It Might Be A While Away, But That Means More Time To Plan Your Next Trip

Due to the pandemic, it might be a while before you feel like it is safe to travel again. We know that this isn’t ideal, but it does mean that you have more time to plan! The good thing about this is that you know when you do get back out there and start seeing new places again, you’re going to have the most amazing time imaginable. So, in this post we’re going to be looking at some of the things that you should consider when it comes to your next trip! Keep reading if you want to find out more.

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Sort Out Your Budget

The first thing that you should always do is plan your budget for the aforementioned trip. You need to know how much you have in total to spend on the holiday, how much you are willing to spend on the hotel, how much you’re going to be looking at in flights and then a reasonable amount of money to take with you while you’re there. When it comes to budgeting, it can be easy to overlook certain details, but that’s why you’ve got to be extra vigilant. As soon as you know how much money you’re going to have left after the hotel and travel, you should split the remainder between the days that you are there. Try to include some kind of luggage storage options in your budget as well, at least for the last day when you want to carry on exploring before your flight!

It’s important to understand that just because you have this amount of money, doesn’t mean you actually have to spend it all. It’s okay if there is a little bit leftover at the end of the trip, you can always convert it back.

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Who Is Going With You?

Who is coming with on your next trip? Are you going alone? Are you going with your friends? Does your family want to come? Is it a romantic trip between you and your partner? You’ve got to figure this out, so you know who is going to be traveling with you. It might not seem important now, but imagine if you’re going to book the trip in a couple of months time, you’re excited for what you’ve planned and then someone decides to add themselves at the last minute. This could be a nightmare for you.

Finally, you’ve got to choose a destination. If you’re not sure where to go, a good idea is to get a globe, close your eyes and then spin the globe. See where your finger lands, and that’s where your destination should be. If you’ve been there recently then just do it again until you get to a place where you haven’t been before, or you haven’t been in a while. It is an adventure to do it this way, as you never know where you’re going to end up!

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now know how you can plan your next trip, even if it’s not on the horizon yet. You’ll get to go soon, don’t worry!

Where Do You Want To Go?

Traveling to Venice From Home

People liked my creative streak in this travel-at-home series, so you'll be getting more. I'd love some suggestions on where you think we should "go", what we should do or menu items. This time we traveled to Venice, and I was not disappointed.

I, originally, planned to eat on the lawn, but this weekend was also chilly and windy, and we didn't eat until late, so it was also getting dark. I turned my backdrop around on our porch and made a cozy "indoor" space that sheltered us from the wind. The polyester backdrops that are all one piece are easier to deal with and also prettier to look at, so we might hit up Greece again in the future, but in a different city.

We had this lovely waterfront view on the canals and also a multi-course dinner. This week I ordered from Pastini (you probably have one, as they are a chain) through Uber Eats (get 25% off your first 2 orders at checkout when you use my code: eats-shereenr208ue). I ordered the Field Greens Salad (the tomato dressing is AWESOME - and this is a small), Cavatappi Primavera, Ziti Con Broccolini, and tiramisu. I wanted naked, fresh pastas that aren't heavy like spaghetti or lasagna, that are more Italian, and less an Americanized version of Italian. 

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Greetings from Venice! Tonight is travel-at-home date night. Cheers 🥂 . . . #quarantinelife #quarantinedatenight #quarantinedrinks #veniceitaly #destinationdatenight #destinationdate #creativedtenight #armchairtravel#responsibletravelers #responsibletravel

A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap (@srayle) on Aug 29, 2020 at 8:11pm PDT

I dished out food, had an adult beverage I fixed myself - Bulleit Rye, Diet Pepsi, orange bitters, frozen berries and rosemary. I hadn't planned out drinks beforehand, though Eric had what basically amounted to an Italian soda - and then we sat down to eat and enjoy the view. I also found some Venice gondolier videos beforehand and created a playlist on YouTube, so we could listen to some music and also do some sightseeing while we were eating.

After I played busboy and cleared our dishes, Eric made coffee and I brought out the tiramisu. We then watched the rest of our videos and commented on buildings and wondered why people still had doors that lead right out to the canals. They don't appear to have any boat ties, though they do have steps. It was too late to also take our "walking tour", but we will leave that for another time. 

We're loving this new twist on travel and date night. It gives us a chance to sit down and connect. It also allows us to talk about things we haven't gotten to during the week, safely pretend we aren't in a pandemic, and discuss future travel plans. We even used these leftover passport sticker books I purchased for Eric's birthday that we are "stamping" with each trip we take. I've also been dating them for later.

This whole evening cost us around $65, which includes a tip for my Uber driver, and these dishes I picked up at Target. I already had the tablecloth and other items. Here are some things you can use to recreate a fun date night in Venice:

• A backdrop of the canals
• Gondolier YouTube videos. Here's my playlist
• Italian opera music
• Italian soda or syrups that can be added to sparkling water
• Olive branches for a vase
• A very good olive oil or balsamic for food you make at home. Treat yo self!
• A white tablecloth (or any color you like) for your fancy dining experience
• A good chianti
• Espresso cups for coffee with your dessert
• Some new salad servers or new serving pieces. I picked up this divided dish from Target.com.
• A cookbook on simple Italian recipes if you want to also cook together

If you're doing this as a family, get everyone involved. Do make-your-own-pizza night with fresh ingredients, or a DIY pasta where you cook the pasta and then have a selection of toppings and sauces. Create destination trivia. Take pictures. Get a map and choose all the spots you would go on a real trip. You can make your nights all different, or have a different person plan each "trip". 

There are only two of us, so we tend to "travel" how we always do: I plan and pack (in this case, set up) and my hubs goes along with it and thanks me for my hard work. It really scratches my travel planning itch, and gives us something fun to look forward to.

How are you making quarantine more fun?

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I may be compensated should you choose to make any purchases through them. This allows me to keep this blog running for you. 

I'm Traveling Today

Well, not really, but we will be doing a destination date later today. The world is getting to me this week and I'm taking a break from my regular post schedule today. I'll be back to my regular posts on Wed, and there will be a newsletter this week. 

• Please stay safe. Covid is still very much a thing. 
• Be kind to others. 
• Keep your eyes and ears open for those that tell you one thing and show you something else. 
• Remember that Black lives still matter. 
• Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people are valid. 
• Family is important, but not at the expense of your own self-worth or sanity. 
• Register to vote, or double-check that your registration is still valid (plenty of voters have been dropped off the list), and make a plan for how to vote and know your options.
• Do some self-care, whether that's a bubble bath, reading in bed, or treat yourself to a cup of coffee.
• Donate to a worthy organization, if you can.
• Call a friend. 
• Get informed.
• Hug a puppy. 
• And, as my friends Bill & Ted say, "Be Excellent to Each Other".