• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic illness blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About
    • As Seen On
    • Tags & Topics
    • Popular Posts
  • Blogging Resources
  • Freebie
  • Shop the Blog
    • Products for the Chronically Ill
  • Contact & Work with Me
    • Ads and Sponsoring
  • Follow
  • Holiday
    • Gift Guides
in Lifestyle, Uncategorized &middot March 25, 2015

Planning Your Next Trip: My Top Tips

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle, Uncategorized &middot March 25, 2015

Planning Your Next Trip: My Top Tips

Is there anything more exciting than planning a trip? I don’t think there is! Traveling and exploring and making memories are some of the best things you can do with your life. My tips aim to help you have the most amazing trips without spending your life savings!

Make a List of Places You’d Like to Go

Start by making a list of places you think you’d like to go. Do your research so you know exactly what you can do there and if the place really appeals to you – it might be different to the way you imagine it. You should then get an idea of where you’d most like to go next.

Decide The Length

You might like to go away for just a weekend, a week, or even a month. By deciding on the length of the trip, you’ll be able to make your plans more actionable. Rather than just saying ‘I’m going to Europe’, you can say ‘I’m going to Italy for 2 weeks’. Then you’ll know how much you can plan and how much you need to save.

Do Your Research

Do your research on the place you’re traveling to, any necessities you need to take, and more. Will you need to dress differently? Will it help to speak the language? Is there anywhere you must visit? Research will help you to decide all of this.

Save as Much as Possible

Save as much as you can for your trip so money isn’t an issue. You could even sell some of your unwanted things on eBay or another site, or even at a yard sale. This will allow you to do something exciting, go somewhere special, and even book luxury accommodation on a site like Venere.com. Every little will help!

Consider Booking a Last Minute Deal

Last minute deals can be the best deals, but you need to snap them up quick. If you have the ability to be flexible, then do so!

5570034108_e94412254b_z.jpg
picture from Flickr

Make a List of Big Activities

Make a list of big activities you’d like to do. This doesn’t count if you want a relaxing break, but it’s nice to plan some exciting things to do. You could do a skydive, go scuba diving, or explore the desert. There are a ton of things you could do depending on where you’re going.

Inform Your Bank

Tell your bank where you’re going and how long for; this will stop them from blocking your card. This will ruin your trip in ways you can’t imagine. You really don’t want to be left in the lurch!

Always Get Travel Insurance

You should never look at travel insurance as optional. Always get travel insurance, whether you’re relaxing or not. You never know what might happen, and you don’t want to lose any money because of an accident that could have been avoided. Be sensible!

Don’t Panic

Things don’t always go to plan, and there’s nothing you can do about that. Try not to let major issues stress you out. I know how hard it can be: I travel with a chronic illness and traveled across the country multiple times a year for college. If I can do it, then you can too!

Have an amazing time! 
Don’t forget to enter to win $20 to DSW

 

var linkwithin_site_id = 1800999;

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

Share this with your family and friends:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Related

Previous Post: « Advocacy: What It Is and Why I Do It
Next Post: Advocacy, Coffee, and Friends »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The Girl who Loved to Write says

    March 26, 2015 at 1:50 pm

    Last minute deals can be a gamble, but we've gone on some of our favorite trips ever due to last minute sales!

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. Rebekah @ The Straight Arrow says

    March 26, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    This is such a helpful post! I'm going to Italy in a few weeks and I am constantly looking for more travel tips so I can be as prepared as possible!

    Loading...
    Reply
  3. Kay R. says

    March 29, 2015 at 1:18 am

    Great tips! Finding good deals is just the best thing ever when planning a trip!

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Kate the (Almost) Great® is a chronic illness lifestyle blog. It is a resource for chronic illness patients and their loved ones.

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • Twitter

Categories

Health
Lifestyle
Writing & Blogging

Pages To Start With

  • About Kate the (Almost) Great®: Meet the Health Blogger
  • As Seen On
  • Contact & Work with Me
  • Follow
  • Health Blog Resources I Actually Use + Recommend
  • Newsletter
  • Popular Posts
  • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer Policy
  • Products for the Chronically Ill: My Recommendations
  • Shop
  • Start Here
  • Tags & Topics

Search

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This blog uses affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for sign up!

Most Popular Posts

  • The Products I Loved (And Wanted) in Grad School
  • The Lifestyle Changes I Made for My Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • 9 Arthritis Products That Help My Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis: What I’ve Learned
  • Beginner’s Guide: Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Up
  • What Every POTS Syndrome Patient Needs for the Summer
  • What Does Arthritis Pain Actually Feel Like?
  • What Is the Difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?


Bluehost.com Web Hosting $3.95

Health Union Patient Leader Certification

Support KTAG

If you like what I do, please support me on Ko-fi.




Footer

Sign Up for FREE Instagram Challenge

Get 25 FREE Instagram prompts for chronic health creators!

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Get your FREE Instagram challenge here 

and 

For just $5 get your copy of my ebook Take Your Blog (And Income!) to the Next Level with code "greatest".

.

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

Lets Go!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
July is: ⁣ - Disability Pride Month ⁣ - Juvenile A July is: ⁣
- Disability Pride Month ⁣
- Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month ⁣
- the anniversary of when I was diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis at age 19 after 9 years of symptoms ⁣
⁣
As you can imagine, that makes me very aware of my disability via juvenile arthritis⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Screenshot of a Bluesky post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat.bsky.social. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
#DisabilityPride #JuvenileArthritis #RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimmuneDisease
There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt someone's chronic illness, but this is one of them. ⁣
⁣
I'm always amazed by how people can have the exact same illness or set of illnesses and still have different experiences. Sure, there will be similarities, but which symptoms are the worst, what medications you respond to, and your quality of life can vary significantly. ⁣
⁣
It doesn't mean that one person is necessarily worse off than another; they're just different.⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Kate takes a selfie. A white text box reads "Chronic Illness Looks Different in Each Person"⁣
⁣
#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #Endometriosis #Fibromyalgia #POTS
This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a sewing project, and my foot in a cast⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣ ⁣
⁣
ID: Harley the golden retriever has his head on Kate's lap. Also on her lap is an in-progress needlepoint project and Kate's leg (in a walking cast) is elevated.⁣
⁣
#Osteoporosis #RheumatoidArthritis #GoldenRetrievers #Needlepoint #Needlework
Week 28 of 2026 Weekly A very busy week! 1️⃣ Foo Week 28 of 2026 Weekly

A very busy week!

1️⃣ Foot checkup! Walking boot is on occasionally from now until September 
2️⃣ Boston 
3️⃣ IVIG
4️⃣ Dentist 🦷 All good! 
5️⃣ Not a filter - this was the Boston area the second half of the week 
6️⃣ Physical time!

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣

IDs:
1️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office
2️⃣ Looking at TD Garden, the bear statue for the Bruins, and Zakim Bridge in the background 
3️⃣ Looking at tubes coming out from under Kate’s clothes. There’s a Kindle on her stomach
4️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie before leaving
5️⃣ Medford Square looking like there’s a yellow filter over it
6️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office

#ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #Bostonian #IVIG
Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of people who care about me and this is the fastest way to tell everyone. 

Video: Kate talks to the camera while putting on makeup. There are captions. 

#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimnuneDisease #ChronicIllness #Arthritis #ChronicPain
Week 27 of 2026 Weekly (Delayed because last Sund Week 27 of 2026 Weekly

(Delayed because last Sunday was baaaaad)

1️⃣ Due airport difficulties, we got a few more days with Emma. Harley was THRILLED!
2️⃣ Beautiful bird/squirrel visitors
3️⃣ A beautiful Maine summer day

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣

1️⃣ Harley the golden retriever putting his front legs up on Emma’s legs to demand hugs.
2️⃣ A bird feeder and hummingbird feeder on a deck. There is a hummingbird at one and squirrel at the other.
3️⃣ A barn, a pond, and the Maine woods

#207 #MaineLife #MaineTheWay #NewEnglandSummer #IGMaine
Reminder: you can be proud of your disability comm Reminder: you can be proud of your disability community while wishing your body cooperated more⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
 ID: Screenshot of a thread post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by katethealmostgreat. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
#DisabilityPride #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #Disabled #Disability
I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, bu I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, but this is from right around then in July 2010. ⁣
⁣
When I was diagnosed, I had been having symptoms for 9 years. ⁣
- 9 years of foot pain (partially from tarsal coalition)⁣
- Arthritic damage in said food⁣
- Carpal tunnel off and on for several years⁣
- And more⁣
⁣
I was finally diagnosed because I woke up one morning and was unable to open my jaw more than 8 mm. It turned out that I had horrible arthritic damage to my TMJs, which got me off the waiting list at MGH rheumatology. I left that appointment with an autoimmune arthritis diagnosis. ⁣
⁣
The fact that July is not only my diagnosis anniversary but also Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month has always seemed right. I may not have been diagnosed with JA, but given the amount of arthritis I had along with my many years of symptoms, it's generally accepted that I had it. ⁣
⁣
This year marks 16 years since diagnosis and this fall marks 25 years since my symptoms started. It's pretty weird that so much time has already passed!⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Kate at 19 at Fenway Park for a Red Sox game. ⁣
⁣
#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimmuneDisease #Arthritis #JuvenileArthritis #JRA
Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is di Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis! What are some that you would add?⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: "So someone you know was diagnosed with Autoimmune Arthritis". Under the Do column (indicated with a green checkmark) is:⁣
"As how they feel about it⁣
Offer specific ways to help⁣
Treat them normally⁣
Ask follow-up questions⁣
Wear a mask around them when sick."⁣
Under the don't don't column (indicated with an x in a red circle) is:⁣
"Say “At least it’s not xyz!”⁣
Say that and not follow through⁣
Assume nothing about their lives has changed⁣
Conflate autoimmune arthritis with osteoarthritis⁣
Pass your cold to an immunosuppressed person".⁣
⁣
#AutoimmuneDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #PsoriaticArthritis #AnkylosingSpondylitis #JuvenileArthritis
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2026 · Kate the (Almost) Great · Design by Studio Mommy

%d