A 5-day trip took a whole week to prepare. Thinking back, it was too much work.

Worried, busy choosing hotels, restaurants, packing clothes

Because it's been a long time since I've been to Hanoi , I'm both studying and having fun, so a week before the flight, I listed out the "items" that need to be prepared.

When traveling , many people spend too much time preparing, especially about accommodation - Photo: WHITE CLOUD

I asked my friend who lives in Hanoi "is it cold?" My friend said it's very hot, it only rains at night.

But to be safe, I still prepared a thick warm coat. Who knows, the weather might suddenly turn cold.

Choosing a place to stay is a headache. Before going out, my criteria is that the room must be clean, comfortable and affordable.

In the evening, when I had free time, I opened Google Maps to see how far it was between my school and the hotels.

Then I continued to go to the booking apps to see which one had the better price.

Many people like to choose comfortable, cozy accommodations. But there are also people who choose to sleep in bunk beds or dormitories - Photo: WHITE CLOUD

I prefer hotels that allow online booking a few days in advance without having to pay in advance (the price will be a little higher). I prepare in case something happens on the day of my trip and I can't stay there.

Then I saw that the hotels near my school were all 4 stars or higher with prices of several million VND per night, so I switched to looking for a homestay.

I searched for a few names and checked carefully if the distance to the school was within walking distance. And I went to the homestay’s fanpage, to the booking apps… to see what people were saying.

"Be careful, it's fake. It's very suspicious if it's that cheap," my friend warned me. So I chose a homestay that looked cozy in the pictures, costing nearly 500,000 VND/night.

Rest assured of the accommodation, I looked at the map to see what restaurants were nearby.

And then there are the clothes to bring. If you prepare less, it will be more compact and the suitcase will be less heavy. But if it rains or the weather turns cold, what will you do? I fumble to put in another shirt, skirt, scarf, socks…

Finally, the suitcase was full and weighed 12kg, not less than the amount of stuff from the nearly half-month-long trip before.

Not yet. Hearing that taking a taxi from the airport to Hanoi city center takes a long time and is difficult, I asked my friend for the number of a driver to make an appointment.

Prepare moderately to avoid fatigue.

When I arrived in Hanoi and met my colleague, I realized that taking a taxi to the airport is now very easy. Just go to the technology taxi booking app, choose the airport taxi section, the price is quite reasonable. Moreover, the bus from Noi Bai airport to the center of Hanoi (route 86) is very spacious and has very good reviews.

Restaurants, if your dining needs are not too fussy, just a few steps away there are plenty of restaurants. There are noodles, pho, sweet soup, smoothies...

Less perfectionism in preparation will probably create a more spontaneous and emotional trip - Photo: WHITE CLOUD

The female colleague smiled and said she was in a dormitory 20 minutes away by ride-hailing service.

She said the young people in the bunk beds were polite and orderly, unlike the common image that dormitories are inconvenient and noisy.

The price is only 1/3 of renting a private room. She only brought a small suitcase. And she prepared quickly because she didn't have the habit of thinking too much like me.

The trip went smoothly, partly because I was well prepared. But mostly because the destination was so convenient. I didn’t have to look for any place when I got there.

Moreover, now, wherever you go, you just need to open your phone with Google Maps application. If you are walking, the application will show you the way to the alley. Otherwise, you can take a motorbike taxi, short distances only cost from 20,000 VND. No need to research too much, worry about everything like crazy before going.

I realized I spent a lot of time researching and preparing things that weren't so important.

For example, if you go to remote locations with harsh weather, careful preparation is necessary.

As for urban locations with good weather, I won't need to prepare and bring too many things. Because when I arrive, I will definitely buy souvenirs and specialties to bring back, so my luggage will be even more cumbersome.

Less perfectionism in preparation, less "complicated", will probably create a more spontaneous, emotional trip.

Learning from the experience of travel bloggers who specialize in long-term travel with reasonable luggage, I realized that just preparing enough clothes to wear and having a spare set is fine.

The hotel just needs to be located in a place with enough amenities, not too far from the center.

Phone should be fully charged, connected to the internet to see directions and locations. Wallet should have some cash, because now payment by transfer is too common. A good pair of comfortable shoes and a comfortable, positive spirit are more than enough.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-lich-5-ngay-ma-mat-ca-tuan-chuan-bi-nghi-lai-thay-qua-ton-cong-20240930095943369.htm