Top 10 common travel mistakes

We have two pieces of news, and as almost always in these cases, one is good and one is bad. Let’s start with the bad news: if you are planning a trip, you should know that there are always chances of making small and big mistakes that can ruin it. But don’t worry, here comes the good part: we’re going to tell you what the main ones are so you can avoid them… then don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Wanting to see everything

you’ve heard the saying ‘he who grasps all things in one place grasps little’? How true that is! Many times we plan a trip with the desire to see everything but we don’t take into account something very important… time! We run the risk of spending hours and hours between buses, trains and airports without really enjoying the destination.

Believing that the guidebook is the Bible

No, it isn’t: every guidebook, every blog and every article (yes, this one too) is written by a person who, as such, can make mistakes. It’s fine to listen to what others say and look for information about the destination, but if you have an intuition that you should visit a place, even if it’s not in any guidebook, do it: the treasures are there to be discovered and if no one goes in search of them they will be forgotten. Oh how I knew, I’m getting older!

Choosing the wrong company

Choosing the best travel companion is one of the most delicate tasks: you will spend many hours together and you will have to make many decisions, from the most basic ones (what to eat or where to sleep) to the most important ones (which cities to visit, what kind of trip to take…). The most important thing is trust, respect and, if possible, similar tastes: choosing the wrong company can spoil the most promising trip! And if you don’t find your better half, you should know that travelling alone is very enriching, so don’t be afraid.

Focusing only on the sights

The real attraction of a place is not its monuments or its buildings or its museums, it’s the people! Get close to them, connect with the locals, interact, ask questions, talk to them about your country, ask them about theirs. If you don’t get involved in the culture of a country, you don’t travel… you just move.

Don’t plan

Arriving in a country without having planned anything can be a great adventure, but it can also turn into a colossal mistake: after years of travelling it is clear to us that some organisation is needed: know the exchange rate before arriving to avoid high commissions, look for the best neighbourhoods to be able to find suitable accommodation, be interested in the history of the destination to be able to understand its present?

Planning too much

Although you shouldn’t over-plan too much: leaving a little room for improvisation is essential, the best things are often the ones you haven’t even remotely thought of. Arriving at the station, finding that your bus has left and getting on another one that has nothing to do with your destination… can be one of the best things about the trip!

Travelling without insurance

Travelling involves responsibilities (it’s a bit like being Spider Man!) both to others and to ourselves. Prevention is better than cure and although nobody likes to spend part of their budget on something as abstract as travel insurance, in case of need it will be the best money spent. Besides, if your mother finds out you’re travelling without insurance, she’s going to have you banned… and there’s no such thing as insurance there.

Luggage “just in case

We have to be clear that we are going on a trip, not to the catwalk at Milan Fashion Week! Of course we want to look good in the photos, but we have to ask ourselves if we really need everything we’ve packed. The trick is to choose clothes that are easy to mix and match and to remember that you will have to carry every kilo of luggage… the lighter the happier.

Not adapting to the local culture

When we step out of our comfort zone we encounter people and places that are very different from what we are used to. It is easy to judge something unfamiliar, either out of fear, ignorance or simply because we want to continue doing what we would do at home, but we should remember that there is no such thing as a foreign place, the only foreigners are us and as such we must adapt to the culture that is welcoming us (and yes, that includes the food!).

Don’t travel because no one wants to go with you

you want to travel but you can’t find anyone to go with you? Travel alone! There are more and more solo travellers, and I’ll let you in on a secret: I don’t know anyone who has regretted taking the plunge or who has ever been truly alone 😉

This blog post was written by Mochileando por el Mundo .

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“Travel, gastronomy and art are the great passions of Rober and Lety, a couple who have felt tiny contemplating the sunrise in Burma, travelled on a bus with a goat on the roof in the Philippines, bathed under the Milky Way in New Zealand and… you’d better discover more adventures on their blog: www.mochileandoporelmundo.com. His motto: if many dream what you dream, dream harder!