11 Travel Lessons Learned the Hard Way

Even the best-laid travel plans can go sideways. We’ve all been there! Forgotten chargers, missed flights, forgetting to pack a necessary item… you name it, someone’s experienced it. But hey, those travel mishaps make the best stories later, right? Learn from the mistakes of others (and laugh a little along the way) with these 11 travel lessons. They’ll help you pack smarter, stress less, and make sure your next vacation is full of amazing memories, not travel fails!

Photo credit: Jo Panuwat D/ Shutterstock.

Bring Your Own Water Purification Tablets

No matter how “tough” you believe your stomach to be. It’s ALWAYS better safe than sorry. You do not want to spend your vacation in the bathroom because you drank the water. 

Always Check Your Flights Carefully Before Pressing Purchase

Is anyone else always way too excited when purchasing a flight? Well, be sure to verify the date AND the date format. Other countries do not use the same format as the United States (dd/mm/yyyy vs. mm/dd/yyyy). Also, beware of using an airline consolidator.

Don’t Lose Your Passport

Yep, this one seems obvious. But it happens to the best of us. Keep close tabs on your passport at.all.times. And, always check the seat pocket of the airplane before disembarking (passports like to hide there). 

Driver’s Licenses Are Not Valid in Every Country

I’m sure you are aware you need a form of identification to travel, but be sure to look up the specifics. Your driver’s license is not going to be a valid form of ID in every country. 

Always Packing Some Anti-Diarrhea-Type Medicine and OTC Painkillers With You

This brings me back to #1. In case you weren’t proactive, be sure to pack ant-diarrhea and some ibuprofen to shorten your time spent in the bathroom. 

Always Purchase Travel Insurance

Getting sick or hurt abroad can very quickly add up. Travel insurance can help avoid this unnecessary stressor. You can typically purchase it for pretty cheap before your vacation. 

Not Traveling When Young

We live in a strange world where we spend our best years working and “saving” until we are old and retired. Don’t do this. Make time for travel when you are young at healthy. 

Packing Too Much 

I know you think you need a different pair of shoes for each day of the trip. But you don’t. Pack light and enjoy the opportunity to purchase that new souvenir T-shirt. This also can save you from paying additional baggage fees upon boarding the airplane. 

Not Checking the Taxis 

Always, always, always check to make sure you are in a real taxi or the correct Uber. If you happen to make this mistake and escape being kidnapped, they will still likely still rip you off. 

Confusing Time Zones/24-hour Clocks 

There are only a handful of countries that do NOT use the 24-hour clock. Yep, America is one of them. Be sure to understand this when traveling as it could lead to some costly travel mishaps (including missing your flights or showing up on the wrong day).

Forgetting To Tell Your Bank You Are Traveling Abroad

Your cards will be locked and it will be virtually impossible to fix them while you are still traveling. The banks are just trying to protect you and your money but this can lead to a major headache. 

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