Really Nice Vacations

Here is something really interesting. For those who are more adventurous, or even for those who have been so jaded with all various packaged tours, try this idea.

Here is how it goes. Think about a nice place that you would like to visit. Think of all the things you would like to do there. Plan your travel either by plane, rail or drive; maybe even by boat. But leave this one thing out - don’t book your hotel in advance! You may think it is crazy but many people had done so. So did I.

I did it a few times, once in Bali (Indonesia), once in Perth (Australia) and another in a land which I didn’t understand the language at all, Japan. Did I enjoy my trips? You bet they were nothing but fun fun fun. Just last week, a friend of mine accepted my recommendation and tried this on a back packing trip to Paris. Basically, she had her plane tickets in, and out of the city. And of course, a list of things she would like to do and places she would like to see. Then, when she landed, she simply visited this site that had last minute booking for hotels. She simple selected one that was convenient and had some good discount rates.

That is the secret to a “sane” adventure. Ray Bradbury said “Half the fun of the travel is the esthetic of lostness”. By leaving your hotel bookings to the last minute, you can potentially tap into some very special rates. After all, you are already at the place where you want to be, and the added spice of not knowing where you will be sleeping the night gives a whole new dimension to your travel experience.

Of course, you could try this in Rome if you wanted to. It is not restricted to Paris. In fact, it is available across many cities in Europe including the beautiful Barcelona, fascinating Amsterdam, intriguing Lisbon, and more.

This is one of the more quirky ways to enjoy a vacation. But the danger of course is that most average to good hotels are usually fully booked during peak seasons. So the risk is much higher. However, it is still possible. Walk on the wild side. Probably, that’s why the wise sages say something like “the journey can be more interesting than the destination”. Try it, at least once in your life time, travel the last minute way!

After note: I found out the actual quote of “the journey can be more interesting than the destination”, check out my next post.

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