We are going to share the common travel mistakes that first-time travelers make and how to avoid them.
It’s an exciting time in the world. More people are crossing borders than ever, and more travelers have access to exploring the planet.
But that can also have an effect on the quality of one’s travel experiences if we don’t plan ahead.
1. Not Purchasing Travel Insurance
To this day, we still cannot wrap our heads around why people don’t buy travel insurance. If we can afford to travel, we can afford the small price of purchasing insurance for our trip.
We have used our insurance on several occasions. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind.
But there are so many other reasons why we’ve purchased travel insurance like;
- If we need emergency dental work have to cancel a trip unexpectedly.
- Or if we experience a luggage delay.
2. Overpacking
There is nothing worse than lugging around a huge suitcase or backpack filled with useless items.
We find that when traveling, we often wear the same clothes often. We don’t need a lot. Jeans and t-shirts can be worn more than once without having to wash them.
We don’t need an outfit for each day of the week, and we don’t need everything in our toiletry kit.
3. Overplanning
It’s great to plan for a trip, but the joy of travel is to get lost and to create new experiences.
Don’t just check countries out of your list. Really enjoy it. Once you learn to slow down and spend at least a few days in each destination, you will have a more fulfilling experience.
You can meet the locals, immerse in the culture and bring home memories to last a lifetime.
4. Eating At Chain Restaurants
It’s easy to eat at restaurants that we know but it is even better to go to a local eatery and try something new.
The way we find places to eat is to go for a walk and look inside.
If it is packed with tourists, we skip it. If it is packed with locals, we head on in!
5. Not Following The Local Culture And Customs – One of the Biggest Mistakes
You should research things like:
- How to dress – should knees and shoulders be covered in public?
- How to eat – Do we eat with our hands like in Morocco and India? Or a spoon like in Thailand.
- Do we remove our shoes when entering someone’s house?
- Do we bring a gift when invited to a local’s home?
- Is it wrong to touch the head of a child as it is in Thailand?
- Should my head be covered with a scarf when walking around the city of Amman, Jordan?
- Is tipping a part of the culture or is it an insult?
The joy of travel is to embrace other cultures and learn from them. We don’t want to visit a destination that is exactly like home. We might as well not set foot on a plane if we are going to ignore the local culture or eat at the same restaurant chain we can frequent in our own country.
Avoid this 5 mistakes and have a great trip!