Another form of Travel Planning Block: Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), or "you can't do everything"

[milgreen2]

Thanks in no small measure to the thoughtful and supportive posts on this forum, I have moved past my initial planning block and am in full-on travel planning mode for an October trip to Sicily and Rome. But, now I'm facing another form of block: having to narrow down my decisions. There are so many interesting, inviting places to see and experiences to be had that I am almost paralyzed by worrying that by choosing X, I'm foregoing Y, and Y might actually be better than X...................You see where this could go :~).

I know this is just a microcosm of the real world in which we live, where we know we can't do/have/experience everything. But the stakes seem higher when we're planning to spend our precious time, energy, and carefully saved vacation funds. I guess the next step is to figure out our priorities for the trip, both individually and as a couple, and maybe even go so far as creating a vision board.............

Oh goodness gracious, I definitely draw the line at writing a mission statement!

But I am interested in hearing how others grapple with similar issues when starting to map out a trip. I sometimes wish I were the kind of person who is comfortable with simply booking airline tickets and figuring out the rest as they go.

 

[Pauline]

It is tricky to juggle booking flights and accommodations at the same time. I spend days searching and when it is finally coming together, I book accommodations first but hold off on paying the deposit until the flights are booked. Hotel or shorter than a week accommodations I don't worry so much about booking before the flights are booked.

But that is ignoring your question about how to map out a trip. I find it difficult. There are so many places that I want to go just in Italy and I have a shortlist in my head, then put together a trip where it flows well - where we are not driving around too much.

 

[milgreen2]

Thanks for your feedback, Pauline. I keep a shortlist in my head also, but it tends to grow exponentially the more I read and research......every charming small B&B, staying overnight near the Valley of Temples, doing a full day olive oil/cheese tour and cooking class, staying in Piazza Armerina at the B&B where the owner is also a guide and does tours of Villa Romana.....you get the drift.

 

[artnbarb]

I don't think I've ever gone on a trip where, 3 weeks after returning home, I read an article telling me about something interesting very near to where I'd just vacationed, yet I'd never heard about it in all my pre-vacation research. I guess this is why I keep returning to the same places over and over!

 

[Tina]

Often my initial destination is chosen because I find what in my opinion is a bargain flight to a particular destination. In that case, once my base is decided I try to make the most of what that destination offers only travelling further afield if I run out of things to do or see, and anyway using public transport. If I do day trips it would only be to a place which really only needs a day. For example when we were in Malaga for a week we didn't go to Cordoba or Granada because both deserve more than a day and are 'destinations' in themselves.
A first visit to Sicily can be daunting because there's so much to see and do. In this case I always think that if in normal life one hopes to 'have a good day' on holiday the expectation is to 'have a great day'. That, obviously varies from person to person. For us it means a lot of walking, enough to sink gratefully on the sofa but not so much to provoke blisters or pain, great food, which may mean a picnic and cooking with local ingredients later, and beautiful places, natural or man-made.If you have planned a great day for each of your days of holiday, what more can you do?!
Also we have to be a little optimistic and think next time I'll.....

 

[Anne]

I am all over the map when travel dreams enter my head. But nothing becomes real until I book my flights. Airfare is my biggest upfront cost, so it's my step one. I don't look at accommodations until I have my flights booked because until that point, I don't know my dates or even my destination.

Next I research the area, check out guidebooks, and do a lot of google map exploring to get in the mood. At the same time I look for accommodations...which is basically a 'follow my gut' kind of process. Fortunately I've had exceptionally good luck with that! That's about it. We usually take things day by day once we're actually travelling.

I totally understand the FOMO though. But after a couple trips of doing too much and having things blur together, I've learned that I enjoy myself more if I let go of trying to see everything and instead spend more time doing less. I've also happily discovered that often Z pops up unexpectedly and turns out to be every bit as good as I'd imagined X or Y would be! So there's that! lol