7 Biggest Travel Mistakes Made By Tourists

Traveling can have lots of pit falls, here we go through seven common mistakes that travelers make when they are traveling. Whether it is packing too much, not doing their research or trying to cram too many cities into their trip, here are the most common blunders and mistakes tourists make on vacation.
Traveling Europe. Travel advice. Tips & More.
Filmed in Vienna, Austria
Copyright Mark Wolters 2014

[tosht]

Another major blunder is not memorizing a dozen basic words and phrases because you assume everyone speaks a bit of English. Even though this is generally true, greeting a shop owner, bartender, waiter, etc. in their language before asking if they speak English is almost always appreciated. "Hello, good morning, thank you, please, excuse me, how much?, how do you say?, yes, no, check please, delicious, cheers, beautiful, have a nice day, goodbye"...a little goes a long way.

Great video as usual Mark.

[cogman]

Another travel advisor said, “no one has ever said next time I’ll pack more.”

[davidstorton]

It's funny you mentioned Ryan Air, in Malaga airport I saw a Ryan Air poster that advertised cheap flights from Malaga to London Prestwick airport, Prestwick airport is just outside Glasgow in Scotland (300 miles from London), it later turned out that Ryan Air got a HUGE fine from the Spanish government, imagine if you got in a taxi outside Prestwick and said Oxford Street please

[ftoom]

This my first time traveling to Europe you can't ever imagine how your channel helped me !

[suzannesadiiqa]

I quite agree about booking as near the centre as off to Florence next Spring and am booking an apartment right in the centre. Saves on transport, you can make your own meals, have a bathroom break and put your feet up mid day. All very important for an old lady.

[acajudi]

You rock! Thank you. Never try to see too much! Read everything you can about where you are visiting.

[juliepurpleskater]

I learned the overpacking thing the hard way the first time I went to Oslo. The bus from the airport dropped me off at the city center, and I knew my hotel was only a couple blocks away, but got a little disoriented, and because I was determined to find it myself and not ask directions (also dumb), I dragged those heavy bags all over downtown Oslo for about an hour before I found my hotel. In addition, they were having an unusual heat wave and it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and I was wearing cold-weather clothes. :( By the next time I went a few years later, I wore easy-to-add-or-remove layers, and carried only ONE lightweight backpack with only essentials in it. SO much easier!

[quiddityocean]

Your first item made me laugh so much. We do cram too much to see every single time we travel. But the best part is this : we are the kind of people to spend five days in just /one/ city. There is so much to see in every city, it's just crazy to try and visit one "country" each day.

[labtechsuperstar]

I just stumbled on this video and there are great tips here. I was an overpacker. After getting charged for overweight luggage, I was reformed. I take less clothes and will wash in the sink. I also made the blunder of not staying closer to the centre of the city - that was in London. I swore never again. I'm going to Europe this September and made sure to book hotels closer to the city centre/main railway. I also agree with the poster who said that one should take the time to learn a few words and survival phrases in the language of the country you're going to visit. I can also personally attest to how well you are treated when you can say Hello/Excuse me/Please/etc.

[Teverell]

Hey - as a Brit who used to fly fairly frequently between Edinburgh and Stansted (EasyJet - it's cool!) it's WELL worth checking out coach services like National Express - they can often be cheaper than the train, you're guaranteed a seat and they link outlying airports like Stansted with London. (They're also really great for travelling cross-country if you don't want to hire a car and deal with driving on the left, British roundabouts and other things you might not be so familiar with.)

[ZemplinTemplar]

Excellent video, can't say I disagree with the points you make. Given my own travel experiences throughout my life, I can confirm that all of these points require at least some degree of attention. I particularly agree with the "Don't pack unnecessary stuff" rule. A good trick to overcome the temptation to bring useless equipment with you is taking a smaller backpack (or other smaller piece of luggage).

[JessieBanana]

I always stay outside of the center. Not super far, but usually suburbs where the residents live. I make sure my hotel or airbnb is next to the metro. I find if your next to the metro it really doesn't matter, especially in cities like Paris. I stayed in the Boulogne-Billancourt area and was well connected to Versailles by a short bus ride. It actually feels overwhelming in the center. It's easier to find places with kitchens to cook and save money, you can pack a lunch. Local restaurants are also usually cheaper.

You are right that you are less likely to come home, unless it's to spruce up for an evening show, but that is fine for me. Maybe when I have kids or am 60+ I'll need that. As of now I'm fine with an 8 hour day.

I started travel that way, because I traveled in college and stayed with my friends who were foreign exchange students when they returned home, so maybe I'm just used to it. I feel less like a tourist and I think it encourages you to interact with the residents more and see places other than the sights.

[nico-nico-no]

When i went for a vacation in Egypt i was the only one who had not packed too much

[myhomevideos]

Your videos are so informative please keep them coming. You also have a beautiful family.

[lalilulelo]

I agree 100% with #1! I don't understand why some people travel just for the sake of seeing the country.

[luketreherne]

I’ve honestly never made any of these mistakes, thanks for stroking my ego :)

[stevesgirl]

Also Chicago is known, nicknamed "the Windy City" and your plane could be delayed and make you late for another connection.

[gazriley]

Heathrow is not in the centre but does have the Tube train link - Fastest way into London

[life.annuityira.]

This video saved me so much money mark! Thanks, my family made these blunders but after watching this video my family agrees! Thanks again :)

[runarandersen]

Nice to see that I am doing things right when travelling :)