You know the guy who's always holding up the plane by trying to cram
five bags, a jacket, and a pillow into the overhead compartment? Don't
be that guy. Read on to discover 10 warning signs that you may be a
terrible traveler.
You have an expired passport and you don't even know it
Some
countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months
after the completion of your trip just in order to enter. You may think
you're in the clear if your passport expires in 2014, but if you've got a
trip planned for November 2013, you'd better get it renewed before
then. Always research entry requirements, including visas and vaccines,
and be sure your passport is up-to-date. (If you find out the night
before that your passport is expired, read this simple solution to a last-minute passport snafu to learn what you can do to save your trip.)
Your bags are overweight (and you're surprised)
If
you're at the counter frantically repacking your checked bags to get
under your airline's weight limit, you might be a terrible traveler.
Invest in a luggage scale (or a bag with a built-in weighing system,
like the Delsey Helium Ultimate 25-Inch Expandable Spinner Trolley suitcase)
and never be socked with an overweight fee again. Always double-check
your airline's weight allowances and make sure the limits apply to
connections, especially if you're going from an international to a
domestic flight.
You haven't done your research
Will things be open this
time of year? What currency does your destination use? What language is
spoken there? If you don't know (and you don't care), you might not be
the greatest traveler. There's a difference between being spontaneous
and adventurous and being foolishly unprepared—the former leads to
exciting stories and fun possibilities, and the latter leaves you in
tears and stranded without a hotel during a major festival.
You're cutting it too close
Years ago, maybe you could
have rolled into the airport a half hour before takeoff, but not these
days. Always leave a little bit earlier than you think you need to for
the airport, train station, or bus stop—you never know if security or
check-in lines will be long, or if you'll need extra time due to getting
lost, roadwork, etc. Better to kill a few extra minutes at the gate
than to miss your transportation.
You don't know the carry-on rules
The TSA may overlook other contraband on a fairly regular basis, but they'll always find that 4-oz. bottle of shampoo you've stashed in your carry-on. Moral of the story: Know your 3-1-1 rules. Triggering a search of your carry-on bag really clogs up the line behind you.
You spend all your time on the computer
"Joe Schmo has checked in at a deserted beach (with Wi-Fi!)."
"Joe Schmo is living the dream in paradise." "Joe Schmo has
Instagrammed 500 new pictures." When you see hundreds of real-time
social-media updates from the same person on your feeds, don't you
wonder if he's really making the most out of his trip? Don't view your
vacation from behind a screen. Uploading pictures and editing your
Facebook status can wait until you get back, so put down the smartphone
and step away from the computer!
You don't check in online
Did your flight time change?
If you didn't check in online, you might not know. Waiting to check in
at the airport also makes you more likely to be bumped if the flight's
full—or even worse, stuck in the dreaded middle seat of the last row. If
you want to snag the best seats and get updates on your trip, check in
online as soon as you're allowed to. You don't need to be near a
printer, either. Many airlines let you check in and display your
boarding pass on your smartphone, and most airports offer kiosks
(usually with much shorter lines) so you can print your pass when you
arrive at the airport.
You didn't make a packing list
Don't be the traveler begging the front desk to borrow a power converter or the guy who doesn't know how to reach an English-speaking doctor to prescribe the medicine he forgot. Consult this ultimate packing list,
use an app, or simply make your own checklist. You'll be able to pack
everything you need (and nothing more) for your trip, even at a moment's
notice.
You brought too many carry-ons
If you're trying to
circumvent the rules by bringing on an oversized suitcase plus multiple
personal items, please stop. When you're blocking the aisle, trying to
shove your laptop under the seat or filling your entire row's overhead
compartment with your giant puffy jacket, full-sized pillow, and yoga
mat, just know that everyone else on the plane hates you, terrible
traveler.
You yell at people
The ultimate sign that
you're a terrible traveler is yelling at or otherwise being rude to
travel staff or fellow tourists. Don't take out your anger about a
canceled flight on a helpless gate agent who is just trying to do his or
her job. Likewise, it's not your fellow passenger's fault that you're
stuck in a middle seat, so stop passive-aggressively sighing and trying
to invade her personal space. By all means, stand up for yourself—but be
polite. And if you're not getting any results, try a different approach
or contact a different provider to help. Just don't stand at the
hotel's front desk screaming at someone and holding up the line behind
you.
