Master Your Travel Itinerary With This Ultimate Planning Guide

Planning your travel itinerary for a year can feel overwhelming. In this comprehensive guide, we will show you strategies to set a year's budget that will work with your extended travels. From tips on setting a realistic budget, selecting destinations within financial limits, and efficiently managing visa requirements, we've got you covered. Whether you prefer tranquil landscapes or vibrant urban centers, this video provides crucial insights to streamline your travel preparations.
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[@rubbertoad3681]

I think an over the shoulder look at Carrie doing her preliminary search for a three month itinerary would be a good video. Show the real process starting at looking where you can go based on the costs of flights, look at how affordable the housing is in each place, the cost of getting to the next place and the cost of housing in that next place, etc. Show what apps she uses in each step of the process.

[@KTC1869]

I like that idea too

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great video idea, we'll think on that one 😊. Thanks for watching.

[@FIRED13]

​@@BrianandCarrieIt could be a chaotic video but being 'raw' is l just fine for this kind of video

[@robertmcfarlane4151]

One of the few things in life that you can fully choose is your attitude. Things won't always go as planned. The ability to not panic, pivot and roll with the punches is so valuable with travel! Good to emphasized that! You two, like so many things, do it so well and effortlessly. Cheers!

[@esbiermann62]

I highly recommend for your Mexico trip to do Christmas time in Queretaro - there are free musical performances, parades, holiday lights in all the squares that connect to each other and the community is out celebrating, dancing and it s a magical time! Book ahead though!

[@suzannegabrielle]

I would also add to check your destinations for national and bank holidays. We ended up in Singapore during Chinese New Year once. It was great fun, but everything was packed and lots more expensive. Also if you have your heart set on a particular museum or site make sure you'll be in that location on a day it will be open.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, great point! We've arrived in similar situations and it's all worked out but can be challenging. Cheers!!

[@kategreen9647]

Pivoting and flexibility are so key to life! I am laughing at the clothing though. In UK now (and northern France last month) with one pair of long trousers and my layering leggings. It's been so chilly I'm now searching charity shops for jeans. I was born in the UK so duh, I should have remembered:)

[@psatm]

These videos are so helpful! I would say that I just came back from Dusseldorf and Berlin and when I booked travel I didn't realize that the UEFA tournament was occuring in both of these cities during my travel time. Result were huge crowds in many places that we visited and also hotels were more expensive than if we had waited until after this event was over. Lesson here is to search for events in places that you want to visit to see if there's something happening that might affect pricing and availability. One positive takeaway from this experience is that the large crowds were so much fun and we had a great time mingling with them - they were from all over Europe.

[@gkunz3]

Always great advice.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks for watching! 😊

[@DeanRamser]

Another excellent video!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! Cheers! 🍻😁

[@nncadi1]

Great video as usual.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much ❤️

[@SandiHooper]

Super timely-thanks you guys!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@Dagyana]

I always visit the tourist office in every country to get coupons/ maps/discounted tickets for excursions etc

[@patfrancisco9646]

Plan well and embellish the gift of time with potential memories beyond the ordinary. I like the way you travel together. You influence my travels positively. The better the wine, the better the trip.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much!

[@SoloRetirement]

So much good info! Thank you! Planning on doing some shorter trips over the next couple of years before retiring and doing it most of the time. And thank you for supporting my new channel as i prepare! Great community you have!

[@tacrewgirl]

Great info about pre-planning and budgeting.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching 😊

[@ignatiobuns4853]

Thanks Brian and Carrie! As a new traveler I've grown to appreciate the information you provide. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! 😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

So happy you find it helpful. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@AVIONBLANC]

This was a very good video. While we aren’t full time travelers we follow your suggestions for the adventures we go on. Your vids are entertaining and informative. Thank you.

[@lindadorman2869]

Budget Spreadsheet Template Sections: 1. Income (Social Security, pension, side gig) 2. Housing/Utilities 3. Food/Grocery 4. Entertainment 5. Personal Care 6. Subscriptions (streaming services, virtual mail, VPN) 7. Transportation (flight/train/car/bus) 8. Children (if applicable) 9. Pets (if applicable) 10. Insurance (home, travel, medical, auto, life) 11. Health/Medical (out of pocket) 12. Administrative (visa fees, photos, paid apps/equipment) 13. Giving (tithing, donations, tips) 14. Savings/Investments (contributions/withdrawals) 15. Obligations/Debt (loan payments, credit cards, gifts) 16. Other (miscellaneous)

[@debbiefisher8596]

Thank you!

[@markfinlay9615]

Hi Guys, Excellent advice! I have been following you probably since you first started traveling, and it is incredible how much you have learned about what suits you best. Slow travel is the way to go, but unfortunately, Americans have very little vacation time, and because they are so used to living to work, they try to squeeze too much in. You made a good point about booking things you want to see well in advance. For example, the Al Hambra in Granade limits the number of visitors per day and can be booked for three months in advance during the summer. Always plan your budget and add another third to cover unexpected expenses, as it will cost more than you thought. When visiting Europe, try to visit in the winter. When the crowds are gone, the airfares and accommodations are less expensive, and the museums are not full of tourists. I hope you have an excellent time back in Bellingham after Antalya. I look forward to Mexico, other than the coastal resorts. I loved Mexico, but that was 30 years ago. My next trip is from Alicante to Vienna in September, then Flixbus to Bratislava. It would help to tell people that European bus stations are not like the USA and are safe and that traveling by bus can often save you a lot of money over rail fares. I am looking forward to Saturday's video!

Great video! Best tip I can give to everyone is to travel light 😊

[@kleerogers]

absolutely, 1 carry on and one personal item, been travelling like this for 22 years, game changer

[@DestinationRetirement]

Arrival time is key. Whenever possible I let my guests know they can drop their bags off early, say hi to Lupita, use the restroom, etc and walk to Volta Cafe till check in time. When someone books I can tell immediately if early check in is possible since I have a 4 night minimum. Check with your host. Often the Air bnbs where it is a management company that has a ton of properties does not allow early check in as their system is regimented. Us smaller operations have more flexibility and tailored experiences. :)

[@anne4369]

Another wonderful YT, you two. ❤ Hubs and I are not quite all the way there yet as we still have to sell our house and travel a bit in the States through the end of 2024. However, we are already tossing around slow travel ideas for the first quarter (or so) of 2025. Your method of planning and research seems to match ours a bit and I found myself nodding along with you on this video. Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge & experience and for giving usable examples to your YT audience. It is so appreciated by those of us who will soon be entering the orbit of the slow travel retirement game. Safe travels back home to the ‘Ham! ❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Anne, for watching and being such a great supporter of the channel! We appreciate you! 😁

[@robertkelly6189]

shirt looks great Brian! 😎

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you!! 😁

[@lindadorman2869]

I think the travel itinerary should come first. That way, you can research and estimate costs in each place you want to go, based on the date and duration as well. The final budget should be as detailed as possible with each expense listed separately so you can lower or raise the cost. My travel budget template is the same as my household budget at home, but each line contains a specific expense. 16 sections with 80+ line items but I know where every dollar is allocated and where it went at month end.

[@BoninBrighton]

Hubby wants to spend time in Eastern Europe… he keeps talking about it but doesn’t plan it so it hasn’t happened. Meanwhile I planned 8 weeks driving around New England 2022 then also 7 weeks Singapore Australia 2023 and now we’re going for 8 weeks to India and KL and Australia this year later in 2024. It’s all about putting the time into planning or it simply won’t happen.

[@jwinters9974]

Excellent video. When packing, we definitely concur it is better to under pack, than to pack too much. This allows us allocation to do a bit of shopping in the local markets to fill the gaps, at the same time, obtain a memento or two. We also enjoy hitting the vintage clothing stores, which are quite popular wherever we've gone - and especially searching for "wool-specific" items..

[@InBrz]

RICK STEVES never packed more than ONE carry on for his 3 month trips to Europe WHY take things you can buy where you are going !

[@Dagyana]

I go thrift shopping if I need anything extra. In the end I donate back 😉

[@mfamily3301]

Admire how you both able to plan for each trip year around, took us months to plan for 1 month trip on what to see and how to. Enjoy and learn each of your video, thank you.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you!! ❤️

[@davidj7516]

Thank you for your time and posting. :) Side Note: The Sherpa website charges over double for a Vietnamese visa. A VN visa is US$50, and Sherpa's is US$110. Everything always works out when you think positively.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great info, thanks for sharing. We just went through the governmen site as well, easy process and less expensive. Cheers!!

[@gottabtrippin3487]

Great video guys, timely for me as I am in the first month of my slow travels and all of this is very relevant to me. Currently in Hoi An in Vietnam (for a month) and then plan to go to the north, some time in Hanoi but more... and I am thinking through the bookings for that now. Then I head to Albania for a couple of months, in no small part due to your videos in the past on Albania... but again, flights are booked, but nothing else yet. I have been watching your videos for a fair while now, and you and a couple of other similar people have inspired my early retirement and slow travel... maybe we will cross paths some time. Keep up the videos, they are great. Thanks, Dale.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for following along! Enjoy your time in Vietnam and beyond and safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@ifeelprettyohsopretty806]

I did notice your new shirt, Brian! Was wondering where you bought it! 😃 Thanks for filling us in! Living in Florida, quite partial to those Gators! Good choice!!😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

I was getting desperate! 🤣

[@drewski-qu3co]

For future planning most tourist who visit DR and then on to South America normally fly to Columbia

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's great to know, thanks for sharing that tip 😊

[@gregmiller9437]

I noticed the new Izod shirt a few episodes back. LOL! Brian is getting preppie on us. Shannon and I are so much like you both in our ways of doing things. I'm the write it down on a million scraps of paper, and she is the spread sheet, graphs and documents person. :) Great video!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Just wait until I pop the collar and through on a pair of penny loafers!! 🤣

[@InBrz]

You guys are killing it ! ON the ground, doing all of it the right way ! You can't explore the world sitting on your sofa in the US ! We all have certain personal favorites Am surprised you put SE Asia on the top, not my first choice. Hard to relate to such a different culture. I prefer mostly a European lifestyle Areas I specifically feel like I fit in comfortably ; Most of Europe north to south, MED South Eastern Europe ; Croatia, Slovenia, Specifically Antwerp Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, MALTA, Germany Travelled S to N in Asia and like Singapore, Hong Kong, S Korea and Japan+ South America, specifically the south of South America, that means Brasil Uruagay and Argentina After WW2 Brasil was deluged by europeans escaping the war, to include a lot of Nazis too ! A lot of eastern europeans too - Czech, Polish, Ukrainians, Slavic (Curitiba), Blumenau- where the largest October Fest is held outside of Germany Even today we see some cities where they speak Italian and German ON THE STREET ! Today we are seeing a lot of eastern europeians ; Russians, Ukrainians. Most people don't know it but countries like Brasil have grown up with a US culture They grew up with the same movies ; like Titanic, same TV series shows ; Adams Family, Flintstones, Father Knows Best etc. Much the same food ; Italian, German, Asian, Churassco. Same religions ; lots of Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Baptists and even some Mormans. If you pick up Brasil and put it over the US, they are about the same size. They are a self sufficient country. They make their own food, drill for their own gas and build their own cars (mostly european models). You have ALL extremes of weather too, Brasil has a 7,500km coastline ! You can go from freezing in the south, skiing the mountains, to sweating your ass off in Fortaleza where it never gets below 80f ! These days Brasil's politics have calmed down when Prez LULA returned and brought Brasil back to sanity. The FASCISTS are in check today. Biden even told Brasil they would cut ties to Brasil if they re-elected the fascist president. Brasil's industry includes aircraft, cars, furniture, lots of home construction of all kinds, food production (NOT ravaged with chemicals like in the US), mostly safe and nutritious. Yes, you can find mostly the same food as in the US but much higher quality. Like the Nomad Capitalist says ; Go where you are treated the BEST ! We all end up dead, so while alive, spent your life in the most positive environment ! Putting all the disgusting politics in the US behind you is a very healthy way to live.

[@hamster-no-more]

This episode could have been called ‘No Borders with Brian’s new shirt’ 🤣 Just goes to show how much more appreciative of ‘stuff’ we all are when we aren’t constantly accumulating ‘stuff.’ Great video guys.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! 🤣

[@gemmeg2]

Planning takes so much time! I would be interested to hear how you document your itinerary. I use a paper calendar where I can see a whole month on one page. I have been experimenting with an app called TripIt and like it so far. My favorite budget place to eat in Budapest is Trofea Grill. Two years ago it was 18 euro for a buffet with all the food AND wine you wanted. I am guessing it includes beer also. My Airbnb host recommended it.

[@stephanieduston7490]

Is this the best place to ask our questions or would you rather we ask/post them somewhere else? * Now that you two will be returning home more often (which I totally get!), are you still planning on doing the house sitting when home? * On the house sitting topic - I have been looking on the Trusted House Sitters website but only see pet sitting options. Do you two ever find "gigs" where there are no pets and you are simply caring for the home and maybe plants/a garden? * Long term, do you think you'll be buying a house once you are ready to return to the states or??? I am in the VERY beginning stages of thinking/planning for this sort of lifestyle. Hoping for an early retirement for my husband in 5-7 years to pursue the slow travel life you have made me fall in love with. :) I'm thinking it might be in our future to purchase an RV so that we can stay there when back in the US and easily visit our daughter's & their eventual families (our grandbabies!). Have y'all ever considered that as an option?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Most house sits will include pet care as well. We do house sit when we are home with 3 lined up for this summer and 1 for Dec. We will be renting something back in the US someday but that's a long time off. We address this in upcoming videos. 😁

[@PamandLarry]

Are y’all still going to do videos of where you are & monthly costs? I loved them!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes we are! Budapest is this coming Saturday. 😁

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Very informative. 👍 Thanks. I'm breaking out the pencil ✏️ for Budapest now.😊 Iggy over at slow world travel just finished setting up their Mexico travel wheel. 🤔 Possible great review colab for you guys. For a win win situation. 🏆 No cost 2-3-or Possible 4 weeks housing that gives you content that can be helpful for us viewers and other slow travelers. Mr. Iggy gets great feedback from a couple of pros 👍 and the potential for a real honest review 👍 For a slight up charge you could off to film it in the Pineapple 🍍 shirt.😊😅

[@WallaceDunn]

Planning to start traveling in January. I love your channel! You two are an inspiration!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Wallace!! 😊

[@borntoroam2468]

Hello! I had a question about Eurail pass vs purchasing individual tickets as needed. Was curious what your take is and how you both do this. Thanks for all the great info you provide! A fellow Pac Northwesterner! (Oregon) :)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We buy as needed, we felt that the Eurail was too expensive.

[@katherron8789]

I am not sure where to ask this question, but here goes! Was it your trip to Sardinia that you cut short because it was so dirty?? Or am I thinking of the wrong destination? Thanks.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That was our trip to Palermo that we cut short. Cheers!!

[@RhondaCampbell-gh2jd]

How do you research the safety of an area that is a reliable resource?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We use a website called Sherpa.

[@TravelerJerryLee]

How many times have you been asked for proof of onward travel when arriving in a country? I like being flexible and being able to adjust on the fly but am always worried if I do not have an outbound ticket when flying internationally....

[@jwinters9974]

Out of maybe 10 countries we've traveled to, only Costa Rica had the "proof of onward travel"requirement, which we obtained, however when we went thru customs, they didn't ask. But we we still glad we had it.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Never once have we been asked for a proof of onward travels. We did have a exit ticket in Thailand as that is said to be required, but they didn't ask for it. Cheers!!

[@DeborahFrameMcLennan-hf3jo]

We were asked when we arrived in Madrid in February (our first Schenghen stop of the trip). Fortunately we were heading to Morocco a month later so I could pull up the email. But we didn't have much else prebooked.

[@wanderwildes]

I’ve been asked a lot over the few years. At least for half of my travels.

[@scu5871]

Just found your channel and I love it! Great work, these videos are stellar.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much!! We are happy that you found us! ❤️

[@CarnivoreDownSouth]

Do you have a video discussing WHERE you have to have vaccinations and what kind? Would love to know a process of elimination of where NOT to bother researching.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Unless you are going into the Amazon or deep into the jungles of Vietnam you don't have to get any. They are just recommended.

[@CarnivoreDownSouth]

@@BrianandCarrie thank you SO much!!!

[@sarahloyd4876]

Hate to be so bold and nosey, but can you share how you’re able to do this financially before retirement age? We’re the same age bracket as you, also from the pnw. Do you wfh or use a house sale equity to sustain it until retirement? Do you have a video on this very topic? Love your videos! I’m living vicariously through you!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We live mostly from savings as well as money made from doing KZbin. Thankfully living full time traveling is much cheaper than we could live full time in our home town 🥺. Cheers!!

[@sarahloyd4876]

Thanks for the honesty and transparency. Love your videos!

[@lmbarnes3]

Can you do a video on Apart Hotels. Never heard this before. Pros Cons, where to look, difference from hotels?

[@Chris_Heather_livingbestlife]

I second this question

[@cherokesky]

We have safety wing. Thank you for that...😊. We're heading back to Washington in three weeks and the payment for the next month gets billed a couple days before we head home.. Do you pause your safety wing early to avoid paying for a month when you're home? Or have they credited you or prorated partial months? Safe travels. Maybe link up back home. Larry and Minnie

[@BrianandCarrie]

I just cancel prior to the day I'm going to be charged and restart for those additional couple days. This obviously is best if you haven't used it and paid anything towards deductible. I'm sure there may be a easier way, but I don't like to have to call in and talk to someone or wait for a refund. So for me this has worked. Let us know when you're back in the area 😊. Cheers!!

[@cherokesky]

​@@BrianandCarrieyep. That's what we're planning. Glad you've tried already. Thank you.

[@sandiemallan7447]

I find that search engines for flights don't always include all airline. For example I had never heard of Norse Atlantic until you mentioned it. Where do you find these lesser known airlines?

[@barryutah]

Sorry to butt in, but since B&C aren't up yet. I think most travelers will tell you to search with Google Flights then purchase direct from the airline, if possible. In my search for Europe this spring I encountered Norse, Condor and some others I may have heard of but never see pop up unless I am searching where they fly. I don't know about other sites, but Google Flights has a filter for airlines. It should probably be defaulted to All Airlines, but check that. If you haven't used Google Flights, or even if you have but could use some tips on using it to your advantage, do a search on KZbin for "using Google Flights" or "Google Flights tips." Or something like those searches. There are quite a few videos on using Google Flights. I had never thought of using it until I watched someone's video and really learned how to use it. Also, the budget, lesser known airlines usually fly into fewer cities. Maybe that's why you don't see them as much 🤷‍♂ For example, Norse only flies in/out of 5 US cities. But, you might connect with them some times. I hadn't heard of Condor until I was searching for flights to Europe this past spring. They were my cheapest option by far then, and they don't fly in/out of my city. Every flight option was to fly Alaska to Seattle where we would catch Condor to Europe. Another reason could be seasonal. Somewhere around May, Condor opened up other US cities, so they showed up even more. Hope this helps.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We use Google flights as a start whenever searching for flights. Then sometimes purchase from the airline or sometimes Expedia, whichever is better pricing.

[@borntoroam2468]

If I wanted to take one year and travel Europe, both western & eastern, how would you go about booking your flight, i.e., a one-way ticket, or round trip. Although assuming you can't book that far out on a return. How often do you stay before you go back home? thanks for all your wonderful & informative videos. Newbie here...still a few yrs out from retirement, but thinking of keeping our home in the states (Oregon) and renting it out for a year while traveling throughout Europe. Just not sure how you work in the flights. Also, do you fly within Europe, i.e. Ryan air, etc or mainly use train/bus? Thanks again!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We always book one-way tickets, which leaves our options open. We travel for 5+ months at a time and return home for about 6 weeks. Moving forward, we will change that schedule to about three months and 4 to 5 weeks. We only fly within Europe if we have to. For example, we flew from Chania, Greece to Budapest a few weeks ago, otherwise, the bus or train works best for us.

[@borntoroam2468]

@@BrianandCarrie Have you ever run into an issue with being asked for proof of a return flight? Thanks for your answers!!! :)

[@barryutah]

@@borntoroam2468 There are other comments on that in the chat. Search (Ctrl F) for "JerryLee"

[@HH-fo9sg]

What are some of the difficult visas you have applied for?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We haven't had any difficulties applying for any.

[@MichaelJamesGallagherAuthor]

Nice info about insurance. I am paying about 1200 bucks for a yearly, travel anytime, policy in Canada. This is so cheap I can’t believe it could be good. I am 70. Does that effect price?

[@barryutah]

Wow, that is cheap. That's a good price for anyone over 50, let alone 70. Do you mind sharing the company name? Is that just for Canada? Can't imagine it is for that price.

[@MichaelJamesGallagherAuthor]

@@barryutah So Barry, thanks for the reply. I was saying your company was cheap not mine. Anyway, mine is Canadian Blue Cross for world travel. About 1200 bucks for up to 30 day stints.You can extend or negotiate longer stays but then it will increase in price.

[@sackxaymountry6570]

Consider getting pants that could unzip into short.

[@JayandSarah]

Convertible pants are a travellers dream. That said, depending on where you are travelling.. we know people who never even take pants with them.