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With travelling comes the opportunity to slip up and make mistakes. It happens – and it happens often, with nearly every tourist running into an issue shared by thousands of others across the world. Fear not, as there are ways to avoid common problems, as outlined below.
Overpacking
One of the most common issues with travellers crops up before they’ve even left home. You need to be strategic with your packing. Otherwise, you could find yourself overloaded once you’re abroad, especially when travelling long-term. There’s nothing worse than having to lug a huge, heavy suitcase around.
Remind yourself you likely won’t even need half of what you’re planning to bring with you. Depending on where you’re staying and which countries you’re visiting, bring sensible and comfortable clothing – but not too much. And cut back on the gadgets, too. Bring your phone and your camera for those perfect snapshots, but leave everything else behind.
Losing Your Luggage
Despite how easy it seems to avoid it, losing luggage is one of the most common problems tourists face wherever they are in the world. It’s also, unfortunately, one of the most complicated to remedy. It all comes down to the circumstances in which your belongings went missing.
Should you find your things were stolen or transported incorrectly on the plane, travel experts say you’re bound to have a valid claim on your hands should you have done everything in your power to prevent it. If your negligence and lack of worry over your things leads to the same circumstances, many insurers will often simply see it as fair game.
Running out of Money
Don’t be that tourist having to come home early as a result of having no money left. It’s actually very easy to save and make money whilst travelling – as easy as losing it all. Consider making yourself a daily budget to follow, so that you’re not left out of pocket prematurely.
There are also several ways to make money whilst travelling if you’re really in need of raking it in. Whether it’s teaching English in local schools, working as a guide or assistant for fellow travellers or even blogging about your experiences, there are countless ways to keep making money even when you’re not at home. The former is also recommended as a way of learning what it feels like to actually live somewhere, rather than just visiting as a tourist.
Issues with Transport
When travelling long-term, it’s likely you’ll be hopping on and off flights frequently. With this comes the potential for a few issues to crop up. Whether it be the extortionate cost of flying at peak times or overbooked flights you’re unable to board, you need to be prepared for any eventuality and allow yourself time to fix it.
When it comes to overbooked flights, they can actually work in your favour if you know how to do it. Consider the grounds upon which you can claim for overbooked flights, outlined here by CTI. And if you find yourself falling victim to an overbooked flight, you could receive compensation that funds your travels even further.
Not Fulfilling your Wanderlust
Last but not least, don’t let your wanderlust go ignored. Once you’ve travelled for the first time it’s likely you’ll be experiencing post-holiday blues once you’re home, not to mention the obvious desire to get back out into the world and explore all over again.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t hold back – book your next trip as soon as you’re home to give yourself something to look forward to. Sure, it’s nice to look back on your first trip, but the overwhelming urge to do it again simply has to be fulfilled.
Do you have any tips for fellow travellers in terms of avoiding common problems? Let us know!