Planning and enjoying hassle-free holiday

Busy as Nigerians seem to be, it is important to take a holiday even if it is once a week. The fact that you shut out from the regular cycle and spend time in a different environment with a refreshing ambiance will make your time worthwhile. You should not put on your cell phones and/or […]

Busy as Nigerians seem to be, it is important to take a holiday even if it is once a week. The fact that you shut out from the regular cycle and spend time in a different environment with a refreshing ambiance will make your time worthwhile. You should not put on your cell phones and/or laptops except to play games.

With contributions from constant travellers and holidaymakers, here are some fun ways through which you can have the most gratifying holiday experience.

You should start by making even the planning stress-free. The secret to achieving this is by starting early. Once you have decided to go on a holiday, take time out to plan it at least a month or more before your proposed departure date.

Prepare for the right kind of holiday.

As you make plans for your holiday, you should take note of the things you enjoy doing and things you have always dreamed of doing.

If there are activities that have always interested you like visiting ancient and historic sites, look for towns and locations that have such amongst other interesting views. Lagos State, for example, may possess such qualities like the slave building in Badagry.

But if you will be resident in the heart of town like in Surulere and have to make the heinous ride all the way to Badagry to visit such a place or to Epe to see one of their rich cultural fiestas, you might as well not bother except going through the heavy traffic is one of the activities you had lined up on your agenda. Rather than go to Lagos, you may like to consider a place like Osogbo, which still possesses ancient elements in her modernity. Also, you could visit Southern Kaduna around the Nok area where there are artefacts dating back to hundreds of years.  

You can enjoy the locations in two ways. If you like nature and landscapes, the drive there will provide you these and many beautiful photographs which you could preserve as souvenirs. You will also have the benefit of thoroughly enjoying your visits to your primary destinations.

This way, you will get much more out of your holiday and be much more relaxed if you plan a holiday you enjoy.

Consider and organise your budget

If we all could, we would like to have a list as long as our arms of dream holidays and places we would love to visit some day. Whatever the case and your aspirations, you have to be truthful and realistic to yourself. Do and plan only for what you can conveniently afford. Remember that your holiday is not forever; you will be coming back to take care of future financial responsibilities, some of which may be waiting at your doorstep upon your return.  

If your savings cannot cater for what you originally wanted, please do not overstretch yourself or go the extra mile of taking a loan to cover holiday expenses. Taking a holiday in this sense is not a money-spinning venture.

Hard as it may seem, try to stick to your original budget when you are holidaying.

Learn about your destination

Regardless of where you plan on going, it is important for you to do a little research on the area before embarking on the journey or making the trip there. Unfortunately in Nigeria, practically all of our historic cities and possible holiday sites do not have brochures or guides with details of what they have to offer their visitors.  None even has any leaflets on how to get there or what hotels are available or when best to visit the area, so that you’ll know when you can exploit your visit. Not even Calabar. If such information does exist, it has to be better circulated.

If such materials were available with details and options for tourists, it would be easier for you to plan your visit and the duration of your stay and itinerary generally. You will be able to determine what sites you want to visit, what hotel, resorts or lodging is most accessible to such sites, the local diet, festivals and lifestyle, amongst other information as well as help you to plan your budget.

Your best bet is to ask from people who have visited such places before, schooled there or have some current information on such a place. Except you are highly adventurous and want to take the chance, it is usually best to have prior information about your holiday destination before you arrive there.

Booking your holiday

For those who prefer to holiday everywhere else except in beautiful Nigeria, it is important to do a rain check on your bookings and ensure that all is as you have paid for, especially at times like these when there are a lot of trips being made and cancellations with airlines and all.  

Also, read up from the internet about accommodation in your proposed destination before you make your reservations.

Look up the facilities available and which ones offer you the best bargain in the holiday season. You could also make your reservations based on the recommendations of people who have used such places, while bearing in mind that we have different definitions to what good or perfect is.

Time to relax and enjoy

With all these set to your satisfaction, it is time to relax and simply have fun. Remember, this is a holiday and your time away from everyday hassle and lifestyle.

Don’t hurry the days to pass away so you can get back to work in order not to miss that business transaction.

Allow yourself this treat as you take in the ambiance of your new and temporary environment. Enjoy the culture, scenery, people, food and most of all enjoy you.