Mary in Vancity

When you travel, there’s always that one person who looks like a pro. Their suitcase is perfectly packed, their documents are neatly organized, and they breeze through airports without breaking a sweat. Spoiler: that person is not me.

I’ve been traveling for years, but I still manage to make mistakes that fill a sitcom episode. Some were minor, others a little more dramatic, but all of them came with lessons I wish I’d learned sooner. Here are a few of the most common slip-ups travelers make—sprinkled with my own travel bloopers.

Mistake #1: Forgetting Your Passport

This is the big one. The one rule of travel that should be impossible to break: don’t forget your passport. And yet, I did.

It happened in Seattle. Our bus back to Vancouver was packed. Everyone was ready to go. Then I realized my passport was still sitting in my hotel room. Imagine the collective groan of a bus full of people who just wanted to get home. I sprinted back like my life depended on it, grabbed the passport, and returned—sweaty, red-faced, and apologetic.

Lesson learned: “phone, wallet, keys” is not enough. Always add “passport” to the mental checklist.

Mistake #2: Misreading Flight Time

On another trip, I managed to miss my flight out of Los Angeles because I read the departure time wrong. The ticket said 17:00. I confidently read that as 7 PM. By the time I strolled up, the plane had already taken off.

For the record, 17:00 is 5 PM. Not 7. Not “close enough.” Definitely 5. Now I set my phone to remind me in good old-fashioned 12-hour time. This way, I don’t have to play math games under pressure.

Mistake #3: Showing Off Valuables

It’s tempting to leave your camera out on the cafe table while you sip your latte. But, that’s basically an invitation for someone to walk away with it. I learned quickly to keep anything expensive zipped away unless I’m actually using it.

Mistake #4: Oversharing on Social Media

I love posting photos while I travel, but tagging your exact location in real time can be risky. Not only are you announcing that your house is empty, you’re also letting strangers know exactly where you are.

Now I wait until after I’ve left a spot to post. It doesn’t make the photo any less fun. Honestly, it gives me a chance to relive the moment twice. Once when it happens, and again when I share it later.

Mistake #5: Not Backing Up Documents

This is a tip I owe entirely to Josh. He’s the practical one. He made sure I understood how important it is to have your documents saved in more than one place.

If your passport goes missing in a foreign country, things get complicated fast. Having copies of your ID, travel insurance, and itinerary can turn a nightmare into something at least manageable. I keep scans and photos stored safely in the cloud so I can access them anytime. Hotel bookings, boarding passes, even credit card details (secured, of course) are all worth having as backups.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Cybersecurity

Public Wi-Fi is the ultimate trap. It’s free, it’s convenient, and it’s a gift to hackers. Logging into your bank account on unsecured Wi-Fi is like handing out your PIN at the airport food court.

A few things that help:

• Use a VPN whenever you can.
• Don’t do banking or shopping on public networks.
• Stick to Wi-Fi that requires a password.
• Turn off auto-connect so your phone doesn’t hop onto random networks.

It’s not the most glamorous travel advice, but protecting your data is just as important as protecting your passport.

So, What Have We Learned From This?

If my mistakes have taught me anything, it’s that travel security goes way beyond zipping up your suitcase. It’s about slowing down and paying attention. This is important whether you’re leaving the hotel room, reading your flight ticket, or connecting to Wi-Fi at the airport.

Here’s the short list:

• Passports don’t follow you—you have to bring them.
• 17:00 is 5 PM. Always.
• Cameras and laptops are safer zipped away than staged for a photo.
• Post your travel highlights later, not live.
• Backups are a lifesaver (thanks, Josh).
• Hackers love free Wi-Fi. Don’t make their job easy.

Travel should be about joy, not panic. A little preparation goes a long way. If you do mess up, at least you’ll have a story to tell. You should preferably share it while holding your passport, safely in hand this time.