Let’s face it, even the most avid wanderers have, in their experience, made a number of blunders when it comes to traveling. And honestly, how many times have we all messed up our flight timings and misplaced our luggage? Apparently, there’s no such thing as the perfect vacation. Right? Well, maybe that’s not wholly true. Because there are certain typical travel mistakes that we all do, and which we can all easily avoid to guarantee a near-perfect traveling experience. So let’s run through 10 of the most common travel mistakes out there.

1. Planning Too Many Things:

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Do not cram up your tour itinerary. Too many destinations in too little time are not realistic. It’s better to take it slow than to rush from one spot to another. Give yourself time to enjoy that sunset over the lake instead and do not wear yourself out with a hectic schedule. In fact, try keeping it flexible for spontaneous plans or unforeseen circumstances. You can’t let the shopaholic in you miss that weekly flea market which the Internet didn’t tell you about, can you now?

2. Travel without Proper Researching:

As mentioned above, the Internet may not hold all the answers, but it does hold most of them. Make sure you do your homework by reading up and learning about your destination. Dig into the history of the place, the local colours, sights and things that interest you. The more you know, the better equipped you are towards making the trip more enjoyable.

3. Not Buying Travel Insurance:

It may seem unappealing to spend those extra bucks on insurance when you’re already splurging on the entire trip, but frankly, it’s pretty much worth it. You never know when disaster strikes in the form of lost baggage or medical emergencies, and your mind will be more at peace knowing you’re secure. Make sure you go through the fine print to avoid any surprises.

4. Over Packing:

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Probably the most common travel mistake is over packing. While you’re stuffing all your favourite clothes into bags, it is conveniently forgotten that you actually have to tow all that weight everywhere you go. Do you really need 4 pairs of stilettos for a hiking trip? It is best to make a list of only the essential things you need, and more importantly, to stick to it. You don’t want pay extra if your baggage exceeds the specified weight limit at the airport after all.

Read More: 6 Genius Ways to Ease Your Travelling Expenses Dramatically

5. Setting-Up A Practical Budget:

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It is important to chalk out realistic travel budget so you can fully enjoy your trip without restraining yourself. Traveling requires money, so don’t underestimate the costs. The worse thing to happen is realizing that you’re running out of money halfway through your trip. Research all costs like local traveling, food, stay, ATM surcharge etc. to build up a practical budget. Make sure you keep a little elbow room for extra expenses. But most importantly, do not stretch yourself over the limit.

6. Booking Connecting Transportation With No Time In Between:

Always make sure you have a couple of hours between two connecting flights (or boats/trains). There can be unpredictable delays in the form of traffic, immigration or unfavourable weather. Make sure you include enough time in between flights to keep the anxiety at bay, and more importantly, from missing your transportation altogether.

7. Don’t Choose Your Hotel Or Resorts By Photos:

Photos can be misleading. In today’s world, it’s pretty easy to digitally morph a photograph into something wholly different. Try basing your hotel choices on actual and authentic customer reviews, so that you get a more accurate picture of the services and facilities provided. Use trustworthy traveling sites online to find authentic reviews. Kindly read these few hotels or resorts guidelines to identify it on your trip.

8. Don’t Keep All Your Money In One Place:

Don’t make yourself such an easy target for thieves. Split up the cash amongst the people of your group or stock it up in multiple different places. Avoid carrying too much cash at one time.

9. Skipping The Street Food:

So no one dreams of getting sick on a vacation, but what’s the point of traveling to exotic to locations if you won’t try out the regional flavours? If the locals can eat it, so can you. Just try not to over-indulge, and you’ll be good to go.

10. Being Afraid Of The Local Language:

Try your hand at understanding the local dialect, even if you’re perfectly fluent in 5 different languages. Respect the local culture. The people will be much more helpful and open once they see you taking the effort of learning their language, making your stay in the area all the more pleasant. Also, why not add that 6th language to your resume?

So, all things said and done, it would be ideal if you avoid this list of travel mistakes. But if you still have that one tiny little slip? Don’t stress over it. Use the experience to improve your traveling instincts. Hey, even the best of us make mistakes! Just add it to your ‘been there, done that’ list and gain a few laughs out of your friends. It is more important to create numerous memories (and probably funny ones!) than fretting over everything else. Remember, the more you travel, the more you learn. So, happy traveling!

Image Ref: Planning Too Many Things, Skipping The Street Food