[trip style = any]
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"To go or not to go, that is the question." - Trish
How many vacation days you get is one thing, maximizing them for travel combining weekends and national holidays is another. It's not out of the question to take a six-hour flight to NYC for a four-day weekend, so why not consider a longer, international flight for a 10-day trip? If your choice is to stay or to go---staying because 10 days just isn't long enough---the obvious answer is GO. The trip will just look a little different.
The Buffet Vs. The Tasting Menu I'm sure we'd all like to travel buffet-style, s-l-o-w-l-y savoring our way through the appetizers, salads, entrées, desserts and cheeses; but commitments, time and work projects get in the way. Instead, think of the 10-day vacay like a five-course tasting menu; it's concentrated, enchanting, and leaves you satisfied without being over full. Plus, an extended week allows you to see the world without a leave of absence, using all your vacation days, or taking a toll on your life at home.
A Thailand Tasting Menu For example, at the end of March I'm taking a 12-day trip to Thailand: two weekends, five days off work and two national holidays. Learning the hard way, bouncing around every few nights in my past travels, I'm going to maximize the trip style = beach + sun experience and minimize fatigue by choosing one destination {from which I can do day trips} within driving distance of Bangkok.
Mastering The 10-day Vacay - Fly direct or make as few connections as possible. - Choose flight times that help stretch your time on the ground. - Minimize travel within your destination---especially air travel. - Choose a base and take day trips vs bouncing around to multiple destinations. - Avoid changing hotels every two nights. Make a three-night minimum rule. - Pack light, with less time on the ground, every second counts.
[photos taken by @tripstyler in Australia]