AdventureScapes

I've planned for so many trips and tours for myself and my friends that I thought I'd share how I do it. Of course, I'm assuming that you have already saved for your trip.

Although I agree that the best way to experience a place is to NOT plan at all but rather to just go and let your feet take you anywhere, this is sadly not an option for me. I have a full time job and only a number of available vacation leaves per year. I don't have the luxury of getting lost in some remote place because I simply don't have the time to kill.

So what happens is that most of the itineraries I make use time as efficiently as possible and is designed to visit the most number of attractions that we can in the allotted time. This kind of itinerary often involves taking overnight transportation to a destination and visiting multiple places in a day.

Sometimes, it can also get expensive because I opt to rent a vehicle instead of commuting to a place in order to save time. For me, time really is gold and I will usually choose to save time rather than money. But overall, I am a cheapskate and will try to get the best value for my money.

Also, since I usually travel with a group of friends, I don't need to check on child prices or a child-friendly environment. Please note this when reading this post.

So, enough about that. How do I plan for a trip?

1. The first thing I do is to when I already have a destination in mind is to visit PinoyExchange, click on the Travel and Leisure section, and search for the thread of my destination of choice. I always value the tips of fellow Filipinos who have already visited the place because they give me an idea of how much I will actually spend on the trip. If I read reviews from foreigners, especially Caucasians, what may be cheap for them may not be cheap for me. However, if Pinoys say it's cheap, then it really is!

Also, the sample itineraries posted by forum members usually coincide with our local airlines' flight schedules. This is especially true for trips abroad. Our budget airlines fly at odd hours (11PM-1AM) because they choose not to pay certain airport fees. These are some of the inconveniences we have to pay for their cheap prices.

2. Next, from the sample itineraries, I jot down all the places they have mentioned and then I google each one to see if it's a place I would like to visit. For example, parks and zoos don't really interest me but if there's something unique about the place, I will visit it.

Most of the time, a certain country or city will have a tourism site where all the information you need are already in one place. Sometimes, I discover other attractions not mentioned in the forums from these sites. You just have to be sure that their information is updated. Virtual Tourist and Trip Advisor are great ways to find out more about a place.

3. In a spreadsheet, note down important details. What are these?
     a. What are the opening and closing times of the place
     b. Is the place open all week?
     c. How to get there. Via train? Subway? Bus? You may need to do more in depth research for this.
     d. language used. Should you bring index cards with common phrases? Download a mobile app for translation?
     e. Admission fees and other expenses
     f. How long will it take to visit the place - this is important if you're pressed for time.
     g. What other nearby places can be visited? Can this place be lumped together with other attractions for a day?
     h. Usually, I also have a "comments" column in the spreadsheet to write down the highlights of the attraction
     i. any must try food?
     j. Are there shows at a specific time?
     k. Where are the nearest money exchangers? Do shops accept credit cards?
     l. VISA requirements?
    m. Consider printing maps of a city or locale. A tourist map where all attractions are already highlighted is preferred.

4. If you're done with the above, then congratulate yourself. By now, you have a very good idea of what to expect from each place you plan to visit. The next step is optional but sometimes, I still make an effort to do it.

I look for the best places to eat. If they're close to the attractions I've chosen, all the better. I try to search for places that have unique dishes or have a unique ambiance (Taiwan's Modern Toilet, anyone?). Just be prepared that the menu prices don't give you a surprise. If possible, see if you can view the actual menu.

5. The next step is one of the most important, finding the right accommodation. First, if you're having a long trip, decide how long you will stay at one place or city. See how many nights you need to book. If you're taking an overnight transportation to somewhere, do you still need an additional night?

Consider guesthouses or inns. If you don't plan to stay very long in the room and only use it to sleep, do you really need other luxuries? For example, a television may not really be that important to have in a room. For me, though, a basic necessity is a private bathroom. Safety is also a primary concern, though I also sleep with my valuables like money or small electronic gadgets under my pillow.

As usual, location, location, location. If your hotel or inn isn't close to the attractions, it must at least be close to a subway or bus stop. Read reviews of the place. No matter how safe the place looks, never leave your valuables in the room.

The most common sites I use to book are Hostelworld and Hostelbookers. If you check reviews, make sure there are a good number of feedback and not merely 5 or less. For local Philippine inns and hostels, I usually rely on recommendations from PinoyExchange.com.

6. Souvenirs. Often, I need to buy souvenirs in bulk to give to office mates and family. Your best bet for this is the local market. But see if you can find other places.

7. The last thing I do, but certainly not the least important, is to google the place for tourist scams. It always pays to be careful. I was saved from one such scam in the Vietnam Airport because I knew of it. Otherwise, we would have forked over $10 for a $0.5 fee. Taxi scams are common all over the world. I only take a taxi if I don't have any other choice.

That's it! Have an enjoyable and safe trip!

Many of my friends and family members think I'm loaded because I frequently travel, both locally and abroad. I'm not. My secret is that I just manage my money well.

AnMoney Screenshot

The first book will contain all your bank accounts. You only update when you receive your salary and when you withdraw money from your accounts. Keep this as accurate as possible so that you always know how much money you have in the bank. I never need to do a balance inquiry. ^_^

I'm sitting here in BDO waiting for my friend to finish her transaction. I had just deposited P2,500 to the merchant's account of after securing ebay coupons for a trip to Mt. Pinatubo. My deposit today means that I had just paid in full for the trip that was to be scheduled on May 5. More or less 2 months in the future.

I was uneasy at first. I don't like paying in full when I can't be sure if the deal was a scam or not. I understand Ebay was trying to protect its consumers by only requiring a downpayment of the total deal. The remaining amount would be payable to the merchant. So I called up the merchant and found out that in order to even book with them, I have to deposit the rest of the payment. It kinda defeated Ebay's protection.

Eventually, the deal turned out fine. It wasn't a scam. But the stress probably shortened my life by a tiny fraction.

I reminisce the other times I have had near misses with group buying sites. Fortunately, nothing major has happened yet. *knocks on wood*

The first one was an honest mistake. Cash Cash Pinoy put up a deal for a Fotosnaps photobook. The deal stated it was for an 8x11 album with 36 pages. I quickly bought a voucher because I've availed from Fotosnaps before and thought it was a good deal. An hour later, the deal advertised only 24 pages. Cash Cash had made a mistake. The 36 pages were for the 4x6 album. So, I called to complain. They reimbursed my payment through my credit card in a week. Problem solved.

The next one was a voucher from Metrodeal for a dinner buffet aboard a yacht from Prestige Cruises for P250. I bought 2 for my boyfriend and me, thinking it would be a romantic date.

A month later, I was reading dozens of horror stories from people who went on the "cruise". The ship was old and rusty. There were cockroaches on board. You had to pay an additional P100 if you wanted to be seated on deck. The food was dismal. The "salad" was nothing more than chopped carrots and cucumbers. And there wasn't enough food for everyone! Guests had to line up for 30 mins to be able to get to the food. Some guests didn't even get to eat because the food ran out. So much for the "all you can eat buffet". The chairs were plastic with bare tables. One writer commented that she saw a woman who was dressed to kill. She probably thought it was a fine-dining experience. Desert was two pieces of cookies from a canister.

I called Prestige Cruises first. I said I wanted to cancel my reservation because of the bad reviews. They agreed without much fuss. Then I sent an email to Metrodeal. They said they needed to confirm with Prestige Cruises first that I hadn't used my vouchers. A week went by with no response, so I emailed again. They said they couldn't reimburse me through credit card. They could only give me points on my account to use to buy a different voucher. I accepted that. I figured I would buy something sooner or later, anyway. Once again, problem solved.

Another occasion was the Anawangin deal we bought from Groupon. I personally didn't handle this. My friend did. At first, she could contact the merchant. Then as our trip date neared, the merchant vanished into thin air. Groupon reimbursed us, though.

When buying food deals, I also learned a valuable lesson. If it's mentioned in the deal that they do delivery services, call first! Sometimes, the cost of the delivery charge is more than the deal! Or, there might be a minimum order limit that didn't include the deal price.

It's also worth noting that you should be familiar with the merchant before buying their deal. Or at least do some research first. We bought a deal for an adobo meal. I forgot the name of the merchant but it was in Global One, Libis. When we got there, their store was just a booth in a foodcourt setup. A lot of the choices in the menu was unavailable. And in my opinion, the deal price wasn't worth the quality of their food. I couldn't believe they sold their food for the regular price!

All of the above did not discourage me from group buying sites. They just made me more careful. I still get a lot more good deals than bad ones. It's just that it's the bad ones you really remember.

Nowadays, I call the merchant first before I even buy a deal. I'm wary of merchants that provide only cellphone numbers as contact numbers. I google them. I check their facebook accounts for testimonies of customers.

I'm especially cautious of travel deals. When I call them, I ask how long they have been in business, when was the last tour they offered, and if they could send me pictures of trips with their customers. I listen carefully and try to gauge if the person is hesitant or appears to be lying.

I believe this cautiousness has helped a lot in preventing me from getting scammed. Hopefully, other people would take the same level of care when buying from group-buying sites.