Tiffany CondeLately, it has become an everyday matter to hear reports of tourists behaving badly. Such incidences are followed not only by a public outcry but also backlash from the offended parties, who respond by shutting down their spots and sealing off future activities from tourists. How did it ever get to this?
While everyone makes honest mistakes when it comes to travelling, it’s vital to know when we are infringing on the rules, traditions, and enjoyment of others. For smooth sailing vacations, be sure to steer clear of these travel habits below.
Also read: Travel Tips: Avoid Doing These 10 Mistakes While Travelling
1. Not doing any research beforehand
Listen, we love a spontaneous traveller who can roll with the punches and adapt to random situations thrown their way. But there’s something to be said about knowing your way around a place because you read up on the local customs and traditions beforehand. As a traveller landing in foreign soil, you are beholden to their laws and culture. And so, it’s important to learn about their proper etiquette — what they consider to be polite or impolite behaviour. The last thing you want to do is accidentally insult them with a joke, mannerism, or hand gesture that means something completely different in their society.
Also read: 8 Things That Only Culturally Insensitive Travellers Do
2. Taking your health for granted
We’ve talked about how travelling can keep you fit, but you would be amazed at how many travellers still play games with their health. Pushing your body past its limits is one of the worst travel habits you can have because it can effectively cut your trip short. Skipping meals and not drinking enough fluids will make you susceptible to headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, and even fainting. Nobody wants that!
3. Underdressing for the weather
Forgetting to bring travel essentials like chargers or umbrellas is an accident that we like to laugh at ourselves for — but packing for the weather is no joke. Some travellers will insist on wearing merely a light jacket and jeans in winter, only to discover with shaky, frostbitten hands that they severely underestimated how cold it would be. But there are times that call for heavier packing, when bringing everything you need is better than being unprepared. You have to get used to dressing appropriately for the seasons, or you might end up never leaving your room.
4. Disrespecting sacred landmarks
For reasons that continue to baffle everybody, some people think it’s a good idea to pose at concentration camps and war memorials. It makes you want to tap them on the shoulder and say, “Hey, maybe a site that commemorates a tragic period in history isn’t the best place for a jump shot?” Unfortunately, many tourists don’t realise that staging their personal photoshoots on these landmarks can be insensitive to the memories they represent. Since these sites were built for solemn contemplation, everyone should show them the proper respect. This goes for certain tourist spots with religious significance, as well!
Also read: Travel Selfies — When Are They Not Okay?
5. Leeching off your travel buddies
There’s following another person’s lead, and then there’s leeching off their kindness and generosity to the point where it affects your friendship. This is one of those bad travel habits that you — and everyone else — will be better off without. Expecting other people to handle everything, as if they were your servants and not your travel companions, will probably just convince your friends to exclude you from their group trip next year. Even if you feel like you aren’t the best at trip planning, you can still contribute to the trip in your own way. Step up, be a strong and independent traveller, and stop relying on others for small things. And please bring your own shampoo and toothpaste!
6. Overplanning
Don’t be the person who raises hell just because you skipped one stop on your itinerary or missed the bus by five minutes. Loosen the reins a bit. Know that the most perfect, streamlined plan still can fall through anyway. You have to leave a few things up to chance; allow a destination to surprise you. We understand that you don’t want to miss out on anything. But pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion to hit all the items on your to-do list usually isn’t worth it in the end. You come away from a trip feeling as if you saw everything, yet experienced so little at the same time.
Instead of treating your travels like work, why not take things slowly and see where it leads you? You might even find it more rewarding!
Also read: 8 Precious Life Lessons You’ll Learn from Travelling Often
Needless to say, the best travel habits you should keep are the ones that show sensitivity to those around you. Generally, though? If you pull your own weight and conduct yourself in a way that does not intrude on the lives of others, you’re already off to a great start!
