This is not news to a younger generation (which is starting to include an increasingly large part of the population in my case), but I certainly have had enough experience with both models to appreciate the differences. Yes, travel agents make life simpler and do it all for you. That is far less time consuming than the DIY option, but the latter does afford the opportunity to truly customize your trip. The key is deciding well in advance what options you want to include. That, in turn may well entail further research (and use even more time), but you learn an awful lot in the process. I think that kind of research, and all of the incidental learning that goes with it, will serve to enrich the entire trip once you embark.

Using travel agents when you don't have the time to do it yourself makes good sense, but doing all the searching (and booking) yourself is almost like starting the trip early. Double the fun, and like most DIY projects there is a feeling of satisfaction in the accomplishment. We all like that feeling that comes with mastery of anything that effects our lives.