6 Travel Mistakes- & How to Avoid Them!

It is nearly impossible to travel without making a few of your own mistakes, but hopefully you can learn from mine & make some different ones at least!

Travel is something that all of us look forward to! There is just something about having a change of scenery while expanding your world that feels magical. While we are on the road, it is easy to make a few mistakes along the way. Hey, it’s even expected. Everyone will make their own mistakes in life, and this is especially expected in the realm of exploring! Today, I will be sharing 6 travel mistakes & how to avoid them. These are from my own experiences, just things that I’ve picked up throughout the years! To begin, something that I still struggle with to this very day! 1. Overpacking Overpacking is something that likely all of us have done at some point. Heck, it is something I -still- do! Even when you think you have mastered the skill of packing the correct amount of clothes, the “I’ll probably need this…” gremlin sneaks up on you. How to avoid overpacking, you ask? Well, for me, I try to bring the smallest bag that is possible/realistic. From there, I roll all my clothes. I plan my outfit for each day (based on the activities/weather for the day!), then figure out what I can wear on the road that day. If I can get by with one pair of pants/shorts for a while, then boom, I am wearing them every day. The same goes for shoes, I have one pair (chacos, likely!) and then wear them every single day of the trip. Essentially, narrow down what you need, then cut all non-essentials from the list. You'll be surprised by how quickly things roll out of your bag at that point! 2. Underestimating Your Time Constraints To explain this in a little more depth, I will use an example. I once had a 12 hour layover in LAX. I spent the whole time in the terminal, just writing in my journal and watching movies on my computer. Towards the end, I -somehow- almost didn’t budget enough time to go through the lengthy line I needed to go in to check in for my international flight. I eventually made the flight, but it definitely raised some hairs on the back of my neck! At this point, with anything travel related, my rule of thumb is to take how long you think your activity will take, then add an hour. Maybe two hours if you are feeling crazy. In the end it can only help you!

3. Not Eating Local This is one that I have never really struggled with- but have heard of others having trouble with it. So I figured, I am a woman of the people, why not mention it. EAT LOCAL! Not eating local = a mistake! For each meal, find a place where a) you’ve never been, b) can’t get anything like it where you live, and/or c) is a little bit out of your comfort zone! If you are in Northern Arizona, have some Prickly Pear Tea! If you are in Finland, eat anything and everything Salmiakki that is offered to you. If you are in Italy, try some authentic pasta. The best way to get to know an area is through your stomach! 4. Overbooking Yes, travel is fantastic. Yes, when you are in a new place, you want to explore it. But, when you are traveling nonstop, it is taxing! It is tiring! You will be completely worn out. When you overbook yourself, you gradually start enjoying your new activities less. I wish it wasn’t true, but in my experience, it absolutely is! If you have a few action-filled days, take some time to just decompress. Relax, remember you are on your own schedule! I’ve had experiences where I feel guilty for doing so, but hey, take care of yourself honey! 5. Skipping Taking Photos I take a lot of pictures! I enjoy taking them, and if I am traveling, I definitely want to remember what I did! But, I have definitely had times where I have skipped taking a picture so that I don’t feel like a “bother” or like I am being too “extra” for those I am with. I am here to tell you: that is dumb! I wish someone had told me that before. Instead of photos of myself in these cool places, I have memories of trying to play it cool. That, again, is DUMB. Enjoy yourself! 6. Letting A Moment Pass I am absolutely guilty of this one! I get so caught up in the ‘next’ thing, planning my next move, that I forget to soak in where I am at that moment! When traveling, I have had good luck doing this with grounding techniques! There are several different ways to do this, but I typically just look for something I am experiencing with each sense. When I think about places I have been, I can taste the fries in Amsterdam. I can hear the water lapping at the edge of a Finnish lake. I can feel the sun on my skin in Colorado. Soak in how a place makes you -feel-. For me, this not only makes me appreciate the moment, but connect with each place. Let me know if any of these travel tips helps you, I want to hear it all! Happy Travels!