We All Make Mistakes (Especially in Traveling)

By Becca Smith 

On my eight month journey to Spain and Southeast Asia, I spent time in six different countries, and went through customs 12 different times- so there were sure to be some bumps along the way. I feel like it is not a successful trip unless something a little cooky happens- like the time in Madrid when I dropped my full suitcase down an escalator, nearly taking out an entire family. Anyway - I made some mistakes when it came to getting through customs and continuing my journey in the smoothest way possible.

 

For instance, I switched airlines in Milan on my way to Madrid and I guess I did not get the memo that I was supposed to pick up my suitcase and recheck it in with my new airline. So of course, when I landed in Madrid - my suitcase was not there to greet me. Definitely talk with stewardesses if you have a short layover, especially if you have to go through customs. I thought that I knew what I was doing - and I was wrong. So a week later - I received my luggage. Always make sure that you pack a change of clothes, toothbrush, comb, soap or anything that you might need in the case of lost luggage.

I would always look up any information that I would need to cross a border before I left on my trip- like the exact requirements for obtaining a visa (documents, money, length of stay that was allowed.) And then I would always double check the requirements for getting back into the country to which I would be returning.  I found that embassy’s websites are usually the best sources. However, I once made a huge mistake.

It is important to pay attention to if visas can be issued upon arrival or if you need to apply for it beforehand.

There was one morning I woke up at 5 in the morning in Bangkok, gathered all my luggage, hailed a taxi, and took the long drive to the airport only to be told that I was not allowed on my flight to the city of Hanoi in Vietnam. I had applied for my visa too late and the paperwork had not gone through (I forgot to take into account that the weekends were not business days- rookie mistake.) So $200 to change my flight and two days later - I made my way to Vietnam with the proper paperwork in hand.
I made another silly mistake of overstaying my visa by just a couple of days. Well... it was a continuation of my first mistake of not buying a multiple entry visa. If you are going to one country for a long period of time, I would definitely buy a multiple entry visa because you are going to want to travel to other countries in the region. 

Anyway...  I’ll never forget handing my passport to the customs officer as I departed Thailand - feeling like my heart was going to pound out of my chest. Of course I knew that they were not going to throw me in jail for staying two days longer than I was supposed to, and all that I could expect was a fine. But still, it was scary. There’s a certain amount of corruption that occurs in Thailand so I use that to justify my fear. Luckily, for whatever reason, I did not even get fined (but I paid with years off of my life, let me tell you.)

So I guess my general advice to you is to

•Careful when carrying a heavy suitcase on an escalator

•Make sure you know what to do and where to go when your layover is only an hour

•Pack some essentials in your carryon

•Check with embassies about visa requirements and be prepared

•Make sure you purchase the proper visa for you & know its limitations

 Of course, you can always use a travel agency to help with some advice, advance planning, and to be there as a back up when things do go wrong.... EZTravelPad is here to help in advance planning and consultations - all without any fees!