Travel mistakes are an inevitable part of our travel experience, and as inevitable as they may seem, they can be mitigated and avoided with the right knowledge.
Many travellers make these common mistakes that can lead to unnecessary stress, and expenses, and even ruin an otherwise perfect trip.
In this article, we will be sharing with you 6 common travel mistakes, how you can avoid them and how to get maximum satisfaction from your trip.
Before we get into it, it will interest you to know that according to a survey by Expedia, 22% of travellers have booked the wrong date for a trip at least once, leading to extra costs and complications.
Travel mistakes are mistakes we make either in the planning stage of our trip or the execution stage. Here are the most common ones:
1. Overpacking for the trip
When you’re travelling to a foreign country, there’s the chance that you may end up packing much more than you need for the trip in a bid to avoid being stranded.
But the other side is that you will end up spending so much(extra luggage fees) on items you have no need for which could have been avoided.
The solution to overpacking is
- Get familiar with the duration of your trip so you have an idea of the important things you need.
- Research the weather depending on the time of the year you will be travelling.
- Pack smart by selecting versatile clothing that can be mixed and matched.
- Make a packing list to know what you need to travel with.
2. Not Making Copies of Important Documents
One of the most common mistakes is ignoring the possibility of losing essential documents like passports, tickets, or reservation details without any backups.
Without either of these documents, you may get stranded or even deported before your proposed departure time and that’s a place you don’t want to find yourself.
These important documents should be made into multiple physical copies and stored separately. While the digital copies can be saved on a cloud service that you can access from anywhere.
3. Offering to help strangers carry their items to another country
As humans, it’s natural for us to be sympathetic with one another, but please, don’t be too kind by accepting by accepting to deliver items for strangers, especially at the airport.
Why? You might get yourself implicated because the item could have been laced with hard drugs and all shreds of evidence are against you.
Even the bible was correct when it says “the heart of man is desperately wicked”, and some don’t mind putting others in danger for their supposed “progress”.
It is important and necessary that you watch out for yourself and your travel companions if you have any.
4. Assisting your co-passenger with their carry-on luggage
I saw a video of a man who almost got implicated because of his kind heart.
According to him, he got into his seat and his seat partner who was an old woman asked that he help her to arrange the carry-on luggage.
Another man on the plane offered, and everything was good until it was time for them to deplane and that was when it became known that the woman was attempting to smuggle in drugs.
Meanwhile, she was insisting that the young man who was her seat partner was her son which made the security personnel suspicious of the young man.
Thankfully, he had not mentioned his name to her which made the old woman’s claim false and also the other man stood and corroborated the seat partner’s story.
To avoid being a victim of such scenarios, keep your interaction with co-passengers at a minimum, especially on international trips.
I forgot to add that the old woman’s bag was dusted for fingerprints and they couldn’t find the seat partner’s print on it, thanks to the other man who suspected earlier on and offered to help instead.
5. Not informing your bank that you’re making an international trip
Here’s another common travel mistake that travellers make when they are on a trip.
Before you leave you country of residence, always make sure that your bank is aware that you’re taking an international trip.
Why?
To avoid getting your credit or debit card blocked because your bank can flag foreign transactions as suspicious.
Notifying them helps prevent your cards from being frozen due to suspicious activity and ensures you have access to your funds when needed while you are away.
6. Carry-on bag does not have your essentials
When travelling always ensure that your carry-on luggage has at least a 24-hour change of clothing to avoid being stranded because
- Airlines occasionally misplace or delay checked luggage, leaving you without your main suitcase for hours or even days.
- Flights can be delayed or even cancelled due to various factors such as weather conditions, technical issues, or airline operational problems.
- Accidents happen, whether it’s a spill from a drink, a food mishap, or an unexpected encounter with mud or dirt.
- Long layovers can leave you feeling uncomfortable and in need of a change, especially if you’ve been travelling for many hours.
- Travelling with young children can be unpredictable, with the potential for spills, accidents, or sudden changes in plans.
For example, if you’re flying from Lagos to Canada for a business conference that would last you 2 weeks, your hands-on luggage is simply your laptop bag.
You believed that your luggage would arrive at the same time as you would.
Your luggage left Lagos with you but it didn’t make it to Canada from your layover for whatever reason the airline gave you.
Upon your arrival, you had less than 2 hours to get ready but your luggage is nowhere to be found. Your next option is to purchase a new pair of clothing fit for the event. (unplanned expenses)
You also have to make great use of your time so you don’t end up showing up late for one of the things that brought you to Canada.
To avoid being in this scenario above, always make sure that you have fresh clothing in your carry-on bag.
Conclusion
Travel mistakes are common, but most of them can be easily avoided.
By following these tips, you can minimize stress and enjoy a more relaxed and enjoyable trip.
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