You’ve been dreaming about this vacation for months. Everything is planned down to the last detail. Nothing could go wrong… right? Take it from us – even the most meticulously planned trip can go awry from an unexpected crisis. And sometimes, despite your months of careful planning, those mishaps can come from the most unexpected places.
We are all about making travel go as smoothly as possible for you, so we’ve compiled a list of rookie travel mistakes to avoid! It’s the next best thing to let us plan your vacation for you.


1) Is it truly necessary to have all those shoes? It is clear that you need all those shoes - but do you need to pack all of them? Be practical when deciding what to bring. Strive for a capsule wardrobe, and leave space in your luggage for the beautiful new items you will purchase.

2) Alert your bank. Few things are more frustrating than having your card declined when paying for dinner because the bank suspects someone’s run off with your card details. Let them know you’ll be traveling and where to avoid this issue.

3) Keep essential things with you. If your luggage decides to go off adventuring without you, keep crucial items (including a change of clothes) in your carry-on. And keep essential items – medication, passport, etc. – in your handbag or personal item.

4) Leave time for naps. We know you’re excited and want to see everything, but vacation should be relaxing. If you’re running from one activity to the next without time to breathe, you’ll head home more tired than you left! Plan for some downtime, whether you use it to rest or be spontaneous!

5) Beware short layovers. You think you’re clever by planning for short layovers with less time hanging around in the airport on connecting flights. But if your first flight is delayed, you’ll run from one end of the airport to the other and possibly miss it altogether.

6) Don’t be THAT tourist. Yes, English is becoming more common around the world, but please don’t be that person who expects everyone to speak English. Learn a few phrases before you go, download a language app (Google Translate is your new bestie), and make an effort.

7) Educate yourself. Learning the local rules and customs before you arrive in a new place is common courtesy and common sense. It only takes a quick search online. Besides avoiding insulting the locals by unwittingly doing something they find offensive, it could also save you money. Don’t blame us if you get a $1,000 fine for chewing gum in Singapore!

8) Talk to the locals. Want to know where the best restaurants are? What hidden gems you absolutely must not miss? Talk to the people who live there. They’ll know all the secret treasures that you might miss out on if you rely solely on guidebooks.

9) Spread your cash around. Don’t carry your money all in one place. If, God forbid, something happens, and you lose a stash of cash, you can rest assured knowing you have more cash squirreled away elsewhere in your luggage or the hotel room.

10) Just buy the travel insurance, trust us. Look. We know everyone is trying to save money, but the one thing you should NOT scrimp on is travel insurance. If, again, God forbid, something goes wrong, travel insurance can be the difference between you being able to continue enjoying your trip or figuring out a way to hitchhike home from a foreign country. The peace of mind is worth the few extra bucks.
Don’t let minor problems ruin an otherwise incredible vacation! By doing a tiny bit of planning ahead, you’ll be able to enjoy a relaxing getaway. (Of course, you could always let us plan for you…)
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