There are surprises with travel. We go on trips to be surprised. Surprised by beauty. Surprised by joy. But some surprises are unwelcome. Yet other surprises are opportunities to discover and experience, if we can take advantage of them when they knock. Travel contingency planning can help you find surprises while avoiding hassle and stress.
This guide is the third of our three posts on travel planning, with an overview here. Our guide to building an itinerary is an obvious prerequisite to contingency planning.
Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, – Quote Investigator®
In travel, there are unknowns. In the quote above, Eisenhower makes the point that planning for emergencies is a problem. A problem since, by nature, they are unexpected in various ways. Nonetheless, without a plan, it is difficult to pivot. Of course, this quote was about planning for and deterring war. While it may be an overstatment, it seems to apply to travel as well.
Types of travel contingencies
In our description of developing itineraries, we discussed contingency plans as a last step. In this post, we return to the topic of contingency plans and adaptation while traveling. There are two basic types of contingencies to consider, those that can be anticipated and those that are not.
In developing itineraries, we will have eliminated certain activities due to time constraints, etc. These activies can form the basis for contingency plans. The decision points might be on certain dates, either before departure or during your trip. The alternatives might be incorporated based on certain circumstances or criteria.
Changes decided whilst on trip
Weather is an obvious concern for some activities and may drive some contingency planning. For example, we had a trip that included a visit to the Swiss Alps with an expensive excursion. So we built our itinerary with flexibility. We could select one of three days (or none) for which to purchase tickets during the trip. Had the mountains been completely shrouded in clouds and rain, the experience would not have been worthwhile. Fortunately, we had a day with blue skies and brilliant sunshine. But this approach meant that we had to be watching the weather several days in advance, prepared to pull the trigger on tickets. And this whilst we were on another eventful part of the trip. Having notes and urls in our arsenal of details before we embarked was critical.
Alternatives might be considered to suit a possible change in your mood, as the trip unfolds. Already knowing what a change will entail, in the middle of the trip, reduces anxiety and preserves the experience. We do like muesums. But sometimes on trips, we decide we will either forego or shorten our planned time in a muesum in favor of spending time in a park or cafe spoaking up some local vibes. Having a sense for what alternatives are nearby and what few key things we might want to catch (or not) in a muesum, helps us to go with the flow. (Of course, our travel books and maps, paper or digital, help to remind us.)
Sights of interest along a route between major stops often provide options. Sometimes these are surprisingly worthwhile adventures. Sometimes these sights we decide we must skip due to delays or disruptions. Regardless, having these types of alternative modules in your backpocket can can provide options and a sense of freedom.
Planning for the Unplanned
When it comes to contingencies, you can’t anticipate every eventuality. But a good, well-considered itinerary, with accompanying details, will prepare you to find alternatives and replan when you needed. Knowing the route and general distances, city layouts and transportation, the towns with possible accommodations, the alternative sights, etc. gives you a head start and reduces stress and risk of missteps or mishaps. This is true for both minor issues and major disruptions.
First, let me give an example of a minor issue. On several trips, we have had rental vehicles that were significantly larger than we expected. While this was very helpful in some respects, there were a few downsides. In one case, we had a large van in Europe and parking was connundrum in cities. Having a well planned itinerary with details of sights and maps handy, allowed a bit of extra time to look for appropriate and convenient parking. If we had been pressed to find details and schedule activities for each day, adding an additional task of finding oversized parking spot would have be stressful.
Another example of changing plans during a trip is shifting accommodations from tents to cabins or hotels. There are a number of big advantages of camping, especially in national parks. But weather and other issues (e.g., insects), can make sleeping on the ground a problem. Given the number of camping trips we have taken, the times we have shifted to other accommodations are relatively few. Interestly, we have made the decision to punt on the tents in the Florida Keys, in Alaska, and even in Hawaii. Knowing what is near, what the planned activities are, etc., is very helpful when making these changes.
Depending on the type of trip, thinking through possible on-the-fly changes is important, even crucial. Having pre-planned alternatives can save money, time, and stress. Sometimes a Plan B becomes the most memorable part of a trip.
“Everybody has plans until they get hit for the first time.”
Mike Tyson