International travel can be a tremendous life-changing experience, or it can turn into a proper nightmare. Some people get lucky and have a wonderful time away even when they don’t take the time to prepare carefully, double-checking their travel itinerary. Other people, well, to increase your chances of enjoying your time abroad, you need to be aware of these eight travel mistakes and the ways you can avoid them.
Travel Mistakes: Leaving or Losing Your Passport
Your passport is essential for international travel. Therefore, you need to get it well ahead of time and keep up with it.
If you wait until the last minute, then you may still get one by using an expedited service at many major airports.
Make sure to keep your passport with you whenever you leave the country. If you lose it or it gets stolen in a foreign country, go to the United States embassy and ask for help.
Travel Mistakes: Choosing the Wrong Flights
It is best to travel early in the day, as this gives you more time to connect to a later flight if you miss any connecting flights.
You will want to leave as much time as possible between flights if you wish to change airlines during your traveling.
Try to get an aisle seat on long trips as this gives you more freedom to move around. Know what you need to do to get a flight cancellation refund if your flight is canceled or severely delayed.
Travel Mistakes: Wearing the Wrong Shoes and Clothes
Please, avoid heading to the airport for your travel adventure wearing shoes that you cannot walk comfortably in over a long distance because you never know when you may need to jog a short mile to make a connection.
Likewise, try to wear comfortable clothing that will not bend or cut into you during the flight.
Consider the dress code in the country where you are heading, too, of course. For example, read and learn if women need to cover their heads or their shoulders.
Preparing ahead of time with the right clothing helps you at being warmly welcomed to a foreign country.
Travel Mistakes: Packing Too Heavily
Okay, the next thing I will say may sound surprising, but many airports across the world do not have escalators or elevators. Therefore, you may have to carry your luggage up or downstairs or across a long airport.
Try to keep the weight of your luggage at a minimum.
Consider outfits that easily coordinate with each other to maximize the number of looks that you can achieve with a minimalist wardrobe.
Travel Mistakes: Not Eating or Drinking Enough
You need to stay hydrated when flying to another country.
You should aim to drink at least eight ounces of water for every hour of your flight. You should avoid drinks, like those with lots of sugar or alcohol, as they can cause you to become even more dehydrated.
Consider taking a spitzer filled with water with you so that you can squirt your skin if it begins to feel dried out.
Travel Mistakes: Booking at the Wrong Time
You need to book your tickets for foreign travel at the right time. Most significant airlines release their tickets eight months in advance.
About three to four months before the travel date, they check to see how well the tickets are selling, and they adjust the price accordingly.
This is often the best time to buy your tickets. You can expect prices to rise again about a month before the flight.
Travel Mistakes: Going Unprepared for the Weather
Many flights will not leave the ground if bad weather is expected along the way. Therefore, if you have a choice, plan your trip when the weather is likely to be at its best.
If you are planning on flying to the Southern Hemisphere, remember that their winter is during the summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
If you are trying to fly into an area that has monsoons, avoid the rainy season if possible.
Travel Mistakes: Not Having Prescription for Your Meds
If you are required to take medicine regularly, be sure to carry them in your carry on luggage. If your medication is time-sensitive, try to follow the same schedule that you use at home to take your medicine. You may also want to carry a prescription for your medication with you, along with your most pertinent health records.
When you go on a travel adventure, it’s a fantastic way to meet people, see great sites, and get away from the pressures of daily life.
Preparing ahead of time can help you have incredible travel experience.
photo source | adobe