Everyone has their own travel style. Some get by with only one suitcase, while others need to bring their entire closet to feel comfortable. Some are comfortable making a lot of expenses, while others like to stick to a budget. The bottom line is: everyone travels in their own unique way, and each person’s travel style may not be agreeable to the next.
In general, there are two main categories that you can fall into: a low-maintenance traveler and a high-maintenance traveler. Each type of traveler has its own strengths and weaknesses, but it’s no secret that being a high-maintenance traveler is often more difficult—both for yourself and the people you’re traveling with.
If you don’t want to believe that you’re high-maintenance but think that you might be, here are the signs that point to the affirmative—as well as how you can change them if you want to.
You always overpack
The fact that you have to carry a lot of luggage to feel comfortable traveling is a telltale sign that you’re a high-maintenance traveler. While this may not necessarily be a bad thing, it can cause inconvenience to both yourself and whoever you are traveling with. More than that, traveling with a lot of stuff can incur extra expenses.
If you want to curb your overpacking habit, find out how you can pack lighter in a way that you can still be comfortable. For example, if you tend to bring many clothes on a trip, do laundry at the hotel instead of packing an unnecessary amount of clothes.
You take too much time to get ready
Leave the high-maintenance beauty routine at home if you don’t want to spend hours getting ready in your hotel room. Instead, make some changes to your routine. For example, you might want to get a low-maintenance hairstyle at the hairdresser before you leave so that you always look your best. Or if you wear makeup, opt for a simpler routine instead of a full-face beating.
You spend too much time planning
No matter how much time you spend planning your itinerary, picking out the best hotel, and researching restaurants to go to, things are not always going to go your way while traveling. Flights can be canceled, tourists spots may be closed down, and hotels may not be as great as what the reviews say. In other words, you’re going to face adversity somewhere down the road, and you’re just going to have to get past it.
It is normal to spend some time planning your trip, but it shouldn’t take up too much time. If you find yourself having to spend days on planning, then it may be time to loosen up—not everything is going to go your way anyway, so why plan every single minute of your trip?
You’re always willing to pay for an upgrade
Whether it’s for an airplane seat, a hotel room, or a tourist package—the high-maintenance traveler will always be willing to pay (or at least ask) for an upgrade. While this is not bad if you can afford it personally, this may serve as a problem if you are traveling with other people that may not be comfortable paying for upgrades.
Moreover, most upgrades are too expensive for the value that they offer. If you absolutely need the extra legroom, then pay for an upgraded seat. But if you don’t really need it, why not save that money for something more important?
You easily get upset over inconveniences
Big or small, inconveniences are bound to happen while traveling. Whether it’s a delayed flight, no hot water in your hotel room, or a mistake in your order at the restaurant, it may easily upset you.
Yes, inconveniences are annoying—and sometimes very much so, but getting overly upset over them can do more harm than good. If you’re traveling with someone else, you may even make them uncomfortable with your reaction to inconveniences.
If you want to change this behavior, start the trip with a mindset that not everything will go your way, and be prepared to tackle unfortunate events if they do happen. It’s also a good idea to have a backup plan if major changes occur, such as flight cancellation or a mistake in your booking, so that you can easily get past inconveniences and carry on with your trip unbothered.
Being a high-maintenance traveler can be inconvenient, expensive, and sometimes even annoying to those around you. If you want to change your travel style into something more low-maintenance, these tips can help you do that.
