9 Annoying Aspects of Traveling — And What To Do About Them

Everyone knows that traveling can be amazing. Taking an epic adventure to a far-flung corner of the globe can provide unparalleled opportunities to grow as a person, make new friends, and simply have fun. There’s a reason why so many people love traveling and wish they could do more of it.

But of course, while traveling is mostly fantastic, it’s not completely fantastic, not all of the time, anyway. There are plenty of annoying elements that can, at best, interrupt the enjoyment of the trip and, at worst, make you regret that you ever went in the first place. 

In this post, we’re going to run through some of the most frustrating elements, as well as offer handy advice for overcoming them. 

Early Starts

You can see why people choose to book an early flight. They’re usually cheaper, and it also means that you don’t have to wait around all day before making your way to the airport. However, there’s a difference between early and outrageously early. If you have a departure time that requires you to leave the house at 3:30 am, there’s every chance that you’re beginning your trip in a pretty awful mood. 

The solution? Don’t automatically book the earliest/cheapest flight you can find. Taking a slightly later flight might require you to spend slightly more cash, but you’ll be happy with the decision you took when you get to wake up at an acceptable time. 

Delays

We make our travel plans on the basis that everything will run as planned. Alas, the world doesn’t work that way. If you travel enough, then eventually you’ll be hit by a delay. Ideally, this delay will only be 30 – 60 minutes, and won’t impact your trip too much. But in some cases, you might have to contend with a multi-hour delay that has you sitting in the airport for much longer than you’d like to. 

You can’t magically make your plane take off on time, but you can ensure that you can stay entertained while waiting for your flight. Rather than getting angry that your flight has been delayed, look at playing a game such as solitaire, chess, or poker online. Those classic games are great to play since they require plenty of focus and attention, which means that once you begin playing, you’ll likely find that your waiting time flies by. 

Long Flights

Air travel has progressed significantly in the past fifty years, but that doesn’t mean that every journey is lightning-fast. If you’re going far enough, then you could be in the air for many more hours than you’d like to be. 

Even the best fliers get tired of being in the air after a while. Handling long flights correctly involves taking a few pre-flight steps to maximize your comfort while flying. For example, you’ll be much happier if you’re wearing comfortable clothing, so travel in clothes that are designed with comfort in mind, not style. You can always change when you touch down at your destination if you want to make a good first impression!

Language Difficulties

We tend to assume that they can speak/understand English in tourist destinations. But when you get out there, you’ll find that it’s less common than you think, especially in the neighborhoods that are not considered ‘touristy.’ And that can make virtually every aspect of life more difficult. It’s not fun trying to explain yourself when you only have your hands to communicate with! 

So what’s the solution to this issue? It’s not realistic that you’ll learn the language of every country that you visit. Still, if you can learn a few key phrases, you’ll find that your life runs much more smoothly. It’s also advisable to have a translator app installed on your smartphone — it can be a real lifesaver when you’re struggling to communicate. 

Unexpected Costs

Traveling, as we all know, can be expensive. But most of the time, you’ll have a good sense of how much the trip will cost you including travel, accommodation, and spending money. 

But that’s not always possible. There can be times when expenses pop up out of nowhere, or when we underestimate how much it costs to travel through a destination. You can broadly research how much food/drinks/everything will cost before you travel, but you’ll only know for sure once you’re on the ground. 

The best approach is to allocate more money for your trip than you think you’ll need. That’ll ensure that you can accommodate additional, unexpected costs without worrying about doing too much damage to your bank account — or interrupting your enjoyment of your adventure. 

Currency Exchange Issues

Currency exchange woes fall under the umbrella of the financial issues we mentioned above, but given their complexity, we figure they deserve their own section. If you’re not careful, you could discover that you spend a lot more when you’re traveling for no reason at all. Be sure to ask your bank before you travel how much they charge for foreign withdrawals. You’ll also need to look up which ATMs are free to use. 

If your bank doesn’t give favorable exchange rates, then look at getting a travel credit card. That’ll ensure you get as much bang for your buck, and you’ll also have peace of mind in knowing that it has been specifically designed for international use, so you’ll always be able to access money.

Falling for Scams

It’s unlikely that you’ll be the victim of a scam when traveling, but there’s a chance — and if you are, it’ll very much suck some of the fun out of your trip. 

The best way to avoid falling for a scam is to read up on the common scams that take place in the destination you’re visiting. Simply spending ten minutes reading about scams can be enough to keep you safe. Beyond that, it’s all about using your common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. 

Losing Your Smartphone

The smartphone has revolutionized how we travel, making it much easier than ever before. Alas, you’ll only get the benefits of traveling with your device if you have it with you. It’s easy to lose your smartphone when you’re traveling since you’re always on the move and have more opportunities to accidentally leave it somewhere (or get it stolen).

One recommended action is to take a spare, cheaper smartphone with you. When you’re out and about, take that one with you and leave your normal smartphone in your hotel room. That way, if you do lose your device then it’s not the end of the world — so long as you can make it back to your hotel, you’ll be just fine. 

Dealing With Sickness

It sucks to be sick at any time, but it’s especially sucky when you’re traveling. After all, this was supposed to be a fun adventure, and it can’t be that if you have to stay in bed. First of all, it’s important to have travel insurance that covers trips to the hospital. That’ll ensure you can get the help you need should you fall ill. Second, remember that your health comes first. You probably won’t want to spend your days in bed, but it’s better to rest for a couple of days and get better, rather than trying to power through with your original plan and ending up even sicker — and getting other people sick, too. You can always visit the destination again in the future if you run out of time.