Whether you're a full time traveler or a weekend tripper. At one point or the other, you are bound to make a travel mistake.
Here is a list of travel/vacation mistakes that you should definitely avoid, so that you don't end up ruining your trip.
THEFT: This is usually ranked the top of worst and most feared travel experiences. You feel violated, alone and like you've been punched in the stomach. It certainly can color your experience of a country.
GETTING SICK: See a travel doctor before your trip, so he can diagnose common ailments of the country, travel sots and medicines to take.
GETTING SCAMMED: No one likes being scammed. Getting scammed is exactly the same thing as someone stealing from you with the exception, there's manipulation, a power play,trickery, they take advantage of your naivete and sometimes they can even use bullying to pose a dangerous threat.
PLANNING TOO MANY THINGS: While its good to have a general idea about what you want to do but planning your schedule from breakfast to nightcap can end up limiting your experiences. Moreover, you risk missing out on places that no one informed you of.
OVER PACKING:I know it's difficult to not pack all your favorite clothes but think about how much weight you will have to carry around if you don't do this smartly. Additionally, your heavy luggage will restrict you from doing a few things obviously.
KEEPING ALL YOUR MONEY IN ONE PLACE: If you keep all your money together, then you are making things easy for the thieves. Do keep some emergency funds in a few secret spots in your hand luggage.
DRINKING TAP WATER: The fastest way to fall sick is by drinking unsafe water. In many countries, tap water may suit some locals because their stomach is immune to it but not you. Be safe and drink bottled water.
PICKING A WRONG TRAVEL COMPANION: Traveling with someone who has a habit of cribbing, whining and being judgemental can turn your experience to hell.
NOT CARRYING COMFORTABLE SHOES: Your feet will hate you if you don't carry at least one pair of comfortable shoes. Make them happy because they have to take you everywhere even if you're going for a bachelorette trip to a resort. You need comfortable shoes.
BEING ON YOUR SMART PHONE MOST OF THE TIME: Not only do i see many people who see the beauty of their surrounding mostly through the lenses of their smart phones, but also people that spend a lot of time checking their social media accounts while their partner enjoys their meal or the view alone. Your Instagram or Facebook will still be there when you're home but this view won't be.
NOT BACKING UP YOUR PHOTOS:How many times have you heard of incidents where people lose all their travel photos?. Well, carry a pen drive to back them up or better save them on a cloud. Nowadays, most of the gadgets have this option unless you have an unlimited 3G plan i recommend you select the option of auto backup only when there's a WIFI connection.
NOT SETTING A REALISTIC TRAVEL BUDGET: Traveling costs money. You may run out of money in the middle of your holiday if you don't set a correct budget for your trip. Airfare, buses, and hotels are obvious but you must consider smaller expenses such as ATM sub-charges, camp ground fee, etc to set an accurate travel budget. Set a correct budget so that you know how much to spend per day on an average.
TRAVELING WITH A BAD ATTITUDE: Even if you're not making any of the above mentioned mistakes, you will end up ruining your trip if you travel with a bad attitude.Don't let little things bother you, travel with the right attitude, enjoy the local culture, different food and even long queues on a day with bad weather. You are lucky if you are traveling. So smile...
When going on your next toad trip, do ensure not to ruin it and make sure you are happy while doing it....
