Two more pieces of advice:

It is people you meet and the stories they tell.

It is being open to surprises.

     I cannot count the number of times we have gotten lost or been pleasantly surprised by something we did not plan. I believe over-planning is the curse of American travelers. We are concerned with volume. We like to check off boxes. When you travel this way, you come home with lots of pictures of famous places, but you can miss the blessings that can be stepped over.

     We, for example, like Bed and Breakfasts. We have met some fascinating people there: the former police chief of Dingle, a couple from South Africa, Jaki - a woman we will never forget, a fellow Rotarian across the globe who interned at the same hospital where I did my clinical training, a young man who knew more about American government than we do.

     And places recommended by locals. I know people who make all their reservation before going. We ask local folks for their "favorites"-like the cajun fish cafe in the bayou of Louisiana. Then, there are posters like the one advertising celtic music at a church (above) or the local performance of a play. Is it risky? I suppose we could be disappointed although not knowing what to expect usually curbs that.  

     We are sure that many people do not like this style as we read many posts on sites like TripAdvisor where people are trying to nail down every minute of a week-long trip to Austria. That may be fine for others, but having tried another way, we find that adventure is planning for discovering surprises.