start date of your trip.

Fourth, smile.

There – that’s it. You bought your plane ticket. You’re going. There’s no turning back. There’s no need to worry anymore. All other planning is secondary.

I once heard at an industry event that people will look at up to 20 websites over the course of 40 hours while researching their trip.

TWENTY WEBSITES AND FORTY HOURS!

That’s before they even book anything!!!

No wonder I get so many emails from people saying “Matt, I feel like I’m in over my head.”

Information is power, but in our information-overload society, too many resources leave us conflicted and powerless.

I understand you might be feeling a lot of anxiety planning your trip since you want to make sure everything goes right. I remember what it was like when I was planning my first trip. I had every guidebook under the sun in my room. I created spreadsheets. I researched everything. I had multiple itineraries drawn up. I had lists upon lists. I was constantly worried about having “the perfect trip.”

I’ve been there and I understand, but I can tell you from years of experience that the more you plan your trip, the more anxiety you will face. You’re going to overwhelm yourself with so much information that you’re going to do nothing but stress over it.

Planning gives you a sense of ownership over your trip. There’s joy in it. It’s one of the best parts about travel.

But overplanning will lead to stress, and I can tell you from past experience that your plans will change anyway.

Someone will tell you about a new destination and you’ll race off there instead of going to Amsterdam.

You’ll wander the streets and into unexpected restaurants.

You’ll meet a group of people who will convince you to stay on that tropical island with them just a little longer.

In short, plans change, so don’t go overboard. Have a general idea of what direction you want to go, plan your first few stops, and then just let the wind take you.

Don’t make yourself a lengthy plan. You won’t follow it anyway.

In 2006, my first itinerary through Europe was supposed to look like this:

Oslo –> Prague –> Milan –> Florence –> Rome –> Naples –> Corfu –> Metorea –> Athens –> Greek Islands –> Athens

But it ended up like this:

Oslo –> Prague –> Milan –> Florence –> Rome –> Venice –> Vienna –> Amsterdam –> Costa del Sol -> Barcelona -> Amsterdam –> Athens

Almost nothing worked out as I had planned. It worked out better. Cooler, more interesting things and people pulled me in a different direction. My recent trip to Southeast Asia was completely changed when a friend said “Want to come meet me in Chiang Mai?” Instead of flying to Bangkok, I ended up in Chiang Mai and then onward to Laos!

I have rarely ever kept my original plans. I don’t know many travelers who have.

After you’ve booked your flight, come up with a list of everything you need to do before you go (it won’t be as long as you think) – buying your backpack, purchasing travel insurance, get your visas if needed, getting new bank cards, booking a hostel, canceling cable, etc., etc. Most of this stuff can be done a few months before you go.

Go down your list.

Check.

Check.

Check.

Buy a book or two to pick up some general knowledge on how to travel and prepare for your trip. Read a guidebook and get a good idea about where you’re going. Develop a general plan and then fill in the details along the way.

You can’t really know what you are going to do in a destination before you get there. Read up the guidebook on your flight because that’s when it matters.

You can’t do or change anything until you start your trip and the pre-trip stuff takes far less time than you think.

Breathe.

Relax.

Everything will work itself out.

And, when it does, you’ll wonder why you stressed so much in the beginning.

Related articles:

 

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day

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How Will and Kate Plan to Make Prince George’s First Day of School 'Normal'

Pool/Sam Hussein/WireImage

This story was originally published on August 30, 2017.

No parent wants their child to feel like the odd kid out at school.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will do their best to ensure that Prince George experiences his first day of school just like any other child — with his parents dropping him off.

The royal family will accompany their son to his first day of preschool on September 7, according to The Telegraph.

Although it’s likely that George will have different presentations for show-and-tell or perhaps bring a slightly different packed lunch, the royal family is doing its best to give him a normal-ish school experience this year.

Related: All the Countries Prince George Traveled to Before His 4th Birthday

But, then again, George’s schooling won’t be all that normal. He’s signed up for Thomas’s Battersea in London, where fees cost about $21,600 per year. The Good Schools Guide described the institution as a “big, busy, slightly chaotic school for cosmopolitan parents who want their children to have the best English education money can buy.”

The decision to send George to this school echoes a choice made by Princess Diana 30 years ago. Prince William was the first British royal to attend schooling outside of the palace. It remains to be seen if Kate Middleton will take another hint from Diana and mark her children’s school events in her official royal calendar.

Nevertheless, for those visiting London and hoping for a royal spotting, Thomas’s on the South Bank is a promising new addition.