6 Mistakes Travellers Often Do

There are mistakes we often do, when planning to visit other countries.

1. They don’t inform their bank: Travellers often fail to inform their banks and credit card issuers about their upcoming plan to visit other countries. Identity theft and fraud are at an all time high. We could be unpleasantly surprised when the dreaded word “Denied” pops up on the ATM machine. This could happen because the banking system detects our presence in other country and it suspects that our account is being accessed by malicious individuals in different countries. This will help us to avoid embarrassment and troubles when buying things from local merchants.
2. They overpack: Overpacking is a common mistake that people do. When we go to popular destinations areas, we could find people carry very large backpacks that seem to make their trip less convenient. The airline could also charge more for the extra bag, so we could be certain that we won’t need one. In many cases, we won’t need to worry about mix and matching our clothes, especially if we plan to do things casually.
3. They overschedule: There’s only so much a traveller can see and absorb during a trip. After seeing and visiting many places in just one day, boredom will start to set in. Although it is necessary to maximize our time, we should make sure that we won’t rush and we can do it with leisure. Up to four attractions a day should be our rule and more than that, it is easy for us to get rather exhausted. We should leave enough time to stop for buy local meals, do a little shopping and just walk around. Travelling is also about immersing ourselves in the local experience, not just visiting attractions. It is normal to think that we are going so far and we should have an opportunity to see as many things as possible. Even if we are visiting other countries, it is a good idea to follow the normal routines of having three meals a day, rest and simply do nothing.
4. They don’t research the destination: To avoid disappointment, we should take time to research our destination before leaving home. We should know what to see and how to visit the place properly. Visiting a country at the wrong months could put us in the middle of the rainy season.
5. They don’t anticipate problems: It is important to ask questions often about food, hotel rooms, transportations and others. The more we ask questions, the more likely we are able to anticipate for problems. This should also allow us to correct mistakes and we can achieve this only by being pro-active travellers.
6. They use currency exchange services often: Although most banks tack on specific amount of service charge, it is a good idea to get local currency from available banks. Currency exchange services often trade money at more profitable amount for them. Additionally, we shouldn’t come home with any leftover foreign currency.