If you are planning an overseas trip, you probably know how complicated traveling can be. From filing endless paper works, planning the itinerary, and catching up on early flights, these are just some of the many things travelers must face before heading to their destinations.
Although you have everything planned carefully, there will be times when you make careless mistakes when traveling. The worst part is when these mistakes turn your trip into a complete disaster and money-wasting experience.
Whether you are a nomadic explorer or it’s your first overseas adventure, making mistakes while traveling is natural. After all, traveling is about discovering the unknown, so it is not surprising to encounter a few bumps along the way. Nevertheless, we have rounded up some of the most common travel mistakes and how to avoid them. Make sure to learn from these travel mistakes to enjoy your next trip without worry.
1. Failing to Budget Correctly
When going on a solo vacation, it can be tempting to splurge on luxury hotels, souvenirs, and expensive food. While all these things can make a trip more exciting, all these luxuries come at a great price. The last thing you want is to run out of money in the middle of nowhere.
How to avoid it: Be resourceful. Creating a budget plan can prepare you for unexpected expenses. There are other cheaper traveling opportunities that will make your trip memorable without wasting your hard-earned money.
A great way to save up on travel expenses is to hire automotive transport services instead of leaving your car at the airport. In some cases, airport parking is more expensive than your airfare. Shipping your car near your residence is more practical and safe.
2. Overambitious Travel Plan
Overstuffed itineraries are one of the common mistakes by every ambitious traveler. They want to visit as many places as possible without making a concrete timeline. As a result, they spend half of their trip traveling between places. Regrets will start creeping up by the time they are home, wishing they could spend more time in a specific place.
How to avoid it: Be flexible. When planning an itinerary, make sure to include factors that can affect the timeline of your trip. These include the weather, traffic, budgetary constraints, transportation, and other possible reasons that can change your travel plans. As much as possible, pick one place at a time.
3. Overstuffed Luggage
Travelers have a habit of packing too many clothes when they know they will be away from home for a long time. Others want to bring all their favorite clothes as possible to pull off an Instagram-worthy travel photo. They have a specific outfit per day and bring several pairs of shoes. But at the end of their trip, they end up not wearing more than half of their stuff.
Packing too much stuff can be expensive when traveling. Most airlines have strict limitations on baggage weight. It can get even more expensive if you plan to bring home souvenirs.
How to avoid it: Be realistic. When traveling overseas, no one will notice if you wore the same outfit two days in a row except you. The best travel tip is to pack and cut the quantity in half. If you run out of fresh clothes, you can buy them at your destinations such as souvenir shops.
4. Relying Too Much on Travel Guidebooks
First-time travelers often depend on guidebooks to get an overview of their destination. Some even buy plenty of copies from different publishers to make sure they will not miss out on everything. As a result, they take up too much space in the baggage because they are awfully bulky and heavy.
How to avoid it: Be creative. Although guidebooks can be very valuable, try not to rely on them too much. Carrying them everywhere you go and fixating on every detail might limit your travel opportunities. Instead, talk to the locals and travelers if you want to know about the best places to go. Chances are, you might discover newer places than the guidebook tells you.
5. Cultural Insensitivity
A country with strict local laws or strong religious beliefs has a set of rules in terms of clothing, gestures, and public behavior. Of course, you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of the locals by doing something offensive. The worse scenario is you end up in a prison cell in the middle of your holiday trip.
How to avoid it: Be sensible. If you are traveling to a country with strict laws, conduct prior research about their culture. This way, you will know about the dos and don’ts of their cultural practices. If you want to stay on the safe side, learn what passes for normal clothing.
The secret to having a more enjoyable and fulfilling travel experience is to be proactive when making travel plans abroad. Since you only have a limited number of days to explore, you need to be resourceful and open to all the unexpected possibilities. This way, your trip can be a memorable one that you can treasure for years to come.
