• Do You Need A Travel Visa?: Here's a handy tool to quickly figure out if you need a visa for your upcoming trip or not.
Hey Reader! Welcome back to another hot new edition for Insiders...although not as hot as how it's been feeling like outside.
Inspired by an article we read a few weeks ago, we wanted to write about a subject that doesn't get discussed enough but everyone can relate to - when 💩 hits the 🪭 while travelling.
Here's what else we have in this month's newsletter:
Brain.fm is music made in collaboration with neuroscientists, to help high performers sharpen their edge. Whether you're coding, creating, or crushing your to-do list, scientifically-optimized audio can help you find your flow state faster and stay there longer. It’s what elite minds use to go from focused... to unstoppable.
→ Improve productivity, block out distractions
→ Categories for deep work, creativity, learning, and more
→ ADHD mode for brains that need extra stimulation
→ Try it free for 14 days and unlock your next level
We all love the glossy Instagram version of travel — sunny skies, perfect outfits, and zero delays. But behind every “dream trip” is at least one missed train, wrong turn, or mystery rash.
We’re guilty of showing the perfect side of travel, too. The truth? Trips rarely go exactly as planned, and sometimes the surprises aren’t the good kind. When your vacation starts going off the rails, here’s what we’ve learned (from both wins and fails) that might just save the day.
How To Prevent Things From Going Wrong
There are definitely a number of different ways to prevent mishaps and it really comes down to these tips:
Do your research ahead of time - I'm very much the OCD planner type of traveller, hence The Art Of Trip Planning. The more you research, the greater the chances of catching common mistakes. That's why we still love reading reviews on TripAdvisor, reading other detailed blogs, and looking up safety tips, opening/closing hours, packing advice, and more. Of course, how deep do you go? And often times, you won't catch everything.
Ask questions - When booking tours, activities, or excursions, don’t make assumptions. Clarify meeting points, extra costs, and logistics before you go.
Don’t always choose the cheapest option - Sometimes low cost means low quality. You don’t need to splurge on everything, but ask yourself: why is this so cheap?
Have insurance - Travelling with HeyMondo travel insurance is a must for us. It doesn't cover all the scenarios but with health being the most important thing, do yourself a favor and have this at a minimum to cover your butts.
When Shit Hits The Fan
So what started as a great trip has started to sour because of something that happened. Here's how you can turn things around:
Say something - If something’s wrong, say so. You might get an upgrade or a fix — worst case, nothing changes, but at least you tried.
Talk to the right person - Continuing from the above, understanding the pecking order of an organization helps. Sometimes the person on-the-ground (i.e. tour guide) isn't able to solve a certain problem so perhaps you need to go up a level or two.
Know what you want - When you complain, suggest a reasonable solution — you might be surprised how often it works.
Ask for help - If you're in a situation where you just don't know what to do, try to find a local who might be compassionate enough to assist. Local barriers might be problem. Maybe you just need another perspective!
When There's Not Much You Can Do
If things are unsalvageable, sometimes the only thing you can do is:
Laugh it off - I feel like this is our go-to. Someone might say something racist or I left my jacket on the plane. Sometimes there isn't anything else to do other than to chalk it up to a dumb mistake or the nature of travel. Let it bounce off and move on.
Turn it into a great story - Every travel mishap makes for a great story around the campfire.
Find the silver lining - Things do happen for a reason and many times, misfortune can lead to something unexpectedly positive.
Putting it in perspective - When things suck on the road, I'll often think about how fortunate we are to be able to travel and see the world.
Learn from it - I used to be pretty bad with losing things when on the road. I always kicked myself for it but over the years, I've had to develop techniques to make sure I don't misplace things. Combining a few things above, turn a mistake into a positive so you'll know to never do that one thing again.
If you're open to sharing, we'd love to hear your crazy travel stories of things going wrong.
This Month's Feature Offer
This month's feature offer is sponsored by Hilton.
Did you know, one of the best ways to save on hotel bookings is to book early. Right now, Hilton has a great offer where you can save up to 17% off the Best Available Rate for trips this fall. All you need to do is book at least 7 days in advance.
6 Day Québec Maritime Road Trip Itinerary - The Wild Coastline
Discover the ultimate 6-day road trip through Quebec Maritime, packed with whale watching, lighthouse hopping, scenic hikes, and coastal villages. This itinerary covers the best of the region with detailed stops, local eats, and unforgettable views.
This 4-day Laval, Quebec itinerary covers the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, and local flavor. From kayaking and escape rooms to rooftop dining and wine festivals, discover the best ways to explore this vibrant city just outside Montreal.
Discover the magic of Chubu, Japan; a diverse region filled with alpine escapes, historic towns, and hidden gems between Tokyo and Kyoto. This ultimate guide covers everything you need to plan an unforgettable adventure through the heart of Honshu.
Best Of Tohoku, Japan: A Complete Guide To The Untouched North
Discover the best of Tohoku, Japan—a region filled with natural wonders, vibrant traditions, and unforgettable cultural experiences. From relaxing in hidden hot spring towns to exploring breathtaking landscapes and local cuisine, this guide covers the top things to do in Tohoku across all six prefectures.
It's a bit scary to think but September and the autumn season is coming soon. Selfishly though, we're kind of glad because the busy season for us is ending and hopefully that means more time to work on other personal projects such as a new Japan product we're building, and more improvements to the site.
With our trips to London, Ontario, Tampa and Niagara Falls done, we're definitely excited to taking a bit more easy the remaining part of the year.
September is also when I have a personal trip to Munich and Oktoberfest so looking forward to that 🍻!
🍪 Travel Tidbits
Travel News
Here's the latest from the industry with a few articles that we think you'll enjoy.
The US town built by Chinese people for Chinese people: In the 1800s, Chinese labourers transformed a piece of central California from a swamp to an agricultural powerhouse – and built a bustling Chinese-run town once called the "Monte Carlo of California" in the process.
Road tripping Canada's forgotten coastline: A sweeping new highway in Labrador – nearly 25 years and C$1bn in the making – is reshaping life in the province and opening up Canada's iceberg coast.
Swede dreams - How Sweden is embracing its sleepy side: Sweden's long, cold nights might put you off going there in winter, unless, that is, you are in search of that elusive 21st-Century luxury: a good night's sleep.
Let's talk about dreams! Where is your biggest dream destination you want to go to. Don't be afraid to go BIG! We want to know about it so just reply to this e-mail.
Affiliate Disclaimer: To cover the cost of my email software and the time we spend writing our content, we sometimes link to products that we recommend. If you choose to buy through my links, THANK YOU - this is the best kind of support as it makes it possible for us to continue doing this.
