I have been traveling frequently for over 10 years. As I told you before, in my bag of experiences I gathered over 600 flights, hundreds of thousands of kilometers flown, hundreds of nights of accommodation, millions of steps made through hundreds of destinations.
In the beginning, in my first trips, I made many mistakes that made me learn and evolve. Now I can pack a few days' worth of travel in a few tens of minutes. At the beginning, the preparations started a day or two before and there was still something missing from the luggage :).
It is natural to make some negligent mistakes when traveling and exploring the unknown. But sometimes these mistakes can turn your trip into a disappointing experience and a waste of money. I've gathered for you some of the most common mistakes, some of which I made myself.
Frequent mistakes made in travel
- An overcrowded itinerary - When I started traveling, I had set a target to see as many sights and wonderful places as possible, which is natural. The problem is that you can't do them all in 2-3 days of city break. After a few trips, I realized that each destination has its own personality and is discovered in a certain rhythm. It is important to be flexible and always change your plans due to external factors. Don't expect to visit 100 sights in one day and end up not understanding anything from your short trip. Be more relaxed, enjoy what your destination has to offer.
- Too much luggage - At first I was traveling with hold baggage for 2-3 days. I am currently traveling with hand baggage and even with a backpack or troller 40x30x20 (free luggage), depending on the season and duration of the trip. Obviously for a 5-7 day stay I take a hold baggage, plus now we are in an extended family. The idea is that you need to optimize your luggage with what you really need, not what you think you will use. Eventually, some products can be purchased at the destination.
We have a complete guide to hand luggage on the plane (cabin baggage): tips, tricks and recommendations. We also have an article about liquids allowed in hand luggage, on board the plane! Articles / things / prohibited items in hand luggage and in hold baggage. ATTENTION: 9 things and categories of products you should never put in your hold baggage!
- Budget assessed and misallocated - There were a few cases when I misjudged my travel budget. It's unpleasant that you can't enjoy some activities because you spent too much on others or didn't evaluate your budget correctly. It's important to find out a little bit about your destination prices. Create a realistic budget that allows you to enjoy your vacation and set aside a contingency reserve.
- Neglect of travel documents and documents - In general, I am careful with travel documents and documents. I have not had any unpleasant events, but I know cases with people who lost documents during their holidays. It's sad to run out of ID or passport, no cards, etc. The idea is to have children and, on holiday, to have the originals in a safe place in the luggage or in the carrier.
- Wrong flight planning - In the case of flights, the most common mistake made by many passengers tends to be too short a stopover. From my personal experience, I recommend that you schedule flights with a secure connection or with a stopover of at least 2 hours. Due to delays, plus airport formalities, you may miss your next flight.
- Lack of travel insurance (health and cancellation) - In my first trips, I did not have travel insurance because I did not know about it, I was not familiar with what this policy means. I neglected this until I needed it and then I said it was not worth the risk. I'm taking it now travel insurance for any trip. Spending a few extra euros will give you the benefit of feeling safer in the event of something happening (lost luggage, delayed or canceled travel, medical emergency, etc.).
- Exchanging money in inappropriate places - I remember an incident in which I lost money at an exchange at the airport in Athens. My mistake was to change the amount. I do not recommend! If you arrive at the destination airport and do not have cash, exchange some money to get to the first ATM or exchange office with a normal exchange rate. You can withdraw money from an ATM even when you arrive at your destination, but do not use the exchange offices at the airport. They have high rates and fees. Don't exchange money with locals. They risk giving you counterfeit or out-of-circulation money.
- Carrying money in one place "It's a common mistake to have all your money in one place." Now it is more convenient to have a small amount of cash and the rest of the money on your cards. But even so, put the cash in 2-3 places.
- Unrealistic expectations - Many travelers set unrealistic expectations about the destination to be visited. Often, these expectations are based on the stories of others. My advice is not to set expectations, no matter what the destination. Let everything come naturally and enjoy your own experience.
- Neglecting taxes when it comes to phones and cards - I had unpleasant experiences in terms of rates and taxes on phones and cards. I talked while roaming, when I traveled outside the EU, on my personal number from Romania and they flew 10 EURO instantly. I paid with the card in places where it was better to have paid in cash and so on. Before traveling, find out about the telephone and internet connection at the destination, about the fees charged by the local banks, about the currency conversion, etc. For phone and internet, I recommend local cards, especially if you're traveling outside the EU.
- Ignoring weather conditions - From my own experience, I tell you that it is a big mistake to ignore the weather conditions. If you are planning a holiday in Europe, the situation is not so dramatic. You watch if it rains, it snows, if it is warm and you adapt your luggage according to the weather. But be careful if you want to travel to other continents. You may be happy with a good price for Bali or Maldives, but the period may not be the best. You risk flying in the rainy season and then you can't really enjoy your destination. If you fly in the winter, be careful not to catch a period of blizzard, which can upset your flights. If you want to fly to Egypt or the United Arab Emirates, don't do it in the middle of the summer season because the temperatures will be stifling. So do not neglect the weather conditions.
What other mistakes have you made in your travels?