Experience the fun in traveling when you’re headed to a vacation spot that others have been raving about. However, there are times when you end up suffering through a terrible holiday which really kills any fun concept. Here are some of the nine common travel mistakes you really want to avoid so that you feel relaxed and pleased going to your dream destination, especially when travelling alone.

  

Mistake #1 Forgetting to Confirm Flight Booking and Hotel Reservations

You might be surprised how many people forget this part due to overeagerness about just getting to that beautiful travel destination. This is why some travelers get stuck at the airport and have to rebook a flight.

Some may end up opting for a flea-ridden motel room because they thought they had already reserved a nice, clean hotel room already. Ideally, you should confirm your flight and hotel reservations even weeks in advance just to make sure there are no slip-ups. Don’t forget to have the right Travel Document so that you claim the correct booking.

Mistake #2 Intentionally Booking Lodgings During the Off-Season at Your Vacation Spot

A beach is just like any other beach; you might be thinking when you start looking for the right vacation spot to travel to. Well, yes, but did you know why certain beaches are deserted during the off-season? They’re vacant because it rains constantly and unrelentingly during that time. There may even be storms that arrive when the tourists have all departed.

So, it’s best to inquire with the resort and make your reservations well in advance for the tourist season. If you’re already at the resort or other vacation spots, and you realize it’s the wrong season, ask the resort receptionist if they can give you a discount on your accommodations.

Mistake #3 Arriving at Your Travel Destination At the Wrong Date

So you remembered to confirm your flight booking and hotel reservations, with just one slight error: your flight to and your stay at the right travel destination was made for the wrong date. This means you will wind up at the beach resort without accommodations because another family has not left the room you reserved.

If you’re lucky, the hotel receptionist can direct you to another room at the same hotel. But if the hotel rooms are all fully occupied, you may have to make inquiries at other nearby resorts or hotels instead. Be sure to present your International Driver’s Permit, driver’s license, along with your other identification like a passport, to make it easier. This is especially important when you can’t return home right away.

Mistake #4 Taking Someone Else’s Luggage at the Airport

This happens so often, actually, but it could still happen to savvy travelers like you. You might keep making this error because your luggage may look the same as someone else’s luggage. So, without checking the travel tag on the handle, you take that other person’s luggage. You only find out it isn’t yours when you start to unpack in your hotel room and discover that the contents belong to someone else.

To prevent a recurrence of this error every year, you can put some kind of markings on your travel bags. For instance, you can attach a brightly colored sticker on the luggage’s surface, which you can easily spot. Or you can tie a bandanna around the handle of each bag when travelling alone. You might also invest in more uniquely-designed luggage that other people probably would not buy for themselves. The point is to make your luggage stand out, so you don’t forget what to do when traveling with pieces of baggage at the airport.

Mistake #5 Bringing Along Volumes of Liquids in Your Carry-on Luggage

For many years, travelers have been regularly advised to refrain from bringing along a lot of liquids in their carry-on luggage for security. But some people still insist on breaking this rule, not just in First World Countries but also in remote destinations. There are some liquids that may be permissible to bring along to your airplane seat, such as medicine.

To avoid embarrassing scenes at the airport, try to find out in advance what liquids are permitted onboard the aircraft. You should only bring along the permissible volume of such liquids as well. You face the risk of your liquids being confiscated by airport staff prior to your flight, otherwise.

Mistake #6 Forgetting to Bring Along Entertainment for Children in Your Group

It may seem amazing but some parents or guardians of young children fail to anticipate the boredom such young travelers face. So the kids opt to act out and are unruly while traveling. It doesn’t take much to alleviate their boredom though. It just depends on the age of the child.

Some travel solutions for entertainment are coloring books (don’t forget the crayons and pentel pens), computer tablets fitted with the child’s choice of entertainment apps, and the child’s favorite stuffed toy. Teenagers, on the other hand, may just need a good young adult novel to read or music to listen to while waiting at the airport or on board the plane.

Mistake #7 Packing the Wrong Clothes and Footwear

This could be a major headache for you if you have a lot of clothes and shoes you’d like to show off while traveling. But try to imagine yourself at the vacation spot enjoying the amenities and weather – then think of which clothes and shoes you’re most likely to use there. If you still seem to have too many, pick the ones you like the most only. This is good for those who complain about the weight of their travel luggage, especially while in transit.

Mistake #8 Buying Too Many Vacation Souvenirs

Yes, many people like to buy something at their travel destination to remember the good times with. But there’s a limit to how many vacation souvenirs you should purchase there. For one thing, can you really fit that many mementos in your luggage? How can you make room? Is there enough space for dirty laundry if you buy that many souvenirs? Won’t the luggage be too heavy if you pack in a lot of vacation souvenirs too? These are all simply reminders so that you won’t get carried away by impulsive purchases.

Mistake #9 Expecting Perfection at the Destination

Don’t go on vacation thinking that everything will go smoothly 100% of the time, especially when travelling alone. It is almost certain that something may go wrong at some point. For instance, you might overdo the sunbathing part and wind up with a nasty burn. You might spill a drink on your favorite dress. One of your children could develop a fever en route to the beach resort. And so forth.

The trick to enjoying travel time is to leave room for unforeseen emergencies. Though you won’t be able to anticipate everything that could go wrong, at least you’re prepared for some of these. You should also remember to use a safe to stash any important Travel Document. That way, you won’t get stressed too much thinking about what to do when traveling, and you will want to return to that travel destination again sometime the following year.

References:

https://www.loveexploring.com/gallerylist/71125/45-common-travel-mistakes-how-to-avoid-them