This may sound kind of silly, but there are so many countries to visit, so many different parts of t

This may sound kind of silly, but there are so many countries to visit, so many different parts of the world to be explored that looking at a map or a globe helps me plan my vacation.  Sometimes I get stuck in going to the same region because it becomes familiar. For instance, I have been to Western Europe at least once a year for the past 10 years, plus I lived there for 4 years so it's is not a place that gets me excited.  I like to look at places that most people don't go, which is why I went to Ecuador and Russia this year. Looking at a globe helps me remember those places that may not be a hotbed of tourism but are just as remarkable.
Working for an airline makes things much easier when it comes to flights. I don't fly for free internationally but I do fly at a greatly reduced price. But, if I didn't have that privilege, I would plan my trips much further in advance. For instance, right now I'm planning two international trips for next year, to Chile in February and Japan in April. If I had to book a flight, I would have bought my tickets months ago.  I have used the following websites and had great results:
I would book my trip at least 6 months in advance in order to get the best deal and I found that booking a package (airfare and hotel, I never need a car but that is an option in package deals on most sites) was much better than buying airfare and then finding a place to stay.  When traveling  between countries in Europe,  I never fly standby, I always cheap hotels in manchester but my ticket and Ryanair and Easyjet have always worked very well for me. For instance, I was traveling with two friends from Rome to Paris and I found our tickets on easyjet for $35 dollars each. BE ADVISED : Most discount airlines in Europe have very strict rules regarding boarding passes (you may be charged to have one printed at the airport) and luggage (you get charged for any checked bag and not all carryons fit their requirements). However, even with those restrictions, I think the low fare is worth it.
I like xe.com, I find it really easy to use. This is a currency converter website, so I will know what type of value I will get for my money when I exchange it. There are several out there, but this is the one I'm most comfortable with.  Usually at this stage I have a couple of places in mind where I want to travel so I plug in $100 and see how much I will get for that amount. Right now in Chile, $100 will get me 48,174.72  pesos (Can you believe that?) as opposed to $100 = 76 Euros. Can you see why I don t want to spend a bunch of time in any country that has the Euro?  My money will go much farther in Chile and even if I had to purchase a plane ticket, the fact that I wouldn't be spending much money when I get to there would be appealing to me.
Again, If I had to buy a ticket, this wouldn't be a step I would include because I would have gotten a package cheap hotels in manchester deal (unless I could find a really great airfare, then getting an apartment would make sense). But, since I don't have to worry about that, I check what apartment rentals are in the city I'll be visiting. Right now apartments in Santiago, Chile are very reasonable, every apartment I've looked at online is less than $70 a night and all of them sleep at least 2 people. So, if I end up traveling with someone, we would split that cost and that is even less money I would have to spend.  But even if I end up going by myself, the price is reasonable.  I have had great success with VRBO, Housetrip, and I've also used airbnb.
I have never taken a vacation without researching what there is to see and do. Websites are great but I like to look at books. GASP! A book! Yes, believe it or not, I love travel books and I think they are much more informative. I tend to lean towards cheap hotels in manchester Eyewitness Travel Guides because I love the color pictures and the way the books are broken down makes it really easy for me to find information.  Researching a destination is the best part for me, I love learning about new things to do somewhere I've never been.
If you're traveling to a country where you don't speak the language, carry a small dictionary with you (on my trip to Russia I bought a small Russian/English dictionary). It comes in handy when you need help and can't speak the language.