Help With Travel Plans When You’re Overwhelmed or Off Track

My friend Denice was in trouble.

She was in line, ready to board her flight to Vietnam, when she realized she hadn’t checked the visa requirements.

She texted me in a panic.

“DO NOT GET ON THE PLANE.” That was my reply—in all caps.

If she hadn’t checked Vietnam’s entry rules, there was no way she had the right visa. 

When this kind of thing happens, your travel dream nose-dives into overwhelm. And that’s putting it lightly.

For Denice, it was a visa. For others, it’s the passport expiration date they forgot to check. Or realizing two days before departure that the place they booked is a shared room with no air conditioning—and a strict no-refund policy.

At that moment, your entire trip feels at risk.

Shouldn’t planning your trip be stress free? Surely you want to avoid last-minute travel issues right before boarding your flight.

Can I hire someone to plan a trip for me—just this once?

Denice's experience, and those similar, trigger this question: who can help with travel plans?

When you’re tapped out, travel planning services step in

Travel planning isn’t about discipline. It’s about bandwidth.

Most to-do lists don’t break down because we’re flaky. They break down because international travel planning is a full-time job. 

I experienced a similar situation to Denice’s. It’s stressful and confusing. Expensive, too.

When you’re traveling abroad, every decision triggers five more:

• Want to go to Portugal? Better check the 90-day rule.
  

• Found a flight deal? Double-check entry requirements.
  

• Picked a place to stay? Make sure you don’t need a “proof of onward travel” document at immigration.
  

• And don’t even get me started on the SIM card maze.

Helpful tip: One tool I recommend is Sherpa—a real-time visa checker that covers requirements by nationality and destination. It's not perfect, but it’s miles better than going in blind.

Not All Travel Planning Clutter Is Loud—Some of It Just Lingers

• A visa you’re not sure you qualify for

  
  

• A country you're not sure fits your vibe

  
  

• A long list with 15 half-started tabs and no clear direction

So, you close your browser, start Netflix, and wonder if your trip will ever happen…

Maybe you don’t need a full-on rescue mission. You just need one thing off your plate—cleared and clarified. 

That’s where I come in. Not with a “how to be more productive” pep talk. With one finished task that unlocks the rest.

Personal travel planning for women who’d rather skip the avoidable, unwanted surprises

🧭 Pick My Brain is a service I designed for women who are ready to travel solo but need help with travel plans—the kind of help that gets you unstuck and moving forward.

For example, maybe you love choosing your own accommodations, but loathe figuring out and finalizing your transportation from the airport to your hotel. 

Or maybe you’ve tried all the travel blogs and still wonder: Can I hire someone to plan a trip for me who actually gets what I need?

Working remotely from my office in Thailand, where the coffee is free and internet speed is 5G.

I offer Personal Travel Planning Support, which means I serve as your personal travel planner and logistics partner—not a booking agent.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Location research tailored to your lifestyle—not someone else’s bucket list
  

• Help with travel visas and documentation—so the rules finally make sense
  

• A personalized next-steps plan that doesn’t involve 87 tabs open at once
  

• Answers to your travel questions; i.e. when to do a border run vs a visa application?

Here’s how it works: 

• We initially connect through my website contact form to discuss what you need help with. 

  
  

• I respond with a fee

  
  

• You make a good-faith payment in an amount that you feel is fair
  

• You pay the remaining charge at the time of your delivery

Why one right move can change everything

Let’s say Denice hadn’t texted me and boarded that plane.

She would’ve landed in Vietnam, walked up to the immigration counter—and been told, politely but firmly: “Entry denied.”

From there?

• Held at the airport—in a fluorescent-lit holding room for hours or overnight

• Escorted to the next return flight (at her expense)

• Depending on the officer’s discretion, she could have faced:

  • Immediate deportation

  • A fine

  • A black mark on her record, making future travel harder

Her dream of finally doing something bold and solo… would’ve been crushed on the runway.

Want to DIY a bit before you contact me?

Here are a few resources I trust and often share with clients:

• U.S. State Department Travel Advisory: Best for Americans wanting up-to-date travel alerts, visa rules, and embassy contacts.
  

• IATA Travel Centre: Airline-backed info on entry rules and documentation by country.
  

• Wanderlog: A free travel planning app that helps you map and manage your itinerary without losing your mind.
  

• Emergency numbers for numerous countries 

Your travel life can start with one unstuck task

🌍 Ready to move again—mentally, emotionally, and literally? Let’s clear that clog!