8 Common Mistakes Travelers Commit

1.Over Pack.

We like being prepared but it is easy to forget that we will have to carry those suitcases with us. Or that we might go shopping and return with more than we started. Or that airplane don’t fly well when forced to carry half a mall per person and will charge accordingly. Just stick to the following formula and you should be fine: 1 person-1 person suitcase and carry-on. Never bring more than you could carry around.

2.Under estimate budget

“I am the queen of Budget Travel..” Of course, sometimes the queen goes hungry because she forgot to take into account all the little hidden costs and ran out of money halfway through her trip! Entrance fees, un-include meals, side trips, the minibar, and the tips so the servers don’t spit on your food. These things add-up. Ask a travel agent (online) from the place you will be traveling.

3. Over place itinerary.

9 countries in 9 days sounds incredible, it is! But only when you’re joining the “Amazing Race Competition”. Exhausting though, but the best way to enjoy a place, it would be better if you stay for a little while in a few days. Most cultures require a little time to unravel unique nuances and reveal their hidden treasures.

4. Over Schedule Daily Activities

There is a common problem of the infrequent traveler. They try so hard to maximize their trip that they end up making themselves miserable. No matter how obsessive or compulsive you think you are, try to limit your destinations to a maximum of two per day. One is actually preferable if the destination is large or far away from your hotel. When the pace slows down, the details of a place come out to play and the stories come to life.

5. Over Rely On a Single Guide Book

Travel guides are a wonderful thing, but they are not infallible. A single guy with passionate but limited knowledge of his subject wrote lonely planet’s guide to Cambodia. His restaurant picks mostly focused on a single street in the city. The internet and local guides were a lot helpful. They make good reference tools but things change and many times don’t always reflect reality. That’s why they call them guides and not gospel!

6. Under Tip

Don’t kid yourself, the world is not a fair place, and the people are usually on the receiving end of preferential treatment are those who tip well. It’s really not so expensive if you budget right and the service that you get is definitely worth it. Tip everywhere, even in places you don’t ordinarily tip. When you go clothes shopping, tip the floor girl and you will have your own personal shopper and get treated like a minor celebrity.

7. Oversleep

When you leave your regular time zone behind, it is very important to immediately adapt to the change. Otherwise you will find yourself asleep on the tour and awake in the hotel watching late night TV in a language you don’t understand. The best trick is to change your sleep pattern. Before you fly out. Start acting like the time it is where you are going. Don’t sleep unless it is nigh time over there. This is particularly important to do inside the plane.

8. Under sensitive to cultural differences.

It is the height of arrogance to assume other cultures will understand our behavior. Silent head gestures, choices of words, even the use of obscenity have different connotations in different countries. In some countries in the Middle East, you can say anything freely in English and no one thinks anything of it. So be careful how you deal with people. After all you have to neutralize your differences for a more meaningful vacation.