Planning really *is* half the fun

"You could try to increase the anticipation effect by talking about it more and maybe discussing it online."

Who would do that?

We must be the reverse or our planning is so routine that it doesn't have much effect on us. We pack the same regardless of where we are going. We have boasted that we could be packed and at the airport on two hours notice and it is an hour drive to the airport. We also tend to do a lot of planning on the fly -- only our first couple of days and the last day are well structured. But it is also not our first trip so I think it would be dependent somewhat on your travel experiences.

I think that the anticipation effect comes about because we tend to focus on pleasant possibilities--shall we see this or that? should we stay here or there? should we eat this or that? In the imagination, the trip is filled with infinitely enjoyable options, and the more we contemplate and research, the most delightful possibilities unfold.

In the real world, the enjoyment may be tempered by disappointment--the weather turns out worse than expected, the lines for admittance are longer than anticipated, the money runs out sooner than expected, etc. And of course, there is the post-trip re-entry blues to contend with.

I think one thing that keeps me coming back here is the vicarious enjoyment of other's trip planning, which allows me the enjoyable reflection on earlier trips as well. Oh, and the planning of my own upcoming trips...

I must be the odd bird then. When I'm planning a trip a good deal of it is stressful; I want to see X, Y, and Z but realize I can't get to all of them and still spend meaningful time exploring rather than moving from place to place. This happens both when X, Y, and Z are separate towns and once again inside each town; there's more to see in Paris or other larger city than can be seen in a few days time. And to come up with the places X, Y, and Z that I want to see means lots of reading and web-surfing to find out what's out there that I might want to see. Then there's the arranging lodging, looking for good airfare, tracking all the details so the things I think I've settled on aren't forgotten...

By the time the vacation comes around I NEED to get away!

That's interesting, although it seem to be more an indicator of how much most of us enjoy our work! Pre-trip, we're getting away! Post-trip, oh, well.

I like the advice to take more trips, though!

Actually, I love researching trips -- there's so much to do and see, I need to spend time picking and choosing where I want to focus, although it's always subject to change on the trip. (Let's stay here longer; let's move on sooner, etc.)

Since we have so far avoided repeating trips, the most fun for me (the planner) is learning about the history of the place we're going to visit. It's amazing how much more receptive to history I am now, than when I was in school years ago being taught history.

So I can tell my husband that I'm actually doing this to help my mood? Awesome!

My husband says that I must be happy all of the time because I'm always planning a trip! So true...

I would have to say I really enjoy the planning process, to the point where I have multiple projects going on at once for this year. I can see how planning a trip or dealing with some of the more frustrating coordination efforts wouldn't be something everyone would enjoy or get excited about.

I am only "allowed" to talk about our Spain trip for 10 minutes a day to my husband. He's a throw it in a bag and go type where as I like to research everything. The nice thing is we really do compliment each other when we travel because he can be spontanious during the day and I can know where I am going to lay my head at night.

I love to plan, but I don't love everything about it. I love the beginning when I start reading and every place I read about, I think -- we could go there. Trying to narrow it down can be tough, but I am getting better at it -- I don't sweat it so much because usually there are no bad choices. I love researching places to say, but I hate figuring out the transportation arrangements. Once I have my itinerary down, I love reading about the sites.

Gail - I think you and I are married to the same man!!!

Andrea- That explains all the Frequent Flyer miles! :)

I plan so I won't come home after the trip and find out I missed a really great site because I didn't know it was there.

I also like to have a lot of options mapped out so I can use my time productively regardless of weather, transportation strikes, etc.

I also enjoy the planning aspect and find it almost as much fun as the actual travel experience...or up until the point where I begin to suffer from Exploding Head Syndrome. Each trip inspires another, but I have been henceforth banned from even talking about a trip until we finish the one we're on.

i plan because it is a "travel fix" (like this forum) before trips which are usually scheduled a year in advance (frequent flier miles). also to avoid missing great stuff as someone mentioned. i also have the frustration head explosion thing but since i am so far in advance i have time to take a chill pill and make lists of possibilities. then when its closer i prioritize and upon arrival have hubby and/or sons contribute. they cant be bothered beforehand even tho i pester them with my enthusiasm. right now i am happily dreaming for 2011.

For me the planning & the trip cause spikes in my happiness level!! I do all the planning..book B&Bs,hotels, book car rentals etc. with occassional imput from my husband...as in " looks fine to me ". I enjoy it and he must be happy with the last few trips we've taken to europe because 2 days ago he suggested that our 2011 trip be 4 weeks instead of the usual 3!! That definately caused a big happiness level spike!!

I love to plan -- I get a little carried away buying travel books! Trips rarely turn out exactly as planned, and there are always frustrations (driving around Heathrow for 26 miles before getting onto the Motorway comes to mind), but there are also those surprises around the next turn that we didn't anticipate that give us a "high." And, we always come home with wonderful memories that last for years afterward.

My daughter told an old friend that she needs to come over to our house for dinner because I needed someone new to tell my plans to! For me the planning is fun, though it can be stressful. I'm only on my fourth trip to Europe. We'll be going for 35 days to Italy and France. Most of the heavy duty stuff is planned, now it's just the fun stuff.

To travel hopefully is better than to arrive - Robert Louis Stevenson - and I agree!

wow--thanks for this article! i recently posted a 'why i do what i do' entry on my blog, because i felt like i had to justify to people who read it (mainly friends and family) why i'm so obsessed with vacation planning--i could have just posted this article. i completely agree--when we first booked the initial leg of our upcoming trip, i told my husband that the reservation bought me '164 days of looking forward to it'. since then the trip has kind of mushroomed--we're now also going to london, and i'm going to barcelona as well. perhaps i am a travel-planning-induced happiness addict?

I truly enjoy the planning; the anticipation is wondrous. However, I'm in Paris now, and to me, it just doesn't get any better than this!

I love planning my trips. It's nearly half the fun. I've been to Europe several times now and don't consider packing as part of the planning process but rather which cities I want to visit, what sights to see, etc. . While I don't schedule every minute I think a well thought out plan allows me to see more of the things I came to see. Right now I'm working on Germany this year and Italy next. By knowing what I want to see before I go I've managed to plan to see way more than I saw on my first trip. I certainly believe in the happiness spike. A friend of mine hugs me each time he sees me and says "One day closer to Germany!" Makes me smile each time he says it.