The Secret to Planning Your First Travel Adventure: Don’t

Preparing to travel can be overwhelming for anyone, especially if it’s your first time and you want to make sure it’s an unforgettable experience. Every detail starts to feel like an important decision. Things like where to stay, what to do, and what to bring, all seem vital when planning for your travel adventure. I remember staring at my computer screen for hours trying to decide if I should stay in a single or dorm room for my first solo trip. Similarly, I was convinced that my trip to Morocco wouldn’t be complete without a camel ride in Taghazout. 

Spoiler alert: I never rode a camel. 

The truth: I couldn’t care less. 

With that, I’m going to say something you may not have heard before. What if, rather than stress about things not going to plan, you just don’t make one? 

Once you read about my Costa Rican chaos, I am sure you’ll see why. 

Memorable by mistake

On August 28th, 2022, I found myself in Cabuya, a rural village in Costa Rica. It was beautiful. There were deserted beaches, waterfalls down the road, street markets, and even better street food. Unfortunately, I wasn’t staying there. Even more unfortunate was that I was an hour away from where I was staying and only had one option of getting there: to drive myself on an ATV that someone I met on the shuttle bus left me with earlier. 

In theory, I had everything I needed to make it back (a set of keys and a full tank of gas). Delightful. But where exactly was “back”? Sadly, I didn’t have time to become a geography major during the mere two days I’d been in Costa Rica.  

It wasn’t the sun that had my face scrunched with prominent frown lines. In fact, I would’ve believed you if you said it was night out with all the dark clouds rolling in (which you will learn is the usual afternoon weather during the summer months). Instead I was wincing, trying to recall the directions someone gave me (at what felt like 2.5x speed) earlier.

“You’ll see a small opening just up that road. Follow that and turn…”

WHICH WAY DID HE SAY TO TURN? 

I never figured it out. I’m sure a charged phone would’ve helped. It also would have helped if my hands hadn’t been virgin to any kind of four-wheeler. Regardless, I had quite the adventure ahead of myself. 

When plans fall through

Going in, I thought I had it all planned out. I’d stay at the Selina North Hostel, get surfing lessons at El Gato, and spend the rest of my time on the beach watching other surfers get stuck in nature’s version of a powerful washing machine. I can’t say getting lost in the jungle was a part of my itinerary. It’s not an experience I could purchase ahead of time on Airbnb, GAdventures, or TripAdvisor. Mind you, I did do a dolphin tour in Tamarindo once. Now that was cool.  

Was it inconvenient? Yes. Was I scared? Certainly. But would I do it again? Of course.

If I knew I was going to get lost, I likely would have charged my phone, but similarly, I wouldn’t be left with the pride of doing what scared me. That’s the beauty of exploring the world. More often than not, it’s the mishaps and mistakes that make it unforgettable. 

Which brings me to my point: the secret to planning an unforgettable trip, is understanding that you can’t. The unpredictability is, in part, what makes it a travel adventure. 

The empty itinerary: “Unplanning” your travel adventure

It’s easy to overplan. But the truth is, the adventure is not in the activity, it’s in how you experience it. You will never know what’s to come, who’s going to come your way, or how it will leave you changed. You won’t ever have all the information, and you won’t ever need to. If you did, what would be left to discover? Isn’t that the point of travelling? 

The best plan is the simplest one. Ironically, the more you do the less you seem to experience. Why visit Santa Teresa for the surfing, if you only have time to dip your toes in the ocean before taking off to the next town? Even I had convinced myself that I’d be able to visit 5 towns in Morocco in 11 days. After a few days of exhaustion, I ended up stopping at town #3. As it turns out, I made the most memories there and it’s those memories that now take up the majority of the pages in my journal. When I look back on it, no part of me wishes that I had done it the way I originally planned. 

My recommendation is to take a destination off your itinerary before thinking of adding another. Rather than move to different hostels every couple of days, pick a home base and get to know the community. It’s pretty hard to live like a local if you don’t even stay long enough to meet one. If you’re not into history, I would ditch the landmarks and head to smaller villages or coastal towns. You’ll be surprised to find that you meet more people even though there seem to be less. 

Hostel or Airbnb?

In terms of finding a place to stay, I would recommend a hostel over an Airbnb if you’re solo travelling. Most of my memories—besides my solo trek on that damned ATV in Costa Rica—are the simple moments I spent with people I met in hostels. Yeah, the waterfall in Montezuma was beautiful, but drinking coffee and singing “Young, Wild & Free” on our daily drive to find good surf is what I’ll remember most. 

My go-to’s are Selina and Hostelworld. Both of which have an app that includes opportunities to connect with other travellers before you even get there. They post about upcoming events, fitness classes, etc. Even if you aren’t into sharing rooms, most hostels offer semi privates and privates. And keep your eye out for free breakfast! 

Excursions are also better to plan once you arrive. Many local businesses have yet to display their services on the internet or social media, and likely never will. They offer just as good of an experience (if not a more cultural one) and are usually more lenient with protocols and pricing. The same goes for surf shops and lessons. Personally, I think the ideal option is to meet locals who know the area or to meet with other travellers who are looking to explore. I guarantee everyone else is also looking for a travel adventure, so don’t let the fact that you’re strangers stand in your way!

Preparing for your next travel adventure

Although there’s no “right” way to travel, having the “right” mindset can turn even the greatest inconvenience into the greatest endeavor. Quite often, travelling involves decisions that violate what would, in theory, be sensible. And in some ways, these risks can be a good learning experience and good for your growth. However, doing so requires an open mind, which comes easiest when you have no expectations. If you have a plan that’s set in stone, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Because realistically, how often do things ever go as planned? 

So instead of planning to do, plan to embrace. That is, embrace the change of culture, the unexpected circumstances, and the potential chaos. Go into it willing to trust yourself to make decisions. Similarly, be willing to put your trust in strangers. If they are locals, they will likely always have a solution. Nine times out of ten, they want to help you. In a small community of Morocco, asking one person for a laxative resulted in the whole restaurant knowing I was constipated. Enema packets were basically being thrown my way. 

Now a lot of my advice may seem counterintuitive. However, assuming that you’ll take the time to learn about safe travel, adopting a liberated lifestyle is your ticket to an enriching experience. You can’t create the experience, but you can set yourself up for one. You’ll find that it doesn’t require your life savings or a jam-packed itinerary. All you need to do is get on that plane and I guarantee that your travel adventure will find you.