Over-Planning: Guilty as Charged
Sooo... I tend to over-plan things. Just ask anyone I've ever vacationed with. They'll tell you.
I read guide books, search the vastness of the internet and get recommendations from friends. If we're heading to an unfamiliar city, I'll get my bearings beforehand via google maps and spend embarrassing amounts of time researching neighborhoods to find the optimal location for our home away from home. For trips to parks and hiking spots, I'll try to scope out both popular and less-frequented trails. I do my best to figure out when to get to the trailhead parking lot and what our alternate options might be should the lot be full of fellow tourists.
I'm not particularly proud of this little facet of my personality and I try really hard to tame the urge to fill every moment. Over-planning has actually ruined vacations. Our honeymoon in Maui? Didn't love it. I over-planned the you-know-what right out of it. Why the heck didn't I just "plan" on snorkeling and reading a book on the beach every day? It was a vacation, after all.
In short? Because I'm me.
That said, the planner in me has also been a hero on occasion. That grocery store in Boston that just happened to be in the same building as the rental car drop-off and an easy two block walk to our condo? Not an accident. I planned that. The spectacular views of the Teton Range from the Moulton Ranch Cabins. Yep... booked that cabin for a reason.
I enjoying planning, researching and plotting sites on the map. I really do. However, with each new trip, I learn to take one more baby step back from the computer, apps, magazines and guide books. I'm learning that planning is one thing and over-planning is another and, quite frankly, it is not a good look on me.
I'm trying to let trips "just happen," to a certain extent. And you know what? It's kind of great. We have no clue where we're staying the first night of our road trip to Glacier National Park. We have hikes on our list, but weather and other factors may cause us to pick another trail or a completely different activity. We have our passports ready just in case we make it to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, but we aren't really sure if that's going to happen. Other than the days spent in the car, we have none of the other days mapped out.
And I'm okay. :)
Yes, I will always have some sort of plan, but I'm working hard to be more flexible when it comes to the reality of travel. Because sometimes you have a walking tour planned, but you really just want to drink wine and read local alt. weeklies on your rented condo's awesome rooftop terrace. Am I right?
I hereby promise to let the relaxing rooftop terrace option win from time-to-time. You can all call me out if I slip up. Deal?
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Anyone else trying to become a reformed over-planner? Who thinks I'm crazy for planning until I'm blue in the face? {For the record, I just raised my hand to both of those questions.}