6 of the Most Common Things People Regret About Their Vacation
Avoid Coming Home with Travel Regret
From short weekend trips to extended periods of travel, chances are you’ve hit a few bumps along the way. No trip is perfect down to the last detail.
More often than not, you’ve bumped heads with a travel companion, experienced delays at airports and train stations, or your hotel was nothing like the photos. Although a lot of these things are out of your control, they still may have left you feeling a bit disappointed.
However, there is another kind of disappointment that comes from traveling: regret. You may come back from a trip feeling like you missed out on so much. If only you had gone there, eaten that, etcetera, etcetera. Most of us only have a limited number of days to travel and so making the most of it can become so important it overshadows everything else.
Everyone has their own set of experiences, but these seem to be common travel regrets no matter where the destination.
Not Being in the Moment
When traveling, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutia of planning and getting from one place to another. A big regret echoed by a lot of travelers is not being in the moment, which makes it harder to recall things after a trip.
While taking lots of photos does help one remember, too much time behind the lens doesn’t actually enable you to experience a place. The sounds and smells get overlooked when you’re not paying attention and you don’t allow yourself to really enjoy the here and now.
Packing Too Much
Packing too much seems like a minor annoyance, but can make all the difference when you’re on the road for a while. Heavy backpacks or suitcases can definitely slow you down, unless of course you’re staying in one place for the duration of your trip.
Usually, knowing what to pack comes from experience, but occasionally you might pack more than you need when traveling for longer than usual or to a far-flung destination. It’s always a good idea to find ways to pack lighter.
Remember, you can wash clothes along the way and purchase most of what you need when you get to where you’re going.
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Not Enough Down Time
There’s always lots to see and do when traveling, but never enough time to do it. Many people regret they didn’t allow for enough down time during a trip, which can cause major burn out.
It’s important to prioritize and plan, but if your itinerary is mapped out down to the minute, you’re not going to truly enjoy yourself. Overplanning is exhausting and may leak into your plans for the next day as well.
It’s harder to unwind when you’re overstimulated or worrying, which may cut into your sleep and overall energy during your trip.
Not Buying That Souvenir
Not buying souvenirs is a common regret among the travel blogging community. Many long-term travelers often stop themselves from purchasing something due to a tight budget or lack of space in their luggage.
Although you may stop yourself from purchasing something in the moment, there may not be another chance to buy it. If it’s something unique or handmade, it’s often better to just buy it rather than regret it for the rest of your life.
Besides, travel souvenirs often have a story to tell and are another way to help you remember a location fondly.
Too Short a Trip
One of the most common regrets when traveling is the inability to stay long enough at a location. You may have obligations at home that prevent you from staying longer than you’d like.
Not enough time is also a common complaint because sometimes plans are set in stone due to pre-paid tours, reservations, or rendezvous with family. Perhaps you’ve allocated a few days at one location, only to find it’s not your thing.
If only you could have moved on earlier to the next location, which you ended up enjoying a lot more. However, it’s not always possible to account for these sort of things, even after researching a destination.
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Lack of Spontaneity
While it may not be something you think of ahead of time, not leaving opportunity for spontaneity can be a huge regret when traveling. This goes along with packing too much in and not being in the moment as well.
You may be going to a specific destination and know that you want to go to a handful of tourist spots, however planning every detail down to where you’re going to eat for every meal might be overkill. Some of the best moments during a vacation or long-term excursion are the unplanned ones, or opportunities that arise to travel off the beaten path.
With room for spontaneity, you’ll likely encounter once in a lifetime opportunities you would have never dreamed of.
