Anyone who knows me knows I can be a bit of a walking disaster.  As much as I’d like to think of myself as a seasoned world traveler, oftentimes my travel mishaps have me looking like anything but.

They have certainly made my adventures more interesting (even amusing), but they have also been costly, time consuming, and painful.  To save you from making the same mistakes, here are some of my worst travel mishaps, and how to avoid them.

Travel Mishap #1 – A Weak Stomach in Cuba

I knew better.  But when you’re faced with a chocolate fountain situation, you’re going to look for any and all items to dip (because… obviously).

I was aware that eating fruit in countries where the water isn’t safe to drink is a “no no.”  But I couldn’t resist smothering delicious strawberries at the dessert buffet with gobs of chocolate.  Lulled into a false sense of security after spending a week in Cuba without incident, I made a pig of myself and then happily went to bed.

Fast forward to 11 p.m.  In a wild panic, I catapulted myself out of bed and into the bathroom.  Over.  And Over.  And over again, every ten minutes for the next nine hours.  It was a miserable night, and it cost me the last excursion on my tour (because spending the day on a hot bus with bumpy roads was not happening).

THE LESSON: If you are in a country where it isn’t safe to drink the water, only eat fruit that you peel (such as oranges and bananas).  Avoid ice in your drinks (unless it comes from filtered water), and brush your teeth with bottled water.  Finally, use a prebiotic pastille, like Bimuno Travelaid, before and during your trip to strengthen your good gut bacteria to avoid traveler’s tummy.

Travel Mishap #2 – Sunburn & Fire Coral in Puerto Rico

Anyone traveling to a beach wants to return with that sun-kissed glow.  And because I was in my early 20’s (and clearly invincible), I thought “why not forgo the sunscreen and get really tan?”

So after snorkeling for hours, my back had slowly cooked until I looked like a lobster.  That had to be the most painful part of the trip, right?  Wrong.

Deciding I had enough snorkeling for one day, I thought it was a good idea to get out of the water facing forward in my flippers.  Brilliant.  It only took one decent sized wave to knock me off-balance and send me straight into a bed of fire coral.  Which I landed on (quite forcefully) with my hooha.  There are no words.

THE LESSON:  Take a hint from Baz Luhrmann, and wear sunscreen.  And if you’re in flippers, always back out of the ocean to avoid clumsily falling over (onto fire coral… with your bits).

Travel Mishap #3 – Being Pickpocketed in Rome

It was my very first trip abroad and I had no idea what I was doing.  As I stepped into the sunlight outside the train station in Rome, I marveled at my new surroundings.  With my mouth gaping open, I may as well have had a target on my back.  And I did.

I made it about 100 feet before having my backpack pickpocketed by an 11 year old girl.  Luckily she only got away with a bag of mints and not my expensive jewelry in the same pocket.  Fyew!

THE LESSON:  Busy areas (like train stations, airports, and packed tourist attractions) are filled with pickpocketers.  Be aware of your surroundings, and have your bag or purse in front of you (not behind!)  Investing in a tamper-resistant bag is a great idea too.  I’d recommend something like my Travelon Anti-Theft Signature 3 Compartment Crossbody.

Travel Mishap #4 – Taking (Not So) Secret Photos in Germany

This was just me being “that guy” on vacation.  There were signs everywhere throughout the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany saying pictures weren’t allowed.  But I was desperate for shots of the magnificent interior, so I put on my sneaky pants.

You’d think one warning would be enough, but I was a jerk.  I was fascinated by the story behind the Singers Hall, so I lifted my phone to snap a quick photo.  Just then, the tour guide for the group behind us bellowed “put the f@#%ing phone away!”  It echoed throughout the massive room, the group stared disapprovingly, and my face turned as red as that Puerto Rican sunburn.

THE LESSON:  Listen to what the signs say, and don’t take photos where you aren’t supposed to.  Especially with a flash (which can cause damage to artwork and interiors). 

Travel Mishap #5 – Being Broke in Belgium

During a day trip to Belgium for waffles, I brought my credit card and nothing else.  After all, I hadn’t needed euros the entire time I was in Amsterdam, so I’d purposefully spent them to avoid conversion fees when returning home.

At the time, my credit card lacked a chip so it turned out to be virtually useless in Belgium.  Literally nowhere accepted credit cards, and because it didn’t have a chip the ATMs wouldn’t allow me to pull money out.  I was broke and surrounded by delicious food and adorable keepsakes (none of which I could purchase).  It made for a very long day.

THE LESSON:  Make sure you have cash on you at all times, and a chipped card when traveling abroad.

Travel Mishap #6 – Attacked by a Cone Snail in Hawaii

While snorkeling in Hawaii I saw a beautiful shell I wanted to keep.  Because nothing ever lives in shells, right?  So me being the smart gal I am, I stuck it down my wetsuit for safe keeping.

Five minutes later I was writhing in pain in the middle of the bay.  A cone snail that was living in the shell was stinging me repeatedly (and rightfully so).  And because I was in a wetsuit, it was nearly impossible to pull it down far enough to reach my assailant.

Once I was finally able to set it free and swim back to shore, I was already suffering from a horrible headache, dizziness, extreme nausea, and a massive lump on my side (which is now a scar, reminding me to leave things alone).

THE LESSON:  You can admire Mother Nature’s beauty without stealing it for your bathroom decor.

So while you’re almost guaranteed to have a few travel mishaps of your own, taking the necessary precautions can help you avoid many of them.

And because it was impossible to narrow all my travel mishaps to just these few, you can read about more of my misadventures in My Worst Travel Mishaps – Part 2.

You May Also Like:

» My Worst Travel Mishaps – Part 2
» Picture Perfect Reasons to Visit Cuba
» The Shocking Story Behind the Real Life Disney Castle