I’m the ultimate organizer. I can’t stand not knowing what’s going on when I get somewhere or not having an itinerary. This past summer we took a family trip to Australia for 5 weeks and naturally my first instinct was to download June and July calendars, print them, and pencil in a potential schedule. Unfortunately my mom wrote off my ideas right away – visiting family meant we wouldn’t have too much control over what we did and when! You can see from the picture above that she eventually took it over.
So, this is how I organized us for the trip (even though it didn’t mean anything) and how I’ve done it in the past.
Step 1: Make a calendar for your trip’s timeline. As I said, since this was a looong trip I would have printed off a blank calendar online and filled out where I’d be and when I’d arrive/depart. So, first three weeks in Melbourne, 4th week in Sydney, 5th week in Darwn.
Step 2: Do research on the city you’re visiting. I look up advice on blogs and travel websites for museums, restaurants, and sights. I would write everything down I’m interested in doing and also the price. Another tip is to write down the potential temperatures for each day you’re going, as you can see I’ve done above.
Step 3: Fill in your calendar using pencil. I can’t tell you how many times I “rescheduled” visiting the Sydney Opera House because it conflicted with lunch at someone’s house. Take your calendar around with you in case you stumble upon a new plan to pencil in, too.
This is my best way to keep myself organized and sane! I love having an itinerary – especially if I’m traveling alone, which means I get to do what I want when I want and get the full satisfaction of organizing it all into a calendar.
Samantha En Route 
