Most of us know the usual travel advice. We book ahead, pack light, and sort out decent insurance before we go and yet, we still sometimes encounter problems along the way. Stuck in long queues, finding ourselves in a hospital waiting room, or unnecessarily paying too much for things are just some of the things that slip under the radar of our planning.
Packing for the Trip You Imagine, Not the One You’ll Actually Have
You plan a week of dinners out, a hike, maybe even a boat trip, so you pack for all of it and by the time you zip the case, it weighs more than it should and you haven’t even added the toiletries yet.
The honest truth is that most people wear the same three or four outfits on holiday, rotating them, washing things in the sink, buying a cheap t-shirt when they need to. The rest of what you packed just travels with you, costs you money in checked bag fees, and slows you down every time you move between places.
The fix isn’t complicated, just lay everything out, then put back anything you’re keeping “just in case” because some items you pack never get used and you can buy them abroad if they’re necessary. When you’re packing at midnight, you’re not thinking clearly and it somehow doesn’t feel obvious at all.
Not Reading the Entry Requirements Properly
This isn’t just about visas, entry requirements cover a lot more than that.
Many countries require your passport to be valid for six months beyond your return date, not just the date you arrive. Some want proof of onward travel. Some have specific rules around travelling with children, including notarised letters if a child is travelling with only one parent. And some destinations have changed their entry rules recently without much fanfare.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office page covers every country in the world, and is updated regularly. Check it at least a month before you travel, not the night before. I’ve seen people turned away at check in for things that would have taken ten minutes to sort out if they’d checked earlier and it’s a horrible thing to watch.
Treating Your Itinerary Like a Contract
You’ve spent money on the trip and want to make the most of it so you book all the things you want to spend time doing but you end up with a tight schedule that could be thrown off by any delay. Things can change and you might want to slow down and relax for some of the time rather than filling the list of things you’ve planned.
The trips that feel best in memory are rarely the ones where every hour was accounted for, they’re the ones that were not pre-planned. Pick two or three things you actually want to do each day and leave the rest open because the unplanned hours are usually where the good stuff happens.
Skipping Travel Insurance Because You’re Probably Fine
You’re probably fine, until you’re not. And when you’re not, you tend to find out how expensive it can be.
If travelling to Europe, the GHIC card which replaced the EHIC for UK citizens, only covers state provided healthcare in those countries. It doesn’t cover cancellations, lost luggage, flight delays, or the cost of getting home early if something goes wrong and The NHS has a clear breakdown of what the GHIC actually covers which is worth reading.
Get proper travel insurance when you book the trip, not the week before you leave. And read the policy, specifically the sections on pre-existing conditions and activities. A lot of standard policies won’t cover skiing, diving, or anything they classify as a “hazardous activity” unless you’ve added it. Worth knowing before you’re halfway down a slope.
Changing Money at the Airport
The airport currency exchange desk is, and I’ll say this plainly, one of the worst financial decisions you can make before a holiday. The rates are poor, the fees are high, and they’re counting on the fact that you’ve left it too late and don’t have much choice.
A Wise card or a Starling account will get you something close to the real exchange rate with minimal fees. If you need cash, withdrawing from a local ATM when you arrive is almost always cheaper than exchanging at home or at the airport.
One thing worth knowing, and this catches a lot of people out: if a foreign ATM or card machine asks whether you want to pay in pounds or local currency, always choose local currency. The pounds option sounds reassuring. It isn’t. It’s called dynamic currency conversion, and the rate you get is almost always worse. Choose local currency, every single time.
Pushing Through the First Day Like You’re Not Exhausted
Travel can be tiring in ways that sneak up on you without realising. The airport, the waiting, the low level stress of navigating somewhere unfamiliar, it all adds up before you’ve even done anything and your body needs time to catch up, especially if you’ve crossed time zones.
Taking it a bit easy on the first day to recharge from the previous stressful day goes a long way to regaining your energy. A walk, a meal, an early night are good way to ease into the visit and the things you planned to do will still be there tomorrow but now you’re fully recharged and will enjoy the activities even more.
Forgetting to Tell Your Bank You’re Travelling
This one is so easy to forget and so frustrating when it happens. You sit down for your first proper meal, hand over your card, and it gets declined. Your bank has flagged the transaction as suspicious because you’ve never spent money in this country before.
Most banks now have an app where you can set a travel notification in about thirty seconds. Do it before you leave. And take a backup card from a different provider while you’re at it. Keep them in separate places. If one gets lost, blocked, or swallowed by a foreign ATM, you’ve got the other. It sounds like overkill until the moment it saves you.
Questions People Actually Ask About Travel Mistakes
Most common travel mistake people make?
Over packing. It’s a very common mistake and can cost you extra in fees and slow you down so aim to pack less and remember that you can buy things abroad if they are essential.
Do I need travel insurance for a short trip in Europe?
Yes. The GHIC card covers some healthcare in EU countries but it’s not a replacement for insurance. A cancelled flight or a lost bag can cost far more than a policy would have. Get both.
What are the travel entry requirements?
Check your passport validity and that you meet all the visa requirements. Check the FCDO website for your country at least a month before you go.
How do I avoid bad exchange rates abroad?
Get a Wise or Starling card before you travel and use local ATMs if you need cash, but always choose to pay in local currency when given the option, not pounds.
Is it worth booking everything in advance?
Some things, yes. Flights, accommodation, and anything with limited availability. But leave room in the day-to-day plan. A fully booked itinerary sounds organised but it tends to make the trip feel like work.
What should I do if my card gets blocked abroad?
Call your bank immediately using the number on the back of the card. This is why having a backup card from a different provider matters. Keep them in separate places so if one goes missing, you’re not stuck.
Before You Go
None of this is complicated but it’s things that are easily skipped when you’re excited about a trip.
The ten minutes you spend checking entry requirements, sorting your insurance, and setting up a travel card are the ten minutes that stop you spending three hours in an airport trying to fix something that should never have been a problem.
Travel well. Sort the boring stuff first. Then actually enjoy it.
