Travel offers some of the most fantastic opportunities and experiences in life. However, so many decisions need to be made regarding when to travel. Initially the “when to travel” question made me think about the best time of year to travel, however, consider some other factors; the best time in “life” to travel, and the options during the week or even during the day. If you stop to think about all the choices you have, the decision of when to travel becomes a complex one.
In life
The decision of when to travel is usually dictated by your parents until you are old enough to pay your own costs. After that, throughout life, travel will become only possible when you can afford it, or are willing to work & travel. There are so many decisions to be made throughout life as to when you can or should travel. Do you travel Pre College or University in a gap year, for your honeymoon, and do you utilize breaks from work to travel. For some, having children becomes a barrier to travel, and here the decision to be made is whether to try traveling with kids or to wait until they have flown the nest. Many people put off traveling extensively until they reach retirement; at this point they have the time to travel at their convenience and are aware of their financial situation with regards to paying for the trips.
I myself traveled from the minute I left home, working as I went. Once I had the travel bug I found a way to travel regardless of the funds available. My parents, just retired are now seeing the world and traveling permanently. Travel increases knowledge, skills, and understanding of the world, as such I believe it should be embraced whenever possible throughout life.
In the year
Deciding when to travel during the year may be affected by weather, costs, school holiday limitations or time off from work. When a destination has been chosen for a vacation, the weather and its affect on the type of holiday you are interested in should be an important consideration. In some countries, hurricane or monsoon season will preclude travel at that time of year. If you are booking a ski holiday you are limited to when snow is on the ground! Beach holidays should ideally be taken when the weather is warm. Of course there is always the opportunity to decide when you want to travel and then find somewhere that meets your weather requirements. This is often the need for those in employment that is of a seasonal nature and time cannot be taken away from work except at