RACKING up hundreds of countries and even more air miles, it’s safe to say the Sun’s Travel Team have seen the world.
But even as experts, that doesn’t mean we haven’t made mistakes along the way.
Here are some the most expensive errors that have caught out these seasoned travellers, and how you can avoid falling victim to them as well.
Switched passport chaos
You’d think a travel journalist of 28 years experience would be able to get to the airport with the correct passport.
But no, not once but TWICE have I left home with my husband’s passport instead of my own.
And the decision is even more baffling as he still has a pre-Brexit burgundy passport and I have one of the new-style post-Brexit blue ones.
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The first occasion, I spotted my mistake on the train to the airport just one stop from home and was able to make a quick return.
The second time, I was AT the airport before I realised my mistake.
Cue getting my husband out of bed and handing over the correct passport to a taxi driver who sped to the airport and passed it through the car window as I shoved £60 cash into his hands!
– Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
Wrong season clothes in New Zealand
My three months backpacking was one of my first big trips by myself, ready to explore Southeast Asia.
Packing just shorts and bikinis, I forgot to check the weather at my first stop – New Zealand.
Rocking up to Auckland in weather colder than the UK, I quickly realised I was going to struggle by the time we hit the ski town of Franz Josef.
My strict budget was eaten into when I had to invest in warm trousers and thick jumpers, costing a lot more than they would have in the UK and spending about NZ$120 (£53) in the end.
Safe to say I learned to check Met Office before going abroad.
– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Scam Egypt tours
On my recent visit to Hurghada, I was expecting great things from the activities I had planned, having trawled through a generally positive mass of reviews on TripAdvisor and Google.
Sadly, these experiences turned out to be far from what was promised – dangerous transfers, private tours turned into large group ones and back alley services that pushed me way out of my comfort zone.
By tour three, I’d come to expect the unexpected and was so fed up, I asked to leave early – meaning I lost out on all the money I’d splashed for a dinner in the desert.
Of course, not all Hurghada excursions are like this. This area is known for its impressive coral reefs and windsurfing – and there are some cracking experiences you can book.
The best way to know you’re getting what you paid for is by going off recommendation.
Keep an eye on the price, too. If it seems too good to be true, with maddeningly cheap prices, it probably is.
And if that fails, scrutinise the reviews with a harsh eye. If they are listed as 5* but the review is very short and vague, it’s likely a false one.
That way you can ensure you’re not spending over the odds on something that’s no where near up to scratch. Pay cheap, pay twice.
– Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Holding credit card fees in America
Sometimes you come across a bargain hotel deal that looks too good to be true – and sadly, sometimes it is.
When travelling across California in a group of three broke students, I was of course scouring the internet for the absolute cheapest hotels I could find.
I stumbled across a Sheraton hotel for our stop at LAX – a spacious room for 3 for just $60 (£44.50) each for the night was a bargain deal, plus I’d heard of the hotel chain before. All seemed well.
But in gunning for a bargain I’d missed the T&Cs of the stay, so when I was charged a $100 (£74) deposit for the night I was shocked to say the least.
$100 is an awful lot to a group of backpackers coming towards the end of their trip, and although you get your money back, I didn’t receive it back in my bank account until I was home in the UK.
Now I always make sure to scan the small print before booking a stay.
– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter
Roaming fee mistake in Switzerland
We all know about roaming charges since we left the EU – or so I thought.
My current contract allows me to use my phone for free across Europe.
Yet I completely forgot that Switzerland is not included in this, being part of the EEA instead of the EU.
My trip ended with a very expensive £50 phone bill after I arrived and forgot to turn it off.
Makes sure to always include a cap in your contract for out of service charges.
Without this, I wouldn’t have been alerted to hitting my £50 limit, and it could have run into hundreds.
– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Poor haggling in Morocco
It can be nerve-wracking to say the least heading into the markets to haggle for goods on holiday. Even if you’ve done your research and know how to bargain, it doesn’t make the reality of the moment any easier.
I knew I wanted to come home with a piece of jewellery to remember my holiday in Morocco’s Fes, so I headed into a shop glimmering with silver and gold handmade pieces.
A beautiful gold bracelet with a giant sage-coloured stone soon caught my eye, and the shopkeeper quickly noticed my interest. Before I knew it, I was having the bracelet fitted onto my wrist.
Facing the shopkeeper’s eager grin, I knew I’d gotten myself into the exact situation I’d been wanting to avoid. “1,100 MAD” I was quoted, which is about £90.
“I only have 400 MAD” I replied, and soon found myself paying 40 Great British pounds for a bracelet I was scared to search for on Temu in case I saw it pop up.
My moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to come in with an initial offer that feels almost unreasonably low – and don’t be afraid to simply leave the shop, either.
– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter
Sneaky Wizz Air boarding fees
When you fly, checking in doesn’t seem like the most urgent thing when you know you can do it at the airport.
But with Wizz Air you have a window where you must check-in online, and if you miss it – well, you have to check in at the airport for fee.
This set me back around £40 and all they did was print off my boarding pass…
To avoid, make sure to set up a reminder on your phone for when the check in window opens.
– Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter