If you are not a professional travel guru, it is almost impossible to avoid mistakes during your travels. Here, we offer you the opportunity to learn from other people’s mistakes, so that you do not compromise.
We love to travel and have a lot of fun collecting these tips. If you have your own advice, feel free to share it with us.
Common Mistakes Travelers Make
9. Staying On The Outskirts To Save Money
We agree that staying on the outskirts can sometimes be comfortable, for example when you rent a car. Hotels outside the city center are generally cheaper, but the difference is not significant and all the money saved will be spent on transportation every day.
And when you’re on vacation, it’s better to be in the middle of the action, surrounded by romantic paved streets, than somewhere around a boring hotel.
If you stay in the city center, you can stroll through interesting places late at night or early in the morning with a minimum number of people.
You will not miss out on anything interesting and you can stay in an authentic old bed and breakfast.
Another definite advantage of staying downtown is being able to return to the hotel during the day to rest or take a nap.
8. Paying For Things You Can Get For Free
Instead of choosing a tour (which can end up being boring) and paying for it, visit this site for free walking tours. This site connects you with the locals who love the city and can show you for free.
A great advantage of using this site is that they can take you to places that only the locals know about. You can access locations in many major cities through this website.
Сouchsurfing is a service that connects people with free places to stay. Also, you can find people here to show you around your destination city.
Workaway.info: Do you want to earn some money during your trip? Why not. Here you can find thousands of options.
Campinmygarden: Here you will find hosts who let people use their backyard for camping. All you need is a tent. They don’t always allow you to do this for free, but prices are generally very low, around $ 6 a night, for example.
Many museums have days when you can visit them for free. For example, you can visit the Louvre for free on the first Sunday of each month.
Some supermarkets discount food that will expire soon. And sometimes they even give it away for free. This is especially prevalent in the United States and some Asian countries.
In Spain, there is a rule: beer munchies (snacks served with a beer) are always free. Sometimes this snack can be a sandwich or a salad, depending on the restaurant.
7. Taking A Lot Of Stuff With You
When you travel and start packing, it seems like you don’t have enough material, but after finishing, do you end up with a super heavy bag?
And later (like usually towards the end of your trip) you realize that some of the things you packed were not necessary. Have you ever been in this situation?
In your daily life, you probably won’t wear a new set of clothes every day and neither will you on your trip. Pack things that go together so you can mix them in different ways.
This tip may seem strange, but we recommend that you take a blanket instead of another sweater. It can be worn in several ways: a scarf, blanket, and picnic cloth.
6. Taking Just Cash Or Just A Credit Card With You
Never take just cash or just a credit card. You can lose it (cash or credit card) and your bank can block your card at any time. To prevent this from happening, call your bank ahead of time and say you’re going abroad. We recommend taking at least 2 credit cards.
A good rule of thumb is to always carry cash along with some credit cards. Also, read the forums to find out where the best currency exchange locations are.
5. Trying To See Everything
We think, “Since I’ve come here, I need to see as much as possible.” And that makes us run from one point of reference to another.
Better to slow down and enjoy slow walks and breathe in the air of the country you are visiting. You’re resting after all, and there is no way to see everything anyway.
It is also a bad idea to try to see two cities in one day. The best thing you can do is spend two days in a city, this is enough time to really feel it.
4. Traveling In The High Season
Tourist crowds can spoil any rest and any view. That is why you should not forget this when planning a vacation. You should try to go in the least popular season when tourists are going home.
If you go to Rome in late fall, you won’t be able to enjoy the famous Italian ice cream in the heat of summer, but you will be able to walk through practically empty streets and see the places without queuing.
3. Not Buying Tickets Online
The lines to famous places can sometimes be remarkably long, but there are a separate entrance and gate for people who already have a ticket.
Try to buy a ticket online (especially for places like the Louvre or the Statue of Liberty). This will save a lot of time.
2. Making A Mistake With Souvenirs
Here are two extremes: some people buy ugly souvenirs and others regret not having bought anything.
We recommend that both types of people visit a flea market, where you can find exclusive items at very low prices. And most of them are not made in China, but in the place you are visiting.
And one more thing: if you see something you love, buy it right away. It often happens that when people postpone buying something, they don’t buy it at all.
1. Expect Too Much From A Trip
It is not a simple thing, but try not to fantasize too much about your trip, since you can walk around Montmartre or smell lavender somewhere in Italy.
In the end, not everything can fulfill a dream. High expectations often lead to disappointment.
Just relax and enjoy your journey every day. And we hope that all your next trips will get better and better.
Preview photo credit liptoncnx/depositphotos, jovannig/depositphotos
