Depends on the type of trip I am having. In Peru I had everything planned out tightly. I had pre-booked the hotels, flights and train rides and even most of the entrace fees to the sites.

I used a travel service for that to save a lot of hassle with doing it on my own. This way I was able to see a lot of things in 2 weeks that I would not have been able to see on my own.

For most other trips, I usually rent a car. Although I have a general idea what I wan't to see and what to do, I usually end up shuffling things around or adding and dropping things.

Andre 

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I don't like following an itinerary.  I go on vacation to relax and enjoy a slower pace.  I hate to feel like I'm constantly rushing to get from point A to point B.  I get enough of that in everyday life.  I prefer going on vacations where I can do what I decide to do when I decide to do it.  When I did the Macinac Island trip, every minute was planned out for me.  I enjoyed it, it was beautiful and amazing, but I'd of preferred having dinner when I was hungry instead of when my itinerary said "dinner time".  And I would have preferred getting up when I woke  up instead of setting my alarm for when my itinerary said "get up".  Next time I do Macinac Island, I'll plan the trip myself instead of going to a specially planned event.

When I go on a vacation I don't like to have any itenerary to follow. I like to do what I wnat when I want. When I am at home I have an schedule to follow so when going on vacation I want to be free.

When we go on vacation I usually have my two young sons with me so I don't even bother following an intenerary. I have tried but it is just easier to relax and not worry where we have to be next.

Of course when I'm with an organized tour group, I have to follow their itinerary. But when I'm on my own, I don't really have much scheduled (unless I've purchased theater tickets for one evening, or something like that).

 Usually, I just have a list of things that I want to do and try to squeeze them in as I can. That works much better for me than being scheduled down to the second.

No.  I can't even keep to the simple itinerary I had for this year.  Three months in Chiang Mai, Thailand, a month in Penang, Malysia, two months at Lake Toba, Sumatra, another month in Penang, two months in Bali, a month at a beach somewhere, and a few weeks in Singapore.

 That was the idea.  So far I spent five months in Chiang Mai, a  week on Phuket, and I've been in Penang for about six weeks.  I'm seriously considering not going to Lake Toba or Bali, and just hanging out here in Penang, with a couple of breaks on a beach somewhere.

 None of my friends pay any attention to my plans any more.  I say I'm leaving, they ask if I've bought a ticket yet.  They don't believe me until I've forked over money or miles.