because i ignored the warning labels…
though i would consider myself a professional traveller – yes, there’s such a thing – i still make mistakes from time to time. i’m only human; i’m not perfect. i’m adorable, but not perfect! 🙂 you see, life is all about learning. you either never learn from your mistakes or you do learn from them. the final answer is up to you: what do you do with those mistakes?
here are the 10 mistakes i’ve made while travelling:
- ignoring the label on my skin care products. during my recent trip to mediterranean europe, i acquired an awful sunburn on my nose. it was so bad that my nose is still recovering as we speak. yeah, it wasn’t sexy. not even one bit. turns out, the product i have been using and one that i also swear by, the ordinary glycolic acid 7% toning solution, has a clear and straightforward warning label to limit sun exposure. the acid may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and increase the possibility of sunburn. every skin reacts differently to products, i know, but i clearly ignored that red flag. i, without a doubt, learned a lesson the hard way, which leads me to point number 2.
- not applying sunscreen. oh sunburns. they’re painful. they’re ugly… as i mentioned above, i completely ignored the warning signs of my skin care product. another warning that i “graciously” ignored? applying sunscreen. thanks to my asian genes, my sunburns don’t look as bad as my caucasian friends’ but that doesn’t mean that my sunburns aren’t as painful. i get extremely tanned that my foundation sometimes doesn’t match (lol)! but please, my friends, do me a favour and put sunscreen on!
- not checking entry requirements. on the topic of my recent trip, we all know that the vatican is an independent state even though it is in italy. yours truly decided to ignore the fact and their requirements to enter the vatican museums. that was mistake number one. i thought i could get away with a regular mask; mistake number two. after lining up for what seemed like forever in the sun, i was turned away at the door because i had a different mask. i had to get an ffp2 mask! i ended up being late to my tour all because i was too ignorant to check, double check. and triple check their requirements. it was quite a bummer.
Here are some resources you can use to find all travel restrictions and vaccine requirements by country:
– iata travel centre
– government of canada travel and tourism
– sherpa travel restrictions map - to tip or not to tip. that is the question. you do not want to be caught in that moment as you’re about to pay, and you certainly do not want to be rude and insulting if you do (not) tip, right? i, again, had to learn the lesson the hard way. i quickly had to google spain’s tipping etiquette as i was about to pay – ugh! i used to be a server/bartender so i know what it’s like to live off of my tips. in canada, tipping is generally expected; however, in some countries like spain, tipping is not expected. please do yourself a favour and google it beforehand!
- unprepared wardrobe for the weather. you’re gonna be living in your suitcase for the next however long so make sure you do your research on the weather before you leave your home country. i can’t even count how many times i’ve uttered under my breath, “why am i wearing this?! i should’ve worn _____.” if there is one predictable thing i’ve learned from living in canada is how unpredictable the weather can be. a winter day could end up being really warm and a summer day could be chilly. though it is always best to be prepared for whatever mother nature throws at us, we must still be mindful of overpacking.
- not bringing pepto bismol. once upon a time, red thought it would be a great idea to eat twelve oysters… she was wrong; it wasn’t a great idea. i spent my first night in vancouver hugging the toilet. your girl got sick. i had to make an emergency stop at a pharmacy to buy some pepto bismol. it definitely ruined my night because it was my first time in vancouver, i had planned a lot of restaurants to hit, and i love seafood. getting sick while travelling isn’t ideal at all so i highly recommend packing one. while you’re at it, make sure you pop a tablet in or take a shot before you indulge in awesome dishes.
- overpacking. leave the expensive stuff at home because i guarantee you, no one will care. big and heavy suitcases aren’t europe-friendly. cobblestone streets are beautiful; i love them! but lugging a heavy bag around? not fun!!! do not overpack! try to limit how much clothes, shoes, and such to bring with you. trust me, you do not need six pairs of shoes. when i’m travelling, i always like to pack clothes that can be mismatched and still look coordinated. and plus, the less stuff you bring with you, the more shopping you can do!
- underutilizing airbnb experiences. i have never thought of hiring a professional photographer on my solo travels before until i encountered it! and boy, did it change my world! i discovered this recently. i had my photos taken professionally because i want to be in pictures too especially when i’m flying solo. of course, each experience is different – session length, rates, destinations, number of photos, delivery, etc. i highly suggest looking into it first and make sure you do your research.
here are the two photographers i booked through airbnb during my recent trip to italy:
– portraits in vernazza cinque terre by david
– private photographer in rome by orxan - buying souvenirs for every person i know. they might not appreciate it as much as you would like them to. the gifts could even end up in the bin or into a box to goodwill. a good rule of thumb is to make a list of people you’d want to buy souvenirs for. this should help you stay within your budget and save yourself from disappointment. think of it like chistmas shopping but for souvenirs!
- not bringing my inhalers/medications. i love hiking – small and big. asthmatics will know exactly what i’m talking about. you see, i was blessed with lungs that suck. i sometimes see my life flashing before my eyes whenever i go on a hike because i forget to bring my inhalers. it gets really hard to breathe; i cough up a storm. my hikes become more challenging when i feel like i’m gonna die… lol
for now, i’m ending this here. i know i’m bound to make more mistakes as i travel more and i will continue learning from them. life is all about learning!
with grace and grit,
red
♪ now playing: knowing me, knowing you – abba
whispers in red 