Top 5 travel mistakes to avoid
Being familiar with the following top travel mistakes will help you to avoid major travel issues on your next trip. Keep this list in mind as you are planning your next adventure so your travels will go smoothly.
Top Travel Mistakes #1: Not buying travel insurance
There are so many things that can go wrong
while on your trip that leaving home without travel and medical insurance is
something that you should not do. Yes, once you pass 60 or 65 it does get more
expensive, but when you think of the peace of mind you will get knowing you
will be covered and taken care of in an emergency is worth its weight in gold.
I have had to use my travel insurance a couple times in my travels, medical and
stolen bags, and I was so glad that I didn’t have to worry how I was going to
pay for everything. I am not sure why banks still offer
travelers cheques, but they do. It is almost impossible to cash travelers
cheques while abroad anymore. Most
places don’t even know what they are, how to cash them, and when you do find a
place that will (usually money exchanges) they charge you an arm and a leg to
do so. The best thing to do is to use your bankcard and take money out of ATM’s
while you are away. If you bring your local currency with you
and want to exchange it, you should never use the money exchange centers at the
airport. They will always offer the worst exchange rate. It is better if you
can to wait till you get to the city centre and exchange there. It is even
better yet, that you exchange your money at home where you can research the
best money exchange places in your home town before you leave…and hint, hint,
it is usually NOT your bank. You are doing your taste buds a disservice to only eat in the tourist areas. These restaurants are usually over priced and not nearly as good of food as you would find in more local places. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat in these areas at all, but do mix in local places as well. If you worry about being able to read the menus or talk to the staff if you are in a country where English is not the native language, make sure you know how to use Google Translate. We have a fully dedicated mini course on learning how to expertly use Google Translate to help in just these situations. This travel tool will help you really get into the heart of the city and enjoy some really good food at much better prices. You can find more information about this course here. One of the quickest ways to drive up the cost of your trip is to only use taxis to get around. Yes, they are convenient, and are totally useful in a pinch, but when you want to feel a part of the city and see the sights and sounds locals’ experience, take public transportation. It is much cheaper than taking taxi’s all the time, you get to see more of the city since you won’t necessarily be taking straight from A to B. Unexpected views, shops, parks, churches that you can find when you live more like a local when you travel will become some of your favourite memories. Knowing how to use the public transportation is something most people get nervous about. My favourite app, Google Maps, is one that you should be utilizing while you travel. It has a public transportation section that will tell you exactly how to get to where you are going with the local transportation, times and maps. This is something that you should be learning and practicing before you head off on your trip. Our mini course on Google Maps goes in depth on how to use the public transportation tool along with everything else this great app can do. It really goes way way way beyond just driving instructions and is an essential tool when you travel. You can check out more information about our course here. Top Travel Mistakes #2: You take travellers cheques with you
Top Travel Mistakes #3: You exchange money at the airport
Top Travel Mistakes #4: You only eat in the tourist areas
Top Travel Mistakes #5: You don’t take public transportation