Even after more than a decade of extensive travel there are always a few things I’d do differently if I could go back in time. In the spirit of the New Year’s resolution season, here are the top five mistakes I’d like to try to kick.
Packing too much
I’m much better than I used to be, but it’s still a challenge to pare down the items I take with me on a trip. Shoes are the hardest because I have fussy feet that need lots of changes to keep them happy.
Strategy: As I unpack from my last trip, I make note of the items I took but didn’t use. When I start to see a pattern, those items get the boot. I also remind myself that I can wear the same four or five things in rotation and get by.
Plan too much for one day or one trip
We’ve made this mistake more than once … okay more than three or four times. If you’re travelling from North America to Europe (for example), it’s easy to think you should see as much as possible in the time you are there. One month-long trip we did a few years ago took us to Iceland, The Faroe Islands, Denmark, Germany and the Czech Republic. Too much! Travel days are stressful and getting settled into a new location takes about a day for us. We will never again cram this many countries into this short a time.
Similarly, I’ve resolved that I don’t need to hit all the iconic sites (Steve and I differ here so it’s a bit of a negotiation). I’ve been to Paris twice now and have not gone to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Standing in line for a long time just for a bit of a view is not a priority for me. I’d rather be sipping wine and having a picnic along the Seine. The best memories I have of travel are generally not touristy sites but the occasions when I’ve experienced what everyday life is like in a location. Sitting at a café to people watch, running through a park or just roaming the streets actually brings me more pleasure. The slow travel devotees make a good case.
Strategy: We always start with a wish list of activities/sites for a region and then prioritize based on what we really enjoy doing. Having travelled quite a bit helps because you get to know what you enjoy and what you don’t.
Not engaging enough with other people
Steve and I are both a bit introverted so it’s tough for us to meet people while travelling. However, we always enjoy when we do meet people so this is a constant struggle for us.
Strategy: Over the last couple of years, we’ve gone on a few active tours, which has put us in the midst of people with common interests to ours. This has been just the push we need to interact with others more. We also travelled with my extroverted father-in-law on a trip to Greece recently and he was a great connecting “ambassador.”
Spend too much time looking for souvenirs
I can get caught up in finding the perfect gift for the people I’m close to back home. It takes a lot of time and becomes a stressful task instead of a thoughtful gesture.
Strategy – I’ve embraced the concept of “good enough.” Really, people back home are simply touched you thought of them. My current go-to souvenir is regional food. People always appreciate local olive oil, a unique snack food (e.g., green tea Kit-Kat bars were a hit from Japan) or tea/coffee. I’m trying to keep things simple now.
Restaurant Safaris
I love a great restaurant experience and I do my share of research on Urban Spoon, Yelp and Trip Advisor to plan a few special nights of dining out on a trip. However, trying to make every meal out a perfect culinary experience is no longer a priority for me. Sometimes, a meal is just a meal and if it’s decent, that’s great. It’s easy to get caught up in endless hours of research (if you enjoy that kind of thing, go for it!).
Strategy: Beyond planning to visit a few choice restaurants, we wing it on the road. One of our best culinary experiences was actually in Iceland when we arrived a day late because of a plane delay. We engaged the concierge service on our Visa credit card and were able to secure reservations at the quite amazing Seafood Cellar in Reykjavik (sadly, it’s now closed). We’ve also stumbled upon really nice restaurants we probably would not have found in the top 10 or 20 of a restaurant review site so I try to keep that in mind too. Sometimes I think review sites become a circular reinforcing endorsement. Asking a local about their favourite places to eat is also a good strategy.
Over to you: What are your biggest travel mistakes and which ones have you been able to conquer?
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Great article. Packing is the biggest one
Planning is important but sometimes being more spontaneous can be more fun. Harder to do as you get older. Less countries but more time in each is good advice. In a month three was our maximum.
I agree, you need to have a balance between planning and leaving room to take things as they come. I continue to find it difficult to take travel slowly if we’re visiting a region I may not get back to in some time (or ever). It’s very tempting to try to cram every possible activity and sight into one’s itinerary.
Wonderful post!
I have done few of them, but doing them taught me how to do it right next time and that’s where I hopefully corrected it and not hoping to repeat any of them.
It’s a work in progress for me. Usually, I’m able to avoid them, but I slip up from time to time.
I rarely travel Deborah..so i am enjoying your wonderful adventures vicariously. I patricularly liked “The Greeter” article. I do want to visit Chicago and would like to return to San Francisco so I will definitely keep this info for later use.
Loved the photo of Steve with the long hair!!
I highly recommend the Greeter program. We’ve had really outstanding experiences. As for Steve’s long hair, I’ll have to post one when it was at its longest — about half way down his back. He’s always had nicer hair than me. Ha ha ha … Thanks for your comment, Patricia!
Hi Deborah, never mind having been twice in Paris and not having been on the Eiffel Tower. You are in good company. When I was living in Athens my best friend came to see me for two weeks. She did not go to the Acropolis
Yes, that would be the equivalent, Sabine. I did love seeing the Eiffel Tower. Just no desire to go to the top.
You are both photogenic. But Steve changes his hair more!!
Thanks Bernadette! Steve is WAY more photogenic than I am. He never takes a bad photo whereas I click on the trashcan more often than not when I see photos of me. Maybe everyone’s like that. And yes, Steve’s hair has gone through many more transformations than mine has.
I particularly enjoy the photos of your husband because I know the connection between him and my friend Bernadette….
Thanks Patricia! Glad your enjoying the blog. I’ll try to throw some more photos of Steve in the mix — he’s more photogenic than I am anyway. 🙂