Planning a Trip

 

How do I plan a trip?

Planning starts with deciding where you want to go and why. I base my trips on fishing, architecture or both. The next thing to do is find out as much information as possible. Join a Facebook group about the location, read Pinterest arcticles.
Also reference travel sites like Lonely
Planet or Travel Fish. Consult Google Maps for interest points and hotels. Determine if local travel will be necessary. Pick an airline and think about insurance and immunizations. Will you need a guide? Much to consider....

Facebook - Pinterest

Lonely Planet - Travel Fish

Google Maps - Location Bloggers

These are my go to's. You can find hotels, restaurants, points of interest and hospitals. I read as much about hotels as I can and find locations that are central to my interests. This also forms the basis of your budget. I never get expensive lodging. But I do consider their services and ratings. Money exchange, rentals and bookings as well as wifi. A good hotel can usually make good recommendations as well as arrange a car for you and laundry and even local maps. A good driver or guide can also save you money and time to get the most of your trip. If you travel between 2 cities on a trip....a bus or train can be a cheap option. But hiring a driver or getting a local flight saves you time to see and do more. Cheap is not always best.

Airlines are varied. I pick an airline like Korean Air due to their good luggage policy and record to travel often. I also joined the preferred flier program to get miles towards future trips. Booking 4 to 6 months in advance can also save you big bucks....like 40% or more!

Points of interest are a big deal. Try to group them by area to save travel distance between them. Also figure the time you will need per day and leave time for lunch or random exploring. You always seem to find unanticipated things to investigate like shops or temples.

Find the local hospital in case of emergency. Copy your passport and travel insurance info (highly recommended). Copy the contact info of your embassy as well. Read up on travel alerts by the embassy and information about safety and customs of the country. This might save you from some bad situations. Carry valuables in a money belt or secure sling pack. And leave stuff you dont need that day in the hotel safe! Also call your doctor and see if you need any shots for your location. Get a copy of prescriptions in case immigration or local police inquire. Helpful apps: GPSmyCity, Google Flights, Google Translate and SD Currency Converter.

Last but not least is picking a guide. Due to language restrictions you may need a guide and or driver. Ask friends...check the above sites I listed or contact the hotel you reserved and ask for recommendations. A good guide and or driver will save you money and fill you in on the local culture, history and food as well as keep you safe. I hope this helps and feel free to ask questions in the comments section!

 

Lang Tho Xuong Hue 2020 Empress Tu Du

Lang Tho Xuong - tomb of Empress Tu Du in Hue Vietnam

Empress Tu Du was the wife of Emperor Thieu Tri. She was known as an attentive mother to Tu Duc the 4th Emperor. She was also known for caring for her people and cutting taxes. Từ Dụ played a significant role in the dethronement of Hiệp Hòa, whom was a pro-French emperor, and enthroned Kiến Phúc. Her life spanned almost the entire Nguyen Dynasty. Her tomb is above and behind her husbands. 

The tomb has the traditional entry columns and a half moon pond in front. A delicate terra cotta lattice work makes up the railings around the terraces and pond. Unfortunately this is in very bad shape as most of the stucco and art work inside the tomb. A wooden pavilion or some structure that used to be in front of the tomb entrance is now gone. I am thinking it might have held a steele  or some sort of marker.

The day I went, there were 2 locals visiting, I assume they left the flowers. After they left the place seemed to have a surreal feel. Maybe the spirit of Tu Du still lingers. Its quite beautiful with the pine trees and isolated hillside. I had contacted the Hue Monuments Commission about information on Kien Trung Palace and they let me suggest some documentation ideas for the site to prepare it for restoration. Lets hope they can get this tomb on their restoration schedule.