A Road Trip Dream
Many
people dream of taking that long trip of a lifetime, but few actually
make it happen. How often have you thought, “It’s a great
idea, if only I knew how to start planning such an adventure?” What
if someone helped guide you through the whole process and got you moving
from the dreaming to the doing?
Carol
and Phil White finally decided that the time had come for them to live
their road trip dream. Once they were on their adventure, people peppered
them with questions, not so much about what they were doing (everyone
has their own dream!), but about how they actually made it happen. Phil
says, “It was with the encouragement of other want-to-be travelers
everywhere that we decided to share what we had learned.”
Included is step-by-step real-life information on planning the trip you’ve
always wanted to take. Your vision may not be a road trip, but perhaps
a sailboat trip around the world, a trek through Asia or a bike trip through
Europe. Whatever your dream is, the planning process is the same –
only the details will vary.
— BRAINSTORM WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO ON YOUR TRIP
Everyone has dreams about what they would like to do "if they just
had the time" to take that long, unencumbered vacation. What are
those things for you? Why not take a weekend away and begin to formulate
your plan? Dream big.
—
PICK A THEME OR TWO
Once you have identified all the ideas you might enjoy doing, there is
a sad reality: even in a year, you can't do it all. So organize those
groups of ideas into a "theme" for your trip. Maybe it is seeing
all the national parks, or seeing a baseball game in every major-league
stadium, or painting a scene in every state. The ideas are endless depending
upon your interests.
— RESEARCH YOUR IDEAS
Now the fun begins. Get on the Internet and browse, order visitor guides
from the locations you plan to travel in, buy some books about your destinations,
talk to people who share your passions, subscribe to some online "newsletters."
Get excited, get motivated to go.
— START "SOCIALIZING" THE TRIP WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
One of the most difficult parts of actually doing a trip of a lifetime
is gaining the support of your family and friends. It's not that they
really don't want you to have this incredible experience; it is that we
are all resistant to change, and your leaving means adjustments in their
lives. Start early, talk often, but make sure they know you really are
going to do this.
—
DECIDE ON YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
More research is in order. Do you want to camp or stay in motels -- or
a combination? Do you want to move every day or stay in one spot for awhile?
How important is it to have your belongings around you? All of these items
and more will influence your choice of a vehicle.
— DEVELOP A BUDGET TO MEET YOUR GOALS
There are many ways to finance your dream trip, but at some point you
do have to figure out the details. Once you know what you want your trip
to entail, how long you will be gone, and how you will travel, it is time
to put pencil to paper.
— MAKE LISTS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO LEAVE ON YOUR TRIP
This is where it gets tricky. So much to think about that it almost becomes
overwhelming. You begin to think you can't make it happen. But you can.
Just work through it step-by-step.
—
PICK A DATE TO LEAVE AND START WORKING TOWARD IT
This is VERY important. Once you have a real date to leave, everything
will begin to fall into place and your dream will become a self-fulfilling
prophecy. People will help you, you will have a specific theme and trip
to plan on and before you know it, you will be on your way.
— INCLUDE FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN GETTING READY TO GO
Everyone will want to feel included, and feel that you have taken care
of their needs while you are gone. One of the best ways to do that is
to let them help plan it with you and help find solutions to the issues
that arise. Every family has issues to manage, don't be discouraged by
them.
— SAY GOOD-BYE AND HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!
The work is done and the date is drawing near. Let your friends throw
you a going-away party or two. Take pictures and exchange e-mail addresses
in order to stay in touch. Give them your website address, so they can
follow your travels. Get in your rig, wave good-bye and embark on the
journey of a lifetime.
Excerpted
from Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a year for the cost of staying
home ©2004 Phil and Carol White. All rights reserved. To order: 1-888-522-TRIP
or visit http://www.RoadTripDream.com.