When travelling we always focus on knowing about the things we can do in order to enjoy our trips without any setbacks. So it is not strange to find articles that give us advice from how to pack light, how to take the best photos, to what places to see and what to do. But, although it is just as important, many times we forget to inquire about the things we should never do when travelling.
However, in this aspect there are also some hidden rules that every traveller must know and take into account. Since they can help you make the right decisions when travelling and also avoid you going through uncomfortable moments and some problems. So, to help you become a smart traveller, here is a list of things you should never do when travelling, although some seem obvious, they may not be so.
Things you should never do when travelling.
1. Do not change money at airports.
Although it seems a known fact, many travellers still do. We all know that it can be a quick, comfortable and easy option, but most of the time the exchange rate they offer can be abusive. It is fine to seek comfort, but whether you are a budget traveller or not, your goal should always be to cut down on unnecessary expenses.
Therefore, the best way to avoid losing some money when travelling is by exchanging money before leaving your country. Although you can also wait until you reach the nearest city centre or destination city to get better rates. It is only advisable to change at the airports just enough to pay for transport if it does not accept a card or you do not want to use it.
2. Do not eat in restaurants near famous tourist places.
Eating at restaurants near famous places is one of the things not to do when travelling if you want to protect your pocketbook. Since, generally the restaurants located in or near tourist places are abnormally expensive and many travellers learn this the hard way. What happens is we get carried away by the stomach and all we want is to eat no matter what we eat or where.
So the lesson here is to never eat at these restaurants unless you cannot contain it. Opt instead to go to the nearest town where the food will be cheaper and probably even tastier.
3. Do not litter.
Although it goes without saying, we are going to say it. There is no excuse to dump your trash on the ground or into the sea, even if you see a local or other tourists doing it. Well, in addition to being disrespectful, it is harmful to the environment. Especially if you visit developing countries, as they may not have reliable garbage or recycling centres. So we must look for ways to take care of the environment while we travel and minimize the amount of waste we produce when travelling as a good way to contribute.
Among other good examples, you can travel with a refillable water bottle instead of buying disposable plastic water bottles or use a cloth bag instead of accepting plastic bags at markets and stores. Likewise, you must try to comply with the laws of camping, national parks and hiking trails for proper disposal of all garbage.
4. Do not use sign languages as they may be considered inappropriate in that country.
Sometimes something as small as using sign language can be inappropriate and give you a bad experience in some particular countries. Although it seems somewhat innocent, the sign language that you use in your country could have a totally different meaning in the destination country and even become offensive.
Therefore, before travelling to another country, it is advisable to inquire a little about the sign languages that are considered offensive in that country. Although it is best to avoid the use of sign languages at all costs.
5. Do not dress inappropriately.
Not just because we are tourists, we can dress as if we were at home, since the dress code differs greatly from one country to another. Therefore, what is considered appropriate for one country may not be appropriate for another, and we may end up dressing inappropriately and creating unwanted attention.
So it is best to do a little research to know what type of clothing is appropriate in that particular country according to the culture and the destination climate. For example, if you are a woman and you want to visit particular religious places or destinations, you should be prepared to cover yourself. Since many of these sites will not allow any visitor to enter if they are showing too much skin.
6. Do not drink tap water.
Although you may be used to filling your glass of water from the tap at home, you should not assume that tap water is drinkable anywhere in the world. So if you want to avoid the risk of getting sick when travelling, find out if the water is safe to drink. In case it is not, you should also be careful with ice in drinks as it is generally made from tap water and you will be exposing yourself to the same dangers of drinking water.
7. Do not overlook travel insurance.
Even if you expect not to use it, this is definitely one of the things you should never do when travelling. Since, it is not only something reckless but it can also cause us ruin. Especially if we are adventurous travellers and we like to try activities like hiking, mountain biking, water sports or even extreme things like bungee jumping or skydiving.
The point is, in some countries health care is unaffordable without private insurance. For example, in the United States an emergency consultation for a discomfort can cost more than $ 300, a transfer by ambulance $ 800 and an operation for appendicitis can cost $ 20,000. So after reading this, you may want to seriously consider purchasing travel insurance.
As you may have realized, these are definitely not all the things you should never do when travelling. So in the second part of this article we will address other ones that you should definitely take into account.
ALFA