I think it's down to the type of person you are, some love it some hate it. I'm more in Matt's camp on this one I think, I love the researching, the dreaming, the spreading maps out of the floor, and all of that, I can do it for hours, days, weeks - no problem. But I count that as researching not planning. I'm not necessarily going to draw up a list of everywhere I must go and stick to it, but I might draw up a list of places I'd like to go, and when I think I could get there. That will then form itself into a route that I'll probably take, but unless there's specific reasons, like visas running out, or meeting someone, or flights and boats, I'm not going to say I can't go off down that side road and have a change of plan.

I know for the next trip, there's a certain amount of rigidity, but that's more because it's been imposed by others, mainly the Cinese authorities, whether I'll find it restrictive I don't know, but probably I'll end up with a feeling of having missed out on something, because I've had to stick to THE PLAN.

Some people would probably find that unbearable, and want the flexibility of not knowing, others would find it unbearable because they don't know enough.

For me over-planning is when you end up using not having planned enough as an excuse not to go. But that's all it is, an excuse because in yourself, you don't feel ready.

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