Procrastination or Planning?

Procrastination is something I'm pretty good at, having had four years of a degree to work at it. One of my favourite methods of procrastinating is to look at flights. Rather than open a new tab from the journal I was reading and type 'face...' I'd often find myself heading towards budget airline sites.

Knowing that the possibility of booking a flight to somewhere exotic is in reach, literally at my fingertips, is something I absolutely love. That thought came in especially handy when the pressures of uni work were getting me down, and it still lifts my mood a little.

(Cagliari, Sardinia)

Of course, some of these dream travel searches are just that, a dream. But every now and again, the stars align and something becomes viable, a friend gets on board, and suddenly, I'm jetting off somewhere in a matter of weeks. 

(Scooters in La Spezia, Italy)

Then I end up then delving into guide books and web reviews of the best places to visit in a town or city, what not to miss, and how best to fill my days. Sometimes, as in the case of Amsterdam, this works perfectly. But other times the guidebooks get left in the hostel, only the map makes it out for the day and seeing what happens is a lot more fun. 
I found this especially when Interrailing with my friend Lydia for 3 weeks at the end of my Erasmus year. Walking tours were our staple source of history, geography and random facts about the town or city. I think one of the best ways to discover smaller places is to simply wander, read plaques, talk to people, and read any free leaflets or information that you come across. 

(Preko, Croatia)

This kind of exploring resulted in stumbling across some great little cafes, streets, and shops, and seeing places that we otherwise wouldn't have found, and maybe would have had even less chance finding if we'd stuck to general guidance for tourists.

(Looking out over the border between Italy and Slovenia)

Having said all that, every trip is different, and I think the control freak in me can't bear the idea of visiting somewhere and not see some of its most famous landmarks, learning something about what it's known for and doing or eating something truly local. Perhaps I find researching travel so exciting and enjoyable because I'll feel that I'll have minimised the chances of missing out on something, and therefore got the most out of my trip. 

As with everything, a big part of whether a trip is enjoyable or 'successful' is often down to who you share it with...but that doesn't stop me getting that giddy excitement when I see that email 'Confirmation of your flight...'

I'm interested to know how others go about planning their trips and travels...any top tips?