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Considering recent events and repercussions sparked by Mother Nature, resulting in soaring fuel prices, I’m happier than ever that I bought our plane tickets early, before price hikes went into effect. And, in light of the multiple airline bankruptcies, I’m glad I don’t have to worry about grabbing one of the rapidly diminishing seats left. Let that be a lesson to procrastinators!
For the most part, because I plan so far ahead, once I’ve secured all the reservations, I mentally put aside my trip plans and return to the business at hand: working to pay for it! I have enough trouble getting my husband to think about it when I’m trying to decide on dates, hotels and airlines; if I kept the trip in the front of my mind all these weeks and months, he’d quit talking to me, and even I would be tired of the whole deal before we ever stepped off the plane.
But a few weeks before departure, there are some things that need attending to. Especially for trips taken during the holidays, it’s important to book a pet sitter well in advance, if that’s your preferred method of pet care. I have so many pets, boarding is not an option; besides, I feel safer knowing someone will be regularly checking on my house.
A couple weeks before the trip, it’s wise to double-check all reservations: plane, hotel, car and activities if booked ahead. I learned my lesson the hard way, naturally. I hadn’t paid close attention to confirmation from our Tulum resort, and when we arrived last year – during holiday season, mind you – I found out that a mistake had been made, and we were sans hotel for the final night of our stay. We spent the next day looking for another place to drop our gear for one, final night. Since it was the high holidays, our first dozen choices were booked. Our next dozen choices required a minimum three-night stay. At last we found a small hut on the beach even more “rustic” than our chosen resort: no electricity, no water. Only community facilities shared with the restaurant. And a manager who didn’t speak English. I stumbled through broken Spanish to negotiate the deal, gave him the cash, and we were on our way, breathing a sigh of relief. Of course, when we returned a week later, he had no record of having accepted any money from us, despite assurances when we booked. Having seen him write it in a book, I suspect he used a two-book system, because the book he showed us upon our return was blank. Oddly, he had the same room available. Knowing we had paid in advance and not wanting to miss our plane because of being stuck in a Mexican jail, we woke up very early the next morning and scooted out.
Lesson learned: check reservations early enough to do something about them if anything is wrong.
Email is a wonderful method of doing this. First, there’s little chance of a language barrier on the other end of a phone. Second, it’s cheaper than phoning. Third, everyone can communicate at their leisure. And most importantly, fourth, it’s in writing.
A quick email to my two resorts confirms my dates are correct this year. I take the opportunity to ask the Belize resort about booking day trips. When going somewhere new, you never know if you run a risk by not scheduling ahead, so ask. Fortunately, I was told it’s best to wait until arrival to book day trips; we can wait until we get there, examine the weather and our mood, and decide what to do according to our whim.
Other things to think about a few weeks out include any details not covered by a pet sitter: someone to pick up mail and newspapers and check on your place. Also, there’s your job. More than likely, someone will have to cover for you. Be sure they – and your boss – are aware of the dates you’ll be absent, and inform them about what they need to know to keep things running smoothly in your absence. After all, nobody wants to return after a vacation only to find a mountain of work waiting.
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