I may have missed my calling

I have planned the perfect excursion for three to Boston, Massachusetts.  It only took me four months!  We leave in less than a week, and I am almost packed.  I have been intermittently obsessing about this trip and how to pay for it, and now that it's almost time to go....

Do travel agents even exist anymore, in this day and age of the internet?  They should!  Do you know how many travel sites there are?  This includes air, hotel, car rental, dining options, and all combinations of the above. 

First you have to get there, so start with air travel.  You can go through any one of many travel sites, or book directly with the airline.  Both seem to let you choose a package option of just one or two items, such as flight and car or flight and hotel.  Of course, you have to make sure you are getting the very best deal, so you come back on different days to see how the prices fluctuate (and they do!), and try different combinations of days and times.  Oy!  At some point you have to just bite the bullet and hit submit!  Try to avoid the temptation of going back after the fact to make sure you got the best price! 

Where do want to stay?  What lodging amenities are important to you?  Do you need a blow dryer in the bathroom?  A coffee pot (always a hard yes for me!)?  Free Wi-Fi?  Breakfast service included? Shuttle service from/to the airport?  All these things matter, given the hotel choices available.  And how do you even know if the neighborhood is good?  I know where many of the hotels in my local area are, and a few of them I would NOT want to stay at!  And once again, there are the multitude of sites to check out...or you go directly through the hotel. 

Now you may need a car to get around.  How long will you need the car?  What size can you live with?  Where will you go in said rental?  Where do want to pick it up and drop it off?  Fortunately (?) this is the one part of the trip relegated (mostly) to the car rental companies site...mostly. 

All of these options are dependent on whether or not you belong to any discount clubs or travel clubs or rewards programs and the like.  All of these must be factored in and weighed against all the other information as to when and how you book.  Some of them are tied to others (Sky Miles to Car rental to hotels) so you have to try out all the options.

So much clicking!  Unless you have moderate to severe control issues, like I do, you may want to turn over the searching and choosing to a travel agent (if they still exist, that is.  Did we ever figure out the answer to that?)!  For my trip, the other two involved basically turned over the planning to me, and so it goes.  No pressure!

I'll let you know how it all worked out once the trip has happened.  Still, so many unknowns, mostly involving where we're going to eat on any given day!  At least I know how and when I am getting there, and where I will sleep and how I will get around town.  I have to take a deep breath and just let the rest happen as it will. 

Bon Voyage!