Stuck in Customs / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Overloading the Itinerary

A common complaint from tourists who choose package tours, whirlwind we’ll-see-all-of-Rome-in-24-hours plans are a sure way to create stress within your group of travel buddies. If for every hour of your time from the flight there to the flight home you have a to-do list, you may be going overboard on your planning. First of all, if you’re worried about what time you have to leave to get to the Vatican, you won’t be able to appreciate the true grandeur of the Coliseum. And if you only have 30 minutes to explore the streets near your hotel before being taken to dinner, how will you get a chance to soak up the atmosphere of the place you’re exploring?

To fix this no-no of happy travel, be realistic about what you want to do and how much time you’ll have to do it in. Ask advice on some online travel forums or from members of your social network who’ve been there already. If you visit China, can you see the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors on the same day? Nope, because they’re not near one another. But, you might be able to substitute one or two other sights from Beijing or Xi’an to make up for the one you’ll have to miss. Or, you can spend extra time at one of the attractions, and get to know it really well.

Obsessing About the Budget

Every trip has a budget, and every traveller should try to respect their individual financial situation. But if you’re on the beach in Mexico stressing about converting every last peso back to Canadian dollars, perhaps you should have booked a different trip that would require less outlay of funds at the beginning, giving you more spending money when you’re in situ.

Again, researching your destination before you fly will help you avoid this pitfall of money-conscious travellers. Knowing how much food, drink and entertainment will cost when you’re there will help you make an overall budget that will let you splurge on some items and save on others without having to tally every last expenditure.

Letting the Weather Disrupt Your Plans

True natural disasters aside, don’t let the weather disrupt your plans. People who spend every day of their beach vacation holed up in the hotel room complaining about the rain will feel bitter and dissatisfied, while those who took the rain as a sign that they should locate the nearest museums and art galleries (conveniently located indoors, of course) will still enjoy their holiday almost as much as they would have getting a tan.

Most holiday destinations have reliable weather patterns. A quick Internet check of the last few years’ weather reports should let you know what to expect and what to bring with you. Pack an umbrella and waterproof jacket if there’s a good chance of showers. If the weather is often hot at this time of year, but you wilt in anything over room temperature, pack a hat and sunglasses and plan entertainments that will be cooling — like at a pool or waterpark.

You Don’t Pay Attention to Your Health

Being on holiday is great. Being on holiday with a sunburn, hangover, food poisoning or other avoidable injury is torture. Not only will you not be feeling your best, but while traveling you might not be able to get the care you need to feel better. Your travel companions will also be impacted by your malaise and may miss out on interesting travel opportunities because you’re too ill to go with them. How to fix this? Be smart about risky activities and weigh the consequences. Should you have another metre-high margarita? Only you can decide.

You Don’t Read Up on Your Destination

Being unprepared is no way to travel. Sure, there is excitement in unplanned encounters and off-the-cuff experiences. But if you don’t do at least some planning and preparation before you jet off to the unknown, you’ll find yourself missing out on the better sights and experiences, embarrassing yourself by being ignorant of local customs and wasting time on the ground.

Author: Felicity Moran is a travel blogger who divides her time between Canada and South America. She’s seen plenty of people vacation the wrong way, and she enjoys helping her friends and readers travel with ease and elegance.