April May 2018 – Trip Planning Update 1

2018 Trip Planning

Our trip for 2018 is big.  Big in quantity of flights, in terms of amount of time we have been thinking about this trip.  Big in the amount of time spent planning this trip, and most importantly, big in terms of time for the trip, 5, yes five, weeks to take this trip.  We leave in the middle of April and return to Toronto in late May.  Now, where in the world are we going?

Australia & New Zealand!

Why?  Why not!  Honestly, I got to visit Australia many years ago and wanted to return.  Shortly after we married I joked that we should go to Australia as a milestone birthday gift to each other.  Who would say no? 

The days are quickly passing, and with less than 80 days until our first flight we have booked the biggest things, namely:

• Return airfare to Sydney, Australia
• All flights during our trip
• Rentals cars
• Hotels at the start and end of the trip
• and a vague idea of what we will be doing in each location

As I like to track and keep count of many things, a few headlines that even surprised me, when I put them together:

• We have a total of 15 flights (15 take-offs, 15 landings) booked
• We will be visiting a rental car counter 6 times to pick up a vehicle
• Total distance to be covered in a plane totals almost 1.4x times around the equator.
• We will visit all Australian states except for Northern Territory & (we are visiting Uluru in NT) Western Australia

Now my question:  For a trip this large, how would your approach planning and keeping track of the vacation plan?  (Hint:  This will be the topic of my next update!)