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5 Steps toYour Free &Easy HolidayPlanning your own holiday is not as terrifying as itseems, it just takes some time and effort. Besides, acustomised holiday will guarantee you maximumsatisfaction, in terms of comfort, pace, activitiesplanned and meal options. Here’s how to get started.STEP 1: Book your flightThe first order of the day is to secure seats on your preferredflight. Besides choosing between full-service airlines versusbudget “no-frills” airlines for cost consideration, take noteof the number of stopovers and transit time at each stopas well. You don’t want to end up spending 6 hours in anairport transit area just to save that few tens of dollars. Also,pay attention to the arrival time of the flight. To maximisesightseeing time at your destination, choose an earlymorning flight, or an overnight flight that arrives first thingin the morning. But do note that your hotel room might notbe ready for check-in, so you have to leave your bags at thehotel or left-luggage facilities at the airport or train stationsin some cities. On the contrary, if you want to check-in tofreshen up before beginning your day, then time your flightsto arrive after 1 or 2pm. Plan similarly for your departingflight.STEP 2: Choose a hotelChoosing the hotel’s location pretty much depends onyour itinerary. If you are going budget and taking publictransport, choose a hotel next to a subway station, so thatyou don’t have to lug your bags all around town. Or say youhave an early morning train to catch to your next destination,then choose a hotel near the train station, so that you donot risk missing your train due to the morning traffic. If youare planning to do some major shopping, pick a hotel onthe main shopping street to allow for frequent pit stops todrop off your shopping bags and freshen up. Sometimes,rather than fork out good money for a town hotel, it may becheaper to stay near the airport where hotel rates are likelyto be lower and you can commute to town. Once you havenailed down the location, then it’s easier to sieve throughthe different hotels on offer and pick one to your liking.STEP 3: Make a list of thesights you want to seeDo your research beforehand, on websites, travel portals,guidebooks, and make a list of the sights that you wantto see. Note down their opening hours (especially formuseums), subway stops, bus services and websites. Checkout the attraction’s website for more information, like what’son offer, special promotions, extended opening hours orclosure dates. If you would like to venture out on day trips,note down which days the trips are operating and if there aredifferent prices for different days. List down the restaurantsand local foodstuff that you want to try in the same way.Finally, complete the list with the “errands” – chocolates forthe co-workers, souvenirs for the family, time for submittingthe tax refund at the airport. This will give you a completepicture of what you intend to achieve on your holiday.STEP 4: Group the sights andactivities; Allocate timeGroup attractions and meal plans in the same area togetherand visit them on the same day, so that you can save timeand money on travelling and see more. Decide how muchtime you are going to spend at each location. For example, ifthere is a huge museum on your list, allocate a good half oreven one day for it, so that you do not have to rush throughthe exhibits. If you have certain must-sees, schedule themat the start of your trip. In case of unforeseen circumstanceslike bad weather, you would still have other days to attemptthem. For your day trips, alternate them with your citysightseeing, so that the coach or train journey can double upas a break from all the walking.STEP 5: Plan transportationTo get to and from the airport, first of all, check if your hoteloffers a complimentary airport shuttle. Otherwise, hailinga cab is the most convenient way. But there are other costfriendlyoptions as well, such as city shuttle services, airportexpress trains or shared hotel transfers. You can usually findthis information on the airport’s website. To get around thecity, most urban cities would have a comprehensive subwaynetwork that you can depend on, with many offering daypasses or tourist passes which are usually a good deal.However, do take note of limited express trains which onlycall at certain stops and keep a map of the subway systemwith you for easy reference. Buses might be a tad morecomplex to navigate, but you can always plan your routebeforehand and consult the friendly bus driver when indoubt.20Now that you have everything thought out, type them down into a day-by-day itinerary, together with yourflight details and a map to your hotel. Include emergency numbers such as the airline customer service number,hotel contact number and embassy contact number. And you’re done!