Winging It: Plan Less, Travel More

Spontaneous travel. It sounds so enticing, but let's face it; very few people actually indulge themselves in the beauty of it. This post is inspired by a blog I came across titled, In the Unplanned Moments, Travel Happens.

This past winter, my dad and I decided last minute on a trip to Jeju Island off the southern coast of Korea. Best part? We decided to wing the whole trip! I’m not going to lie though; it started off pretty rough. All my attention on finishing off my round of finals then blowing off the steam at Sixth Street for two days straight had allowed me less than an hour to pack for this trip abroad. We didn't have a set date on when we were returning to the states or have any hotels booked. We hadn't researched the area in advance nor printed out a list of have-to-see stuff; I was completely oblivious to what to expect.

Jeju Island, Korea(Hanah Yang/Dec. 17, 2009)

The moment we got off the 14-hour flight, we grabbed our luggage and had a local taxi driver lead us to a lodge well known to the residents. We weren't too worried about safety or getting lost since we spoke Korean and the islanders were ever more welcoming. Everyday I got up relatively early with the excitement of being in a new place(and probably jet lag, too) and was eager to go out and explore. This entirely agenda-free trip became an adventure, which I was in charge to make it however I wanted to. Without a map or any attractions pamphlets provided by the hotel, we took off to local eateries where the residents enlightened us on their treasured places. Away from the busy traffic of tourists, we were able to appreciate the landscape from the local angle. It was truly engaging and worthwhile. It was ideal. 

Growing up, traveling had meant packing anxiously in fear of leaving something behind, forcefully getting up with a grunt, trailing behind my fast-paced mom, faking a smile in front of some "famous" statue, and anticipating to get back to the comfort of the hotel television and bed. We had to visit at least five must-sees a day in order. Behind schedule meant run. It was a physical and a mental stress. The only thing that I was excited about was the luxurious hotel. This leads me to question what people normally expect out of traveling. Checking off a list of top 10 attractions as you pose for a picture at each stop? Booking lavish hotels? Relying helplessly on a GPS?

Planning is good, but not all the time. Sometimes people stress over planning and packing for a trip so much that it defeats the whole purpose of venturing out to foreign places. There is no rule saying you must plan exactly a month in advance to leave your comfort zone. Why crowd around the statues and buildings when you can see them multiple times on television screens? These days, you can even take virtual tours online!

So I dare you to leave your itinerary at home and let opportunity be your agenda. You will quickly realize that the true beauty of traveling is appreciating the unknown and the unexpected- a freedom from your daily routines. Here are some tips(it's as easy as it sounds!):

• Establish a budget
• Don't plan
• Be open
• Let the city be your guide