Vacations are something everyone looks forward to. It could be the over expectation but a thing or two are bound to go wrong during a holiday. Between the packing, planning and preparations, it’s not uncommon for some things to slip through the crack no matter how experienced you are as a traveler.
All you can do is prepare well, the best you can and learn to adapt to unforeseen challenges that come your way. To help, here’s our list of common vacation mishaps and how to avoid them.
Over-ambitious itinerary
Exploring a new place can be very exciting and with that excitement you might feel that you want to go everywhere and see everything. However, it’s important to be realistic when travelling. Take into consideration when planning your trip by calculating not only the duration of your travel but also the mode of transportation to get there. When you’re travelling, it is likely that at some point you will use public transport in that country, and like most, there are chances for delays and breakdowns. Plan your itinerary in a way where there is allowance for such mishaps to occur. You wouldn’t want a single delay to ruin your entire trip.
Each to their own but we recommend to leave a certain amount of time here and there with nothing planned at all. Time to just be and relax, or do something you learned about during your trip that is of interest.
Budgeting
It can be difficult sometimes to estimate your budget, especially if it’s somewhere you have not been previously. Before travelling it’s advisable to read up on forums and experiences from other people who have travelled there. Create your budget by meals, travelling and shopping, this can help by referring to your itinerary. Of course you would want to include some extra for unexpected expenses. For those travelling for a long period of time, try to remain aware of your spending in order not to overspend.
Flights with short layover
Time is precious when you’re travelling. The last thing you want is to spend more time in an airport or a plane than necessary, so most people try to look for flights with short layovers. Sounds ideal, however, this could disrupt the entire trip if there is a delay in the first flight or any changes in flight time or even a long line at security checkpoints. This is why it’s important to ensure you have a realistic and sufficient time between flights. If all goes well and there are no delays, at least you can use the time for a little shopping or a good long walk around before your next flight. Better safe than sorry.
Important Documents
Unfortunately, it does happen that travelers overlook the validity date of their passport. Imagine standing at the airport with all your luggage and not being able to board the plane because of a simple error that could have easily been prevented. Apart from valid passports, it’s always advisable to have several copies of your reservations and tickets printed, whether it’s for your hotel, flight, train or otherwise. Having a copy in your phone or digital device is good, but you need to take into consideration the possibility where you are unable to access your device at that time. Arrange the copies of your documents and file it when you travel. It might also come in handy during immigration and customs inspection.
Overlooking Transactions
You can’t and should not be travelling with a large sum of cash in hand when travelling, so most people resort to cards and electronic payments. When traveling overseas, make sure you notify your bank on the location and duration of your travels to avoid your card being blocked due to “unusual activity”. Being stranded in a foriegn country with no access to funds can really put you in a difficult situation. Apart from that, talk to your bank to enquire about any additional charges and the currency value before you plan to use your cards abroad. Banks usually have packages and terms designed for international transactions and you might find yourself with a much cheaper and convenient deal.
Staying Safe
It’s a vacation, so of course you would want to cut loose and enjoy yourself. But it’s important to remember that you ARE in a foreign land whether you’re out partying or trying exotic food, make sure you are prepared for the worst case scenario. Hydrate as much as you can when travelling. Dehydration is common when travelling and can also cause severe illness. If you are not prepared for it, the only trip you will be having is to the hospital. Have a travel size medical kit close to you and if you have allergies, request a letter from your doctor to allow you to travel with your medication.
As well as you plan for your vacation, ensure to be ready for some damage control so your holiday is not ruined by a single incident.
