How do you plan an overseas holiday? If you are like most people, you will either go on a booked tour or go to the easy to get to tourist travel destinations. No doubt these will give you a great holiday, however they will limit your ability to get a real feel for the country you are visiting and learn to rely on yourself. Over the past few years my husband and I have been to China twice, New Zealand and are currently planning a trip to Canada (in winter) using the Do-It-Yourself holiday method, which takes you on the road less travelled. The secret to out of the way travel is to know how you are going to get from point A to point B before you book your accommodation. We were caught on this on when traveling from Nanjing to Wuhu in China. Our initial plan was to catch the train between these cities, so we booked accommodation next to the train station. Easy. No drama or so we thought. However, because of the time of year we were travelling, we were unable  to get a seat on any train, so a plan B needed to be put into action. Fortunately, we were able to book a private car, however as the cost is based on the distance travelled our costs were double what they needed to be. This is because we could have booked accommodation  near Nanjing airport, which is actually in the middle between Nanjing and Wuhu.

Other tips we have learnt  planning our road less travelled holidays include:

• Check public transport when travelling as it may be limited to certain days of the week so you may need to allocate more days in an area that you had previously planned.
• Make a plan about how and what you will eat on your holiday. If eating is a concern stay at an international hotel where you will have more choice and in our case some English speakers.
• Not everywhere in the world has local pamphlets of places to visit. Do your homework before you leave home and take copies of where you want to go and how you will get there with you.
• Learn any local customs especially what not to do in the country you are visiting.
• Where possible arrive in a new country during daylight hours, when everything is less scarier than at midnight. However, this is not always an option.

Join us on the road less travelled and see how other people and cultures live. What unusual places have you visited?