When you dedicate to a life of travel, you must accept that it will not always be easy. Some trips go perfectly without a hitch, but many do not. Some things can be planned for, while others must be dealt with on the spot.
Preparation is the best solution to the majority of travel problems. Sometimes you’ll have to be creative and resourceful in your solutions, but that’s part of the fun of traveling. While the instances and special situations may vary, there are some common issues that all travelers face at some moment.
Suitcase not delivered
This is one of those vexing surprise travel issues. You check your bags, get your boarding pass, and then your bags don’t arrive with you.
This happened to me, and it was heartbreaking! Fortunately, it happened on the way back, so I could just go home and wait for the bags. They finally did it three days later. It’s a different story if it happens on the outbound flight.
Missed flight
It all depends on who was at fault, you or the airline.
If it’s your fault, there’s not much you can do. 99% of the time, this is a simple solution to a travel problem. Arrive on time every time. If you believe you might be unable to attend, check the rescheduling policies for your ticket. If you miss the flight and it was entirely your fault, it’s time to beg.
Airlines are under no responsibility to help you if it was your fault.
Poisoning from food
Food poisoning is a common travel issue that can occur at any time. Nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea are all possible symptoms. If it’s bad, it can strike you within hours of eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Anti-diarrhea tablets can literally save your life.
I always bring toilet paper with me when I travel. It’s almost as important to me as my passport. That may appear dramatic, but I’ve been in some sticky situations in the past. You’ll understand if you get food poisoning.
Being mugged
The first thing you should do is contact the police. To file an insurance claim, you’ll need a Crime Reference Number. If you travel with Worldpackers, your host will be familiar with the nearest police station and will be able to assist you with any translation issues. The first thing you should do is contact the police. To file an insurance claim, you’ll need a Crime Reference Number. If you travel with Worldpackers, your host will be familiar with the nearest police station and will be able to assist you with any translation issues.
Getting misplaced
Some people have excellent spatial awareness, while others do not, but almost everyone has become disoriented at some point in their lives. It can be a terrifying sensation, your heart racing as panic sets in. You can get lost anywhere: a supermarket, an airport, a city center, or in the middle of nowhere.
This is one of the easier travel problems to avoid with modern technology. Previously, each country required its own map. Almost everyone nowadays owns a smartphone. Before you leave, install Google Maps and then the offline maps for the cities you’ll be visiting. The offline maps are typically between 20 and 50mb in size.
