8 Travel Mistakes You're Making
We all love to travel. Everyone enjoys going to new places and seeing incredible things. But what if you feel like you're not making the most of your time there? It might be that you're making a few travel mistakes you don't even know you're making. But what mistakes are they? Today, I'm going to be detailing a few travel mistakes to avoid the next time you go on your dream holiday.
1. Planning everything in extreme detail
Plans can change, and no amount of planning is going to stop that from happening. A lot of things are out of your control when it comes to holidays, from the weather to worker's strikes and everything in between.
It can be the difference between seeing incredible views up the Empire State Building and the view you've longed to see being shrouded in mist and fog. You may have done all of the detailed planning under the sun, but at the end of the day, it didn't stop the rain from coming in. Just keep that in mind.
2. Trying to see way too much
It's all too easy to get carried away with things you want to do and see while you're away, but be realistic. We make a list of places we want to go and things we want to see and then rank them in order of priority. As long as we tick off the main things, we're happy!
Be realistic about how much you're going to actually get done. This should be apparent in the planning stage as you should know how far away things are and how you're going to get there. For instance, if you've hired a car, then it's quicker to drive to a destination than it is to get the train.
But then it could be quicker to get somewhere by Underground train than to walk there, which is often the case in London. Just because you CAN walk there doesn't mean you SHOULD. This is mainly because you could end up walking through some more run-down, unsafe areas that you don't know the first thing about.
This is something we found when we visited New York. Basically, do your research, plan your sightseeing and work out how you're going to get there and when you want to see it. In this case, Google Street View and Google Maps is your best friend.
3. Booking accommodation without checking the location
Always check the location of your accommodation before booking. It might be cheap for a reason...because it's nowhere near the action. Do your research and keep an eye on the prices as it will likely fluctuate throughout the year.
We always look out for good deals and book hotels when we see them at a good price, but they HAVE to be in the heart of where we're staying for absolute convenience. you can definitely get some good deals, especially if you pay for them in a different currency.
It's more lucrative to do Pounds to US Dollars or Pounds to Canadian Dollars. Always check the exchange rate before going down this road, though. More importantly, look at the location of the hotel before making the booking, because you could end up using the money you save on taxis.
4. Over packing
This isn't as important if you're travelling somewhere by car, but it definitely is when you're flying to your destination. Pay attention to the weight, if nothing else, both on the way there and on the way back home. We bring a pair of weight scales (travel scales) with us so we can test the weight before we head home.
It gives us a chance to move a few things around and spread out the weight more. This is easier for us as we will often fly either Premium Economy or Business Class, where you'll get at least two check-in suitcases up to 23kg, depending on the airline.
This way, we can distribute the weight a lot more evenly for our trip back home. Not only is this convenient, as you're not lugging around overly heavy bags, but it will also save you money as you won't have to worry about paying unexpected overweight fees at the check-in desk.
5. Eating near tourist attractions
Not only do you risk paying a lot more for your food, but you may also find that the quality is sub-par and unauthentic. If you want some decent grub at a reasonable price, that also ensures you get to appreciate some of the authentic food that the country has to offer, then pick an establishment out of the way.
Go where the locals go and you can't go far wrong. That's what we do when we go on holiday. It would also do you some good to research eating establishments before you go so you know which ones to avoid and which ones to try.
6. Not having a backup plan in place
Not everything works out as planned. Whether it's the weather keeping you from going up a skyscraper or your dinner reservations have been double-booked, then always have something else to do in the pipeline.
Granted, it might not be what you initially imagined, but you may be able to do the first thing you planned another day. Not only does this make sure you're not wasting a single day on your trip, but it also keeps things spontaneous and fun, no matter what.
7. Forgetting to check country rules, like travel Visas & what can't be brought in
Every country will have their own requirements for entering the country. So, make sure you look it up before jetting off. For America, you need an ESTA, for example. Soon, countries within the EU will require visitors from outside to have an ETIA.
To enter Canada, you'll need an ETA, and so on. There will be a fee to pay to apply for these Visas, but once you've done it, some are valid for a short amount of time. For instance, an American ESTA is valid for two years from approval.
We'd have travelled on ours three times since March 2025 as we'll be going back to Florida at the end of the year and we've not long come back from New England and Canada. However, if we were to go back after March 2027, then we'd need to apply for a new one - simple.
In addition to travel Visas, you need to double check what you can and can't bring into the country, especially when it comes to food and drink. Each country will be different and the list of things can change. For example, we went to Canada, crossing the border by car via Vermont, USA.
We brought food over the border after checking what we can and can't bring in, but when we got to the gate, the Official asked us if we had any blueberries, which we didn't, but they had recently added this to the list as a result of a bug and disease outbreak in the USA associated with blueberries.
That's how fast things can change - the list was updated while we were out there. So, double-check before you try to bring anything over the border, even if it seems obvious. It's easier to abide by those rules if you're travelling by plane, but if you're crossing borders by car, just be extra cautious.
8. Ignoring local customs
No matter where you're jetting off to, the country you're travelling to will have their own culture and customs, and you need to know and respect them. What might seem normal to do at home may cause offence somewhere else.
So, just as you'd check the Visas needed or custom information, you need to educate yourself on etiquette while you're there. For instance, in Japan, it's frowned upon to wear leggings or gym wear out and about if you aren't going to the gym. Cultural awareness will get you a long way.
***
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you found it useful. Let me know in the comments below if I've missed anything and I'll see you all again soon with some brand new content!
***
WHERE TO FIND ME
PREVIOUS BLOG POST
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Comments
Post a Comment