When we arrived, I had no idea what I was doing, and let's be honest, most of the time I still don't. However, I can now successfully navigate a grocery store, travel on the U-Bahn, and communicate in basic phrases. My number one job, or really only job, here is to plan our trips. I'm an organizer. I love color coded goods and that accomplished pen-to-paper sensation. I thought this was going to be so easy. Well, my egotistical thoughts were sadly mistaken. Our first real trip was to Neuschwanstein. Tom had booked the hotel, I confirmed the castle tickets and failed to do any research on the town where we were staying, Fussen. We got lucky on that one, it was a touristy area and we found good food and our hotel had a great bar. I vowed to do a better job the next time.
Amsterdam time arrived. This one I was ready for, lists of bars, tours, and restaurants. While our lunch spot was not quite ideal as they didn't serve beer (super weird, especially in Europe), I was well prepared. I also was frustrated because although we had an amazing time and fit a lot into the two days we were in the Netherlands, we didn't get to accomplish every last thing I researched. This is where my obsessiveness is my worst enemy. I felt like, fine, we'll just wing it next time and be totally fine. Sometimes this worked, as in Lucerne where our concierge desk was unbelievably helpful. They made reservations for our dinners and let us purchase tickets to whatever tour we desired. Heidelberg, however, was where my frustrations and following lack of preparation really bit me in the ass. I had no clue where to park, where to eat, and where to go outside of two places. We have no data on our international phone plan so once we leave the apartment, that's pretty much it until we find wifi at a cafe or hotel where we are staying.
So, what have I learned in my two plus months here that can really save you in the future? I came across a quote online that was meant to pertain to a manner in which to go about your life:
"Over prepare, and then relax".
I don't do relaxation all that well to begin with, let alone while flying down the Autobahn at 200 km per hour. But it is so true. What does it matter if half the restaurants I found were never enjoyed or sites were never visited? Our trips are only two to three days, four maximum, in the first place. Knowing the fifteen places to park, or all the locations available to board a train can prove essential when you are navigating your way through a foreign country.
To plan an ideal weekend trip, let along week long vacation, takes practice. For the majority of people the initial lack of knowledge can be counteracted by a quick search of the internet, a luxury we don't have while abroad and are forced to resolve any issue through trial and error. Not to take away from the adventurous spirit of going into a situation and playing it by ear, but why not have something to fall back on in case of bad weather or an unexpected obstacle? An ideal time table and back up plan is not easily achieved, but it's well worth the effort.
Before you embark upon your next adventure, whether your trip takes you to the next state or half way around the globe, take my advice. Do your homework. Make your spreadsheet, index cards, app based schedule, whatever suits your needs. Then, go with the flow. Enjoy your well deserved break and take it all in.
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