Sometimes even a carefully planned trip can be ruined by a simple mistake. However, with a little awareness you can avoid these errors and keep your plans.
Remember the following guidelines to have a truly enjoyable vacation:
1. Not enough time between connecting flights
Booking a tight gap between connecting flights is almost never a good idea, but people tend to forget this while making plans. Keeping a window of at least 1.5 hours between connecting flights will considerably reduce your chances of missing a flight. This is especially true for large airports or international flights, where the departure gates could be miles apart. Do your calculations before and research the airport before booking a connecting flight.
2. Applying late for a passport or visa
Usually it takes around 3 to 4 weeks of processing time to get a new passport made. For many countries, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after your travel date, so check if your expiration dates and apply far in advance. Also, for countries that require a visa, check the visa processing time in advance, so that you get your visa in time. If you apply last minute, you could end up staying home or paying more for a fast track visa fee.
3. Not considering hotel location
Whilst choosing a hotel, it’s important to not just consider the prices but also the location of your accommodation. Sometimes, instead of choosing a cheap accommodation away from the city, it is better to choose a pricier hotel near the city centre. This way you can save your time and money and spend your days exploring, not commuting. Travelling from far-off places becomes even more difficult in hot weather, rainy weather, or with kids.
4. Not being honest about your likes and dislikes
There is nothing wrong with taking an hour off and enjoying a drink at a local cafe instead of hoofing around some attraction you are not interested in. Before you take a trip, plan out what you would like to do and see. Don’t let yourself be forced to do something upon the insistence of others. If you are really not interested in museums then why waste your time? If you are an off-the -beaten-path kind of traveller and not interested in the usual touristy spots, then plan ahead and make sure you utilize your time doing that. Make your own wonderful trip experience as per your likes and interests.
5. Relying on online photos to choose your hotel
Getting the real feel of a hotel or resort is quite impossible through the internet. Don’t just be enticed by touched up pictures of the property. Do some research and take a look at websites that offer customer reviews and photos of that hotel. Tripadvisor and many other websites offer real insights into a place. Also, it is always good to email or ring up the hotel about your various concerns and questions.
No travel experience is perfect, but why not take all the precautions you can? Don’t let yourself fall prey to an easily-avoided travel catastrophe. Following these guidelines can save you a lot of stress and allow you to focus on the good things.
Have your own travel nightmare story or a trip-saving travel hack? Let us know in the comments!
