5 Common Problems You Might Face During an Overseas Travel

One hardly likes to divulge learning travel difficulties when they plan a trip overseas. However, it is important to be prepared and aware of things that may go wrong. One way to secure yourself is by investing in a comprehensive travel insurance plan that will take care of a host of contingency situations. Along with this, every traveller must also acquaint themselves with some of the most common tourist problems. However, before we look at some common problems in travelling it must also be known that even the biggest travel problems have a solution. Bearing this in mind, let’s look at the top five travel problems that may bother travellers undertaking an overseas journey:

Getting Lost

It is easy to take directions for granted when you are busy looking at beautiful sights. But when the time comes to return to your hotel, you may realise that you have no idea where you are headed. Getting lost is one of the most common tourist problems that travellers face when they are abroad. While your travel issues may seem magnified when you lose your way, there are some things you can do to help your situation.

How to Find Your Way Back

• Carry a power bank to ensure your phone’s battery does not die on you in critical situations.

• Make a note of landmarks that can help you find your way back.

• Download Google Translator to help you communicate with the locals. Also, download offline Google Maps of the places on your itinerary.

• Carry the hotel’s card that contains the address. If you are staying at a hostel or an apartment, ensure you have the right address from the owner.

By following these simple tricks, travellers can ensure that they don’t get lost, and if they do, they have the means to find their way back.

Falling Sick

This may sound like a bummer, but it is not uncommon to fall sick when you are travelling. It is one of the most common travel difficulties afflicting globetrotters. Your travel issues may range from:

• Travel sickness because of the engine smell and the rocking motion of the bus or other transport

• Jet lag when you cross time zones

• Food poisoning from trying all the local cuisine

With the recent outbreak of the infamous COVID-19 pandemic, we have learned not to take our health for granted. And so, your comprehensive travel insurance plan is equipped to deal with medical emergencies, including COVID-19.

Remedies to Heal from Common Travel Illnesses

You can try common remedies for illnesses where you need not raise a claim against your overseas travel insurance. These include:

Travel Sickness: Focus on your breathing and keeping your eyes forward when travelling on a bus. It is common to feel worse when you are looking out the window while travelling.

Jet Lag: Check the time when you will be arriving and, based on that, decide whether or not it would be a good idea to sleep on the flight. You may also try getting some exercise to get over your jet lag.

Food Poisoning: Drink plenty of fluids. You may even try energy drinks to replace the lost electrolytes. Carry over-the-counter medicines to relieve symptoms.

It is important not to take your health for granted when you travel, as it may worsen your condition.

Getting Mugged

It is difficult to know which areas must be avoided in an unknown destination. So, take a look at the government websites of the destination you are journeying to, and keep an eye out for warnings. You can even read opinion pieces of other travellers who have been to the destination but only search on reliable websites.

How to Deal with Being Robbed

• Calm your nerves and first get to a safer location

• Reach out to the police and report all the items that have been lost

• Call your bank and block all credit and debit cards

• Claim travel insurance policy for loss of your belongings

While it is easy to feel overwhelmed after being mugged, it is important not to let the experience ruin your trip. Just take the necessary actions and get on with having fun.

Flight Cancellations or Delays

After the outbreak of the pandemic, flight schedules were further disrupted. Whether it was due to countries closing their borders, poor weather conditions, or even distressing situations such as hijacking. However, flight delays and cancellations are both bothersome and financially draining. You may have to wait for hours before the next flight becomes available, and your hotel reservations may go to waste due to delays.

Being Prepared for Flight Delays and Cancellations

• Ensure that your travel insurance policy covers flight delays and cancellations.

• Try to book your flight directly through the airline instead of through the travel agency.

• Check whether you are carrying all the necessary travel documents.

• Read the inclusions and the exclusions of the flight cancellation terms in your overseas travel insurance.

It is important to note that your travel insurance plan will only cover flight delays if the same has happened due to external reasons. For instance, if you miss a flight due to riots, your insurance will compensate you. However, in case of personal errors, such as not reaching the airport on time, your insurance will not pay for you.

Losing Your Phone

Misplacing your phone can seem like one of the biggest travel problems because you use your phone for everything. Without your phone, you cannot click pictures, find your way to places, top up travel cards, access e-tickets, and so much more. You may feel completely lost if you lose your phone.

How to Manage without a Phone

• Firstly, you can keep from misplacing your phone by carrying a small sling bag wherever you travel instead of simply carrying it in your hands.

• Backup all your contact numbers and passwords on your Google Drive before you travel

• Try using the “Find My Phone” feature that is usually available on most smartphones.

It is important to be cautious with your phone and, as with all valuables, keep them out of plain sight.

Travelling can be fun and exciting, but exercising caution is important when journeying to an unknown destination away from home. Before you travel, ensure that you have invested in a comprehensive travel insurance policy and carefully read all the inclusions and exclusions not to be unpleasantly surprised. The travel insurance plan by Tata AIG is equipped to deal with a range of unpleasant travelling scenarios — right from medical emergencies and theft to loss of passport or misplaced luggage.