Travelling exposes you to different cultures and allows you to see attractions outside your home country. Many people also take trips to find mental peace. There are certain simple mistakes made by rookies when they first start to travel. Try to avoid these mistakes if you want to have a more pleasurable trip. Learn from the most common rookie travel mistakes.
1. Separate flight mistake
Generally, booking separate flights is okay. In fact, you can save a considerable amount of money by dividing your trip into different segments. However, you need to allocate enough time between the flights since delays are likely to happen. Budget airlines are also known to use regional airports, and these are usually located far from the city. This means you may take a while to arrive at the airport for your next flight.
2. Not obtaining a visa
Some countries don’t require visas for shortstops. However, this usually applies if you are only staying in the country as you wait for another flight. If you need to take another local trip in the country, you will often need a visa. It all depends on your nationality and the passport you're travelling on. Failing to obtain a visa can result in major inconveniences. Always check the official immigration website of the country you will be visiting.
3. Expecting everything to go your way
Anyone who has travelled frequently knows that inconveniences are almost impossible to avoid. It is crucial to have a plan, but don’t expect events to fit into your plan perfectly.
For example, delays in the flights are out of your control. Stressing yourself when such inconveniences occur will only make your trip worse. Other uncontrollable events that can happen on the flight include losing luggage and changes in the weather.
4. Failing to get a good travel insurance policy
As noted above, many unfortunate incidents can occur on your trip. You will be more vulnerable to theft, illnesses, and even accidents. Travel insurance does not reduce the likelihood of these events happening, but it gives you peace of mind in your trip. Medical bills can particularly be very high in some countries, and that would greatly affect your vacation.
Your travel insurance policy will cover these medical expenses, in addition to costs related to delays, legal issues, emergency reunions, and tour operator defaults. You can research the country you plan to visit in order to determine the specific types of coverage you are most likely to need. Travel insurance may seem like a cost, but it'll actually save you money.
Start comparing travel insurance policies and make sure to get one before departure:
- New Zealand residents/citizens can get cheap travel insurance from 1Cover
- All other travellers, check out World Nomads as they provide solid cover for travellers from all around the globe
5. Failing to adjust your watch to the local time
Keeping track of time is essential. Otherwise, you can miss some important events, including an additional flight you may have scheduled. Before arrival, make sure you adjust your watch or smartphone to the local time. Then you won't be that surprised when the plane lands.
6. Creating a tight budget
If you travel under a tight budget, you are likely to run out of money or fail to experience the place authentically. Your budget should only act as a guideline. If you are spending weeks in the area, you can schedule weekly transfers of money to your checking account. This way, you will be able to stick to your budget while enjoying the experience.
Or you can use a free Borderless Account and free debit card that comes with it to pay in over 40 currencies without any costs. It's the perfect solution for frequent travellers or backpackers exploring heaps of countries in one long trip. You'll pay like a local in many countries worldwide. Check out our blog post about borderless banking for more info.
7. Keeping pictures on your local storage
Hard drives and phones can easily get stolen, and that makes them poor ways to store your pictures and videos. An excellent way to ensure that your photos make it home is to back them up to the cloud. You can back them up by using a service like Dropbox or Google Photos.
Or if you are privacy-conscious you can go for an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage solution. The memories of your trip are valuable, and you should never be lost.
Avoid these travel mistake to become a travel pro
Travelling is a great way to grow as a person. However, it is rarely straightforward. You are highly likely to experience certain inconveniences. These incidents can be mitigated by avoiding the rookie travel mistakes listed above. And before you know it, you're the travel pro that's writing blog posts like this one. Have fun exploring the world.
