Planning a research trip is a common component of the doctoral journey. Amongst all PhD, there is only a small proportion that can be written sitting at one place only on the basis of the material that is found online. Travel is important in research for reasons that can be many. It could be to consult archives, do fieldwork or do some collaboration or consultation with colleagues at other locations. You may have to travel more than one time, over the period of the tenure of your PhD or even take up an extended research trip that could last six months or even longer at time, if your PhD so demands.
Regardless of the disciple, a well-designed research is important for the success of PhD. Research depends on the method adopted to do so that is not just appropriate for the chosen research but also reliable and justifies the role it plays in research.