Five mistakes to avoid for first time travelers

Traveling is a privilege that everyone does not get to experience. That is even more true when it comes to international travel, which can be additionally expensive and even intimidating for some. But when the opportunity does arrive, it’s easy to make mistakes that can make your trip stressful and take away from the enjoyment. Avoid the five issues to make sure you get the most out of your trip before it even begins.

Checking important information before your trip

It is important to check the fine print and the rules/regulations with every aspect of your trip. Make sure you’re aware of any regulations with your hotel and/or flight. This is especially important when it comes to international travel, as that calls for the use of your passport and perhaps a visa. So many individuals have been hit by the shock that their passport has expired, throwing the whole trip into array. Or worse yet, they can’t find their passport when it matters the most.

Also, be sure to check out information about your phone plan to make sure you aren’t hit by any surprising charges during your trip.

Overplanning

It’s important to go into your trip with a plan, but overplanning on vacation is a real thing. You don’t need to have every moment scheduled out. The itinerary shouldn’t be more stacked than your typical workday. It is OK to have an idea of what you’d like to do and when, but creating a rigid schedule can make your trip too stressful.

For example, if you want to hit up specific restaurants then it is important to make reservations and be there on time. But the rest of the day does not have a strict schedule to make sure you get there on time. Spend time on the beach. Take a slow walk through the shopping district. Take a nap. You’re on vacation. Do not plan out every single moment of the day.

Overpacking

Do you really need to pack all of that? The answer is probably no. As checked bag fees increase along with ticket prices, it’s important to pack as light as possible to save some money and have an easier trip. Fitting everything into a carry-on bag if possible is an important hack to creating an easier path of travel.

This is also important in the moment when flight interruptions occur. As flight cancellations and delays become more prevalent, keeping your bag with you makes it easier to ensure you have everything with you at once. There are many horror stories of travelers having their flight delayed, missing their bags, or their checked bags not being at their destination. Avoid all of that by packing enough for your trip in a carry on if possible.

Give yourself time in the airport

Yes, direct flights are always best – but that doesn’t mean that they are always feasible. Airline ticket prices are surging and it may be difficult to find a direct flight at a reasonable cost. When you do have to purchase a flight with a layover, give yourself enough time at the second location.

These days, one-hour layovers are not enough, yes it may seem like a hassle to set a two-hour layover but think about the ability to relax while moving from gate to gate. And again, if your first flight is delayed a longer layover gives you more time to make the second flight.

Leaving your valuables out

This tip is more for when you arrive at your location. Use the safes in the room. It may seem smarter to always keep your items on you, but pickpockets hope that is the case. Keeping things in your room is the right idea, but don’t keep them out in the open. Lock everything up in the safe and keep track of those items when you arrive at the room daily.

A bonus tip that is closely related is that tipping the cleaning staff for your room well is another layer of defense against thievery because they will want to make sure you always get the top service from them.