The Two Types of Travelers

The Two Types of Travelers: The Planner vs. The Pivoter (And Why You Need Both)
Travel has a funny way of revealing who we really are.

Some people want every detail mapped out—every transfer, every hotel, every minute accounted for.
Others? They’re a little more relaxed. They trust the process, adjust as needed, and figure things out along the way.

In our house, we are both.

My husband Lloyd is the planner. He likes to know:

Where we’re going
How we’re getting there
What time we’ll arrive
And what happens next
I’m the pivoter. I plan too—but I’m also comfortable adjusting when things don’t go as expected.

And on our recent Europe trip, that difference showed up in a big way.

 
When Travel Doesn’t Go As Planned
We were wrapping up a beautiful trip through Europe and needed to get from Prague to Munich to catch our flight home the next day.

Simple enough… until it wasn’t.

Our flight on Lufthansa was canceled due to a strike.

No backup flight. No easy rebooking.

Just like that—we had to figure out how to get to Munich on our own.

 
Plan B… C… and D
We decided to take the train.

At first, it felt like the perfect solution—comfortable, scenic, efficient.
Until halfway through the journey…

The train stopped.

Then came the announcement:
We had to turn around and go back to the previous station due to an issue ahead on the tracks.

So we did.

We got off. Waited. Reboarded a different train. Continued on.

Finally, we arrived in Munich… but not quite where we needed to be.

Next step:

Another train to the airport
Except… construction stopped that train before the final stop.

So:

Off the train
Onto a bus
Then finally… a taxi to our hotel
It was one of those travel days you don’t forget.

 
Two Travel Styles, One Journey
Here’s the honest truth:

Lloyd was stressed.

And that makes sense—when you’re someone who values structure and predictability, days like this can feel overwhelming.

Me? I stayed pretty calm through it all.

Not because I love chaos—but because I’ve learned that travel will throw curveballs. And when it does, you have to pivot.

Neither approach is wrong.

In fact, the best trips often need a little of both.

 
What Kind of Traveler Are You?
Most people fall somewhere between these two:

The Planner
Loves structure and detailed itineraries
Prefers confirmed plans and clear timelines
Feels most comfortable when everything is organized
The Pivoter
Flexible and adaptable
Comfortable making decisions on the fly
Sees unexpected changes as part of the adventure
And here’s the key:

👉 Great travel experiences don’t come from avoiding problems.
👉 They come from knowing how to handle them when they happen.

 
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Flight delays. Strikes. Weather. Transportation changes.

They happen—more often than people expect.

That’s why working with someone who understands both sides of travel is so important.

Because when things go wrong (and sometimes they will), you need:

Options
Solutions
And someone who knows how to pivot quickly
 
Final Thoughts
We made it to Munich. We made our flight.
And we came home with a story we’ll never forget.

Would we have chosen that travel day? Absolutely not.

But it reminded us of something important:

👉 The best travelers aren’t the ones with perfect plans.
👉 They’re the ones who know how to keep moving forward when the plan changes.

 
Planning a trip to Europe or a cruise and want someone in your corner when things don’t go as planned? Let’s make it happen.

 
💼 LINKEDIN VERSION (ELEVATED, PROFESSIONAL)