Planning Your Trip
Planning Your Trip
Getting ready for a school trip involves a lot of work! Below, we suggest ways in which you can prepare for your trip during the school year. Obviously, there is a lot to do, such as reading up on the places you will visit, organizing fundraising activities to help pay for your trip and gathering all of the things you will need to bring with you.
The preparatory work is done in phases over the course of the year. You will have to draw on your math, language, history and geography skills to accomplish the various tasks related to your trip.
Remember that the ultimate reward is taking part in a well-organized trip. It is an experience you will cherish forever.
Here is a sample situation that can apply to any trip, regardless of the destination! Talk to your teacher about an interesting place you and your classmates could visit.
Choosing a Destination
This year, the teachers decided the destination of your school trip will be Madrid. What will you do when you get there? It is up to you to find out. Working in small groups, you and your classmates will have to find information on the city. Each group will then post the information it found on a web page that will be used to create a website on Madrid. Conducting research is the first step in getting ready for your trip.
Choose From Among the Topics Below:
Urban and Physical Geography
Describe the layout of Madrid, its major roadways and its hydrographical and geological characteristics.
History
What is the origin of the name Madrid? Who founded the city? Which major events marked its history?
Economic Activity
What are the city's main employment sectors? What major industries and resources are found in the region?
Tourist Sites and Attractions
List the city's museums and attractions, as well as the sports and recreational activities that are practised there.
Planning Your Trip
After conducting all this research, you can begin planning your trip. But what are you actually going to do in Madrid?
Going on a trip gives you the opportunity to improve your language skills and expand your knowledge of history, geography, art and sports. Look for information on the attractions you could visit to be sure you do not overlook anything of particular interest!
Keep a travel journal based on your itinerary and the attractions you plan on seeing. To not forget anything about your trip, you can include photographs, your friends' comments and information about the places you've visited. Later, you could transfer the contents of your journal to your online profile or blog, which would give you a wonderful memento of your trip!
Fundraising Campaign
Omnitour believes organizing a fundraising campaign is part of the learning process involved in going on a school trip. One possible fundraising activity would be to sell fair trade products. By working with an organization such as Équiterre, you could meet your fundraising goals while encouraging your friends and family to buy ethically responsible products and promoting social justice for people in developing nations!
For more information on an Équiterre fundraising campaign, click here.
What to Bring
Keep in mind that you will be moving around frequently on your trip, so we recommend you travel light! Your luggage should not be so heavy that you have trouble carrying it. Our second tip is very important: comfortable shoes. You should leave that new pair of shoes at home! Instead, wear shoes that have already been broken in to avoid getting sore feet. If your feet hurt, you can't really enjoy your trip.
Before you pack your bags for an overseas trip, think about what you need to bring with you. Obviously, you would not bring the same clothing for a ski trip that you would to study Spanish in Costa Rica.
When travelling by plane, you are normally only allowed two pieces of luggage with a total weight of 20 kg (44 pounds), in addition to a carry-on bag. If your luggage exceeds this weight, you will have to pay a costly surcharge.
If you take any prescription medication, bring your prescription(s) with you and give a copy to the trip leader.
During the trip, your bag may be searched at the entrance of certain attractions. Carry only the strict minimum in your backpack. Avoid bringing any object that could be construed as a weapon, such as a pair of nail scissors.
To save room in your luggage and prevent your clothes from getting wrinkled, roll them up before putting them in your suitcase.
You will need a carry-on bag to bring with you on the plane (a small backpack will do). Put everything you will need for the flight into this bag, as well as a few things that can be useful if your suitcase is lost or will arrive on a later flight.
Your carry-on bag should include:
- Prescription medication
- iPod or MP3 player
- Camera and film or memory card
- Batteries (for camera and iPod/MP3 player)
- Extra pair of socks
- Extra shirt
- Extra pair of underwear
| Passport | 1 | ___ |
| Plane tickets | 2 | ___ |
| Bank cards | 2 | ___ |
| Canadian funds | 100 | ___ |
| American funds | 30 | ___ |
| Health insurance card | 1 | ___ |
| Grosse valise | 1 | ___ |
| Secure travel pouch | 1 | ___ |
| Large suitcase | 1 | ___ |
| Carry-on bag | 1 | ___ |
| Backpack | 1 | ___ |
| Suitcase padlock | 1 | ___ |
| Pants and jeans | 3 | ___ |
| Bermuda shorts | 2 | ___ |
| Cotton sweatshirt | 1 | ___ |
| T-shirts | 5 | ___ |
| Warm sweater | 1 | ___ |
| Socks | 7 | ___ |
| Underwear | x | ___ |
| Shirts or polo shirts | 4 | ___ |
| Bathing suit | 1 | ___ |
| Wind breaker | 1 | ___ |
| Raincoat | 1 | ___ |
| Comfortable walking shoes | 1 | ___ |
| Sneakers | 2 | ___ |
| Towel | 1 | ___ |
| Face cloth | 2 | ___ |
| Pyjamas or nightgown | 1 | ___ |
| Bed sheets (optional) | 1 | ___ |
| Green garbage bag | 1 | ___ |
| Sanitary napkins | x | ___ |
| Paper tissues | x | ___ |
| Prescription medication | x | ___ |
| Prescriptions for this medication | x | ___ |
| Small flashlight | 1 | ___ |
| Travel alarm clock | 1 | ___ |
| Blow dryer | 1 | ___ |
| Plug adapter | 1 | ___ |
| Camera | 1 | ___ |
| Rolls of film or memory card | x | ___ |
| iPod or MP3 player | 1 | ___ |
| Batteries (for camera and/or iPod/MP3 player) | x | ___ |
| Cap or hat | 1 | ___ |
|
Sunglasses |
1 | ___ |
| Earplugs | 2 | ___ |
| Sun screen | 1 | ___ |
| Travel pillow | 1 | ___ |
| Small sealable bags | 1 | ___ |
| Soap for handwashing clothes | x | ___ |
| String to serve as a clothesline | 1 | ___ |
| Notebook (your journal) | 1 | ___ |
| Pens | 1 | ___ |
| Moist towelettes | x | ___ |
| Water bottle | 1 | ___ |
| Itinerary | 1 | ___ |
Toiletries
| Shampoo | 1 | ___ |
| Soap | 1 | ___ |
| Travel soap holder | 1 | ___ |
| Allergy medication | x | ___ |
| Cotton swabs (ex. Q-Tips) | xxx | ___ |
| Nail file | 1 | ___ |
| Razor | 1 | ___ |
| Small mirror | 1 | ___ |
| Shower sandals | 2 | ___ |
| Nail scissors | 1 | ___ |
| Adhesive bandages | x | ___ |
| Small sewing kit | 1 | ___ |
| Shaving cream | 1 | ___ |
| Dental floss | 1 | ___ |
| Toothpaste | 1 | ___ |
| Toothbrush | 1 | ___ |