Planning a trip: how this experience can help transform our lives

to plan A trip is turning dreams into reality. Dreams that, with effort and dedication, become unforgettable experiences, the kind that are forever etched in our memory. I am David Kamkhagi and in this text I will give you tips on how plan your next trip.

Advance preparation

The preparation phase of a trip is the most important. It's during this time that we decide where to go, what we want to experience, and how that journey can help us. transform. I make essential questions: What do I want to do? Who do I want to share this experience with? What can't I miss? What needs to be booked with in advance — and which moments do I prefer to leave free, so I can decide on the spot?

Use of technology

While it was once common to rely on travel agencies, printed guides, and even word of mouth, today, the search for your next destination is in your hands—or rather, on your phone. Now, you can gather accurate information by watching videos about destinations on YouTube, posting questions on travel forums, or even searching for hashtags to follow on Instagram.

Artificial intelligence assistants, such as ChatGPT, also join the game and help you plan your trip, creating profiles, creating customized itineraries and suggesting everything from the best neighborhood to stay in to the attractions that best suit your style.

And apps like Booking allow you to book hotels in seconds, checking guest reviews through Trip Advisor, to avoid headaches. But don't forget to ask locals or those who have recently visited the area, as local tips are still very valid.

Search for experiences

During the trip, I try to live everything intensely: discovering places, experiencing local flavors, immersing ourselves in the culture, and, most importantly, making new friends. For me, a trip is only complete when I return with new human connections. It's at this moment that we leave behind the armor of everyday life and open ourselves to the world—more relaxed, sociable, curious, and thirsty for life. The hardships? They always happen. But, in the end, it's the good memories that last—and the unexpected turns into good stories to tell (or at least into good laughs—and memes!).

The comeback

The comeback It's also part of the journey. It's when we evaluate who we've become. After all, no one returns the same. Even if the trip was short, the simple act of leaving our comfort zone already brings about changes. Experiencing other people, realities, and cultures broadens our perspective and inevitably makes us better. The photos, the flavors, the smells, the sensations—everything is recorded not only in our memory, but in albums, posts, and archives that technology helps us preserve, share, and revisit.

For all these reasons, traveling is much more than just taking a stroll. It's a process that begins with desire, moves through planning, and ends in growth. Unlike a material possession, whose pleasure is fleeting, a good trip continues to nourish us throughout our lives. The simple act of planning already gives meaning to our days. It serves as motivation to get out of bed, start a diet, save money, and work with more purpose—all for that unique moment that will come.

In this column, I want to share stories and travel tips, helping you turn your dreams into memories that will not fade with time, much less with the latest update of feed (sequence of updated content on social media). In the next edition, I will tell you about a dream that took three years to come true and took me to the most inhospitable and fascinating continent on Earth: Antarctica — a true journey of adventure and discovery.