And the internet never hands you just one checklist. Every Facebook group, TikTok, blog and AI planner adds another must-do, another "hack," another thing you'll feel guilty skipping. If it all feels like a LOT, that's because it is.
A lot of travel advice and content right now is giving you a checklist. Go HERE, eat THIS, get the photo, prove you were there. And... I find that kind of icky, if I'm being honest.
I once watched a couple speed-walk through Versailles — selfie in every room, then on to the next — and I'd put money on the fact that if you asked them which room was their favorite, or how any of it felt, they'd go quiet.
I truly believe that the best and most memorable vacations are the ones that feel like they were made for the specific person taking them. So most of my job is taking things away: cutting the options down to the few that actually fit you, and leaving room for the stuff you didn't plan.
You get to stay the author and hero of your own trip. I'm the one behind the scenes keeping track of the details, from the day you book until the day you're home.