The ground rules

There are a few very simple ‘rules’ for Mystery Trip organizers to follow when planning each excursion. 

*Avoids making ‘the only rule about Mystery Trip club is you don’t talk about Mystery Trip club’ joke*

Rule #1: Locations - We do our best to not plan trips to destinations that members of that specific trip have been to before.  The whole reason for these trips was to see new parts of the world and it’s not quite the same if you’ve seen it before.  Who wants to pay for a weekend away to the same place they were a month or two ago?  Not us. 

Exception: If the organizer wants to take the group to a specific location that they have been to before because it is uber-cool.... that is absolutely permissible. 

Rule #2: Budgets – Simple: be reasonable.  You’d be surprised how it costs almost the exact same amount of money to go anywhere in Europe for a weekend. ..or at least in the same ballpark anyway.  We don’t spend extravagantly and have a quasi-agreed budget range before anything ever gets booked.

Rule #3: Length of stay – Generally we try to go away for weekends only.  2 nights, 1 night, doesn’t really matter.  The odd exception will ask to make it a 3 day weekend.  If all are in agreement, we do it.  Requires a 100% vote – none of this ‘majority rules’ b.s.   Dates are agreed upon long in advance so the organizer has sufficient time to plan.

Rule #4: Participants – Mystery Trips are open to anyone who wants to take part.  That includes you.  Thus far we’ve had the same core group but we are friendly people – come join us!

Rule #5: What to pack - A few days before the trip, the organizer provides guidance on the following:

• What to pack (backpack’s only – no checked luggage)
• Weather forecasts
• Estimated spending money required

Rule #6: Keeping it a mystery - This is by far the most important rule because Mystery Trips aren’t as much fun without the mystery.  Organizers are encouraged to provide misdirection to confuse the participants.  Participants can do their best to reveal the destination if they so choose – but some enjoy the element of surprised and choose to be kept in the dark as long as possible.  This may include but is not limited to:

•   Trusting the organizer with your important life documents (passports, boarding passes)
•   Wearing blindfolds/headhpones
•   Plugging one’s ears and yelling ‘LALALALALA’ as walking through airports/train stations
•   Being deathly afraid of looking at departure boards

So there you have it – pretty straight forward.  The organizer plans and keeps it a secret as long as they can.  The participants either try to figure it out as soon as possible and convince themselves of the location (cough 'Tom' cough), go with the flow, or actively avoid any chance of a reveal before actually stepping foot on new land.