For me, it’s a bit of everything, and anything, depending on how the spirit moves me. I’ve been known to end up on an "arctic" voyage with borrowed clothing on the spur of the moment (darned near frozed to death, too), and shopping at Dillard’s noticed their sale fare to Paris so I quickly phone 7 friends and booked our flights - I spent 5 days there but everyone else came and went ad lib.

I never book a hotel going to Europe but search for the best fare on a reputable airline (or find one suddenly), and call hotels from the airports when I land and buy a phone card (I always had excellent referrals from far more seasoned travelers than I though). If someone suggested a trip, I would squeeze in time, using any excuse possible.

One thing I do in a quasi-preparation fashion is protect my nutrition, and protect my feet, and skin. I keep water with me to spritz on my skin for all E-W flights. Granola is made at home before departure and I pack about 1 large box of it (using "Old Fashion" oats) to provide nourishing meals until I am willing to spurge on a top restaurant once a day, where ever (lunch is usually less expensive)! Once on the airplane, removed my shoes, socks, and anything else on my body that was tight, and meditate myself right to my "safe place (Waimea Falls). A few minutes before landing, I rise and go wash my feet with coldwater, dry them well, and done shoes (the other stuff waits until landing), so I can be on my feet a long time after arrival. I learned that on the way to Brussels from a U.S. Army officer who did that and explained to me troops have to practice that activity so "they can deplane and march for 40 miles on healthy feet."

Must admit: I absorb every line of Frommer’s for the trip I’m taking. Landing in Paris, I knew every arrondissement before leaving home almost like I’d lived in Paris for years - that’s my preparation. More over, inside the cover of said Frommer’s I jot a "local" number of someone in the American Embassy or our State Department that I obtain from someone before departure (it’s paid off, believe me).

With all of this, I have to admit that I dream - fanciful dreams about the location I’ll be visiting - and once there, nothing stops me from fulfilling the dreams, nothing. Often it is fate, pure fate, I guess.

Once, leaving for a 4-week solo trip to Spain (a contract helped nudge me into the mode as director of PR for U.S. National Day for the US Pavilion for Expo when all the US Commissioners General would arrive), a friend (originally from Australia) came over for a "farewell" tea, and reminded me "perhaps you’ll see Dennis in Spain, this is the year he takes another world trip." He was a friend of hers from childhood, and we met briefly in the states several years prior. I laughed, waved and nodded.

A couple of weeks later, arriving in Madrid late one afternoon from other lovely parts of Spain (that day, I nearly OD’d on incredible empanada in Santiago), I was determined to stay awake and not miss one thing in Madrid. Dropping everything off in a hotel room, I hit the streets, and sat in an open cafe — it was siesta; a grand time for meeting people. Ordering a sandwich, I was intrigued by three well-dressed men sitting next to me, consuming enormous amounts of Rum (with a "dash" of Coke A Cola) in tall, narrow glasses. They spoke to me, and we opened a conversation, but truthfully, I was intent on watching what happened to them when they stood up - and ducking if necessary (little did I know …).

A gentleman moved passed my table, and aid something to me as he sat down - I tried to understand him, having been speaking to "the bankers" in Spanish and English (based on 4 years of Classical Latin only), and struggled interpreting the new diner. "Do they have an menu in English?" A men - u in Engl … I repeated to myself, when I realize he was speaking to me in ENGLISH! Turning, I saw this man at the next table - "DENNIS!" He yelped my name - we stood and hugged, and danced, and laughed our fool heads off right there in a lovely area of Madrid!

Go figure.What are the odds of that happening? It happens to me all the time, even today on "wheels."

The only time I "wing it" in travel is if I am going to be settling in for a few months.  Time is too precious.  If I am going to a place I’ve never been to before, I always do my homework, so I can seek out things that would be of particular interest to me.  For example.  If I were going to Las Vegas, I wouldn’t even bother with shows or gambling.  I’d be off to the Liberace Museum, the old sign cemetery and Hoover Dam.  And if I’m going to a country where English isn’t spoken, even more homework.  It pays off and leaves you feeling less harried.  It’s all in the prep work, for me….and I always want to leave time for unexpected pleasures.  Wandering.  Also, when I arrive at my destination?  I always go for the local newspapers and magazines.

With a general destination in mind toss the tent and a map in the car and go.

If it’s a four hour one-way drive or less it might be just a day trip.

If visiting a major attraction is the goal, check the hours, conditions, etc. ahead of time. Otherwise stop in at whatever business or attraction looks interesting as well as ask the locals what’s in the area.

Depending upon the timespan available the route might be all back roads instead of interstates - ideal, too, for photo safaris - sometimes I see the best stuff after having gotten lost (sometimes intentionally).

I do my research thoroughly then make reservations. Once that’s completed I decide on transportation, pack a bag and I’m off.

I always travel with magazines, books ,notebooks and lots of writing pens. 

I love travel! Don’t do it as much as I once did, but when I do, I tend to be a bit "seat of the pants" - I always prefer to nose around and find my own stuff to do rather than follow an itinerary. I try not to plan too much - it’s more fun to let a place sweep over you and sink in than to try to impose yourself and your expectations on it.

Flying has never been a thrill for me - I find it absolutely exhausting to sit in my seat, clenching my buttocks and "thinking light" in order to keep the plane aloft. (I don’t care how many times people explain the science and engineering of heavier-than-air flight, to me it is still a matter of mystery how this happens!) And since the airlines made it their mission to cram extra seats into the plane, leaving passengers with nil leg room, no meals, coughing neighbors and poor, scared, screaming babies … it’s not a delight! But so be it. If I had my druthers, I’d sail. To me, nothing beats the sheer pleasure of being on a ship, in a deck chair, watching the endless horizon, the waves, the skies. I’m a good sailor, and I always say that if an emergency arises on a ship, well - I do know how to swim. On the other hand, if a plane gets into trouble, there is very little chance I can learn to fly in the minutes before the impact! (Do you get the feeling I’m a fatalist? I guess so!)

Anyway, once I reach my destination, I want to roam and explore and try to find some insight into the way people live day-to-day. Sure, I’ll visit the famous sites, but I always try to reserve some time every day for "off the grid" exploration. That’s the real joy of travel!