Credit: chiaralily
Most people who find the opportunity to go on vacation normally return home with an abundance of beautiful pictures and amazing memories. However, some also bring back something a little less novel: regrets about their trip.
Many would assume that taking a trip to some exotic location is a breeze; after all, you’re on vacation. Isn’t the definition of vacation an extended period of recreation?
However, some statistics show that 66 per cent of couples fight when they go on a trip together, and these aren’t the only issues people come across once they’ve packed their bags.
What are some of these regrets and what is the best way to avoid them?
I asked a few individuals about their holiday trips to see if they could provide any more insight into what not to do when you go on vacation.
The most frequent response to this question was to plan more. After a long flight, the last thing anyone wants is to walk into a flea-bitten motel. Planning ahead is a must to avoid this kind of situation.
“I’d probably have to say research more into the hotel I chose, find more reviews that kind of thing,” said Lindsay Jensen, who spent her vacation in Cuba. “I felt disappointed in Cuba because our hotel wasn’t very nice and the food sucked.”
Another unanimous response was to do more while on vacation.
“I probably would have done more during the vacation, like be more spontaneous and not care so much about what other people think,” said Ellicia Macphee about her family cruise to Mexico.
Terra Claybrook, who went to France with her boyfriend, said she wished she had gotten “less drunk…so I could wake up earlier and enjoy the day without being hangover.” And Matija Bogdanovic said his biggest regret was “not going out a couple times and meeting up with people instead of chilling at home.”
Photo credit: daughter-of-wolves
Vacation is about getting that relaxation time you don’t have at home, but when you are in an exotic country you should always put time aside for activities. Who wants to come back from a vacation to France with nothing but memories of the full season of “Breaking Bad?”
There are those lucky individuals who came home from their vacation with no regrets. When Eric Claybrook was asked if he would change anything regarding his vacation he responded with “Not go home!” Tanya Marsman who travelled around Europe this summer for over two months said something similar: “I wouldn’t change anything because it’s all a learning experience.”
A lot of travelling has to do with common sense. Being safe and preparing yourself for worst-case scenarios is a must before you even think about booking a flight. Blake Gervais had the unpleasant experience of getting a mild concussion, strep throat and a fever while on vacation in France. If he had not planned ahead and bought insurance, he could have been in very deep trouble.
Photo credit: daughter-of-wolves
Another example of a close call was when Matija Bogdanovic was running late for a flight.
“I had stayed up the night before and didn’t get to the airport until 20 minutes before my flight. Tthey bumped me to the front of the line.” Had Bogdanovic missed his flight, he would have had to pay for another ticket – “the airline is in not obliged to put you on the next flight…without charging you a fee. Tickets are expensive as it is and buying a second one is not something you want to have to deal with, especially not with a deadline to make. That could potentially ruin your whole trip.
atija Bogdanovic on vacation in Austria (photo credit: ancientclay)
The main thing to do when travelling, it seems, is to find the happy medium between planning ahead but not over-planning. That will help you avoid stressful situations, such as getting sick without insurance, missing a flight or getting lost, and yet leave room for unpredictable situations. Travelling the world is an amazing experience not matter what happens, but thinking ahead and being smart about your trip will make your experience that much better.
