Travel plans tend to expand until every hour has a purpose. The result can be efficient, but efficiency is not always the same thing as experience.
Build less into the day
One major plan and one loose direction is usually enough. The empty hours become space for a neighborhood café, a longer trail, or a conversation you did not know you would have.
A good itinerary should create opportunities, not eliminate surprise.
Stay longer in fewer places
Changing hotels costs more energy than it appears to on paper. Three nights in one place will often reveal more than three one-night stops.
Photograph after observing
Before reaching for the camera, spend a minute understanding the scene. The images tend to improve when they are made after the experience begins rather than before it.
