Blindly trusting guidebooks

Allow yourself to explore and use your own initiative rather than blindly follow a guidebook. There is a unique joy to discovering things during travel than being aware of everything you would eventually unravel. Besides, guide books are often outdated and carry information that would have changed over time.

Overshooting your budget

It is good to go on a spending spree, if you have the means for it. But, if your trip has been budgeted, one must stick to it to avoid getting into tight situations. One must make allowance for small emergencies and curb the urge to overspend when not required.

Minimum layover time between flights

You don’t want to end up missing connecting flights or road/rail links, so don’t cut it too fine. Keep enough of layover time between connecting flights or onward journeys to avoid the need to alter plans at the last minute.

Not buying insurance

Travel insurance is usually not much considering the expense for any trip. It is common these days to face delays, lose or damage baggage, as well as encounter unexpected situations like sudden illness – here’s where travel insurance takes the burden off you. It is an assurance worth paying for.

Ignoring time zones

It is important to factor in the time zone of your destination while making all bookings for flights/road-rail connections or hotel stays. Consider your arrival time as per your destination before booking onward travel or hotel stays, most of which allow check-in around 12 noon. If you arrive too early, you might have to ensure an early check-in or if you arrive later in the day, you end up paying for the whole day.

Keeping all resources in one spot

Never place all important resources – cash/bank cards, tickets/vouchers, passports/travel documents, driving licence/ID cards – in one single pouch or bag. If this gets lost/misplaced, you wil be high and dry. It’s a good idea to pack important things in different bags or in custody of different travel partners. Also keep hard copies of important documents, like passports/flight tickets, etc. which will be helpful in an eventuality.