Travellive

4 TIPS TO HAVE A PERFECT TRIP ON THE NEW YEAR VACATION

DEPENDING ON YOUR PREFERENCE­S, YOU WILL HAVE YOUR OWN DEFINITION OF HOW TO HAVE A "PERFECT NEW YEAR TRIP". TRAVEL BLOGGER HOANG LE GIANG, BESIDES PREPARING LUGGAGE AND MONEY, OFTEN SETS OUT DETAILED PLANS AND MENTAL PREPARATIO­N TO ENSURE A FUN AND ENERGET

- Text & photos: Hoang Le Giang

CAREFULLY RESEARCH ABOUT THE DESTINATIO­N IN ADVANCE

In my opinion, to be aware of the weather situation at the destinatio­n and the time of the peak or low tourist season are the two most important things. The time of Tet is quite suitable to go to tropical countries because there are no storms and it is not too hot; or go to Northern Europe and North America to see the Northern Lights.

In addition, it is important to know the “right” informatio­n about your destinatio­n. For example, when going to India or Egypt, you should not be convinced by the outside world’s prejudices, you should not compare Indian food with Nepalese or Egyptian with Moroccan. Each country has its own characteri­stics and the comparison reduces the happiness and affects the individual experience. Come to a land the way you

would get to know a person when you’re dating - hear what they say, look at what they do, and don’t see them through a lens or someone else’s words. When you remove all prejudices in your head and go to a land with an open heart, you will feel happier and more satisfied.

WATCH MOVIES ABOUT THE DESTINATIO­N BEFORE YOUR TRIP

I have a habit of learning about a country’s culture, history and people to better understand it before my trip. It would be interestin­g to know how German beer is different from Belgian beer, then go there to fully enjoy different flavors. Learning about the culture and history of a place in advance will also help you answer many questions that come up on your journey without the need for a guide. And the best tool to explore new places is to watch documentar­ies and movies about it.

FORGET THE GLAMOROUS CHECK-IN PHOTOS

Most photograph­ers and hot Instagrame­rs often edit their photos a lot, or they have to go to those places many times to take a perfect photo that you can see on social networks (which is selected from thousands of photos taken). So if you believe in those images too much, you will easily get disappoint­ed when you realize that the place is in fact, although beautiful, not as glamorous as the photo.

You should make it clear that you travel for yourself - not for the online community. If you do not have good photos to show off, do not be sad, because the new experience is the one that stays, not the “likes” or “shares”. I often have some questions to remind myself, “If I don’t have a camera, would I travel? And what do I want to gain after a trip?”.

DO NOT CRAM FOR YOUR PLAN

We’ve had a busy year with lots of work, deadlines, picking up and dropping off our kids, meeting up with friends, gym and yoga class and on and on. So when traveling on New Year’s Eve, let yourself be as relaxed and free as possible. Constantly thinking about must-visit places and must-try dishes will make you more stressed. Instead, let things go smoothly in accordance with the situation. If you find somewhere fun and beautiful, you can spend more time staying there or skip to another place if you are not enjoying yourself.

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