On every street corner and at every turn of a page there are travel agents who will take care of all the details of your trip, or just issue your plane ticket, whichever is best for you. These days, preparing your itinerary is a matter of choosing from a wide range of options before you leave home, or just planning as you go, hour by hour, and day by day.

Before you leave home, write to the tourist offices of the countries you may visit and request brochures and maps of specific places, and information about items of general interest. Your local bookstore has travel books that will tell you what to do, and what to see, and what to buy, and what to eat, and where to stay. After you arrive in their country, the Tourist Information Office in each town will load you down with brochures and detailed maps of every nook and cranny you may wish to visit.

A "pleasure trip" does not mean you will spend all your time on the beach, or in each famous bar and restaurant in the area, or even attending cultural events and every museum listed in the guide book. It can mean visiting the countryside and the market place, exploring towns and cities and talking to cab-drivers, farmers, gardeners, shopkeepers, and your seat mate on the bus or train. There is pleasure in finding yourself in ancient towns and in lovely countrysides, and discovering for yourself the joys of meeting people in their own environment.

Have your purpose, budget, and overall schedule well in mind. Once you decide what it is you want to see and do and what your schedule and budget will permit, don't make changes without a good reason and then come home disappointed that your initial purpose was forgotten. If your idea of a vacation is to visit Roman ruins, or wander through streets of half-timbered buildings, or just to visit "starred" restaurants, or even lie on the beach, remember, it's your vacation, do it your way.

Adaptability can make the difference between a pleasant and an unpleasant trip. Sometimes your plans will be changed by factors outside your control. Early closing hours, exhibits and buildings closed for repairs, bank and religious holidays can appear at the most inconvenient time and place, and who knows, it may rain for a week straight.

Intelligent curiosity will lead to the home of a great author or composer or to a scene from a favorite book. It leads to the free band concert in the park, and to the public gardens where the local people gather. Curiosity as to how people live and work is just as intelligent as the curiosity that leads to study of the contents of an art museum, a cathedral, or an archaeological ruin. You come home with a "feel" for the country.

"Breathes there a man with soul so dead..." that he is not gratified by another's appreciation of his home, his city, and his country. He may grumble in private over the plumbing, the taxes, and his government, but he loves to have the visitor find his surroundings beautiful and interesting. The architecture, ruins from ancient times, gardens with precision plantings, the natural beauty, art and treasures, all can easily be appreciated. The tourist who comes to "appreciate" will visit and see the beauty, and never notice the negatives seen by the tourist who came to "criticize."

The good traveler, who will be welcome in any country, is one who travels with a purpose; who can adapt to necessary changes in plans, and to unfamiliar and unexpected conditions; who tries to remain courteous and keep a sense of humor when cold, hungry or tired; who retains an intelligent curiosity in people, places and things; who shows an appreciation for the surroundings; and who is grateful for the good fortune of being able to travel in the first place. In short, he/she has A Gift for Travel!

From the Appendix of Invitation to Travel Books written by Jim and Emmy Humberd. Additional Information can be found at: www.InvitationToTravel.com