Travel regrets

Peruvian girlWe all have them, whether it’s the extra time we could have spent in a destination, or bringing far too much gear on our travels. Many times, travel regrets don’t stick with us for very long after we return home. When they do, they can be a lesson for future trips.

One of my biggest travel regrets took place in Peru. I was in a van, traveling from Cusco up and over the Andes on my way to the Manu Biosphere Reserve. I’d already become woozy from the altitude when we stopped for a break at 13,000 feet. Almost immediately, two girls circled around me, asking if I wanted to buy their woven bracelets. Instead of engaging them in conversation about their wares and buying one for an incredibly small price, all my fuzzy brain could think of was how I didn’t really need a woven bracelet. I told them “no thank you” before I got in the van to continue my journey.

Does my regret mean that I usually buy things from locals when asked? No. Nor do I consider that alone, my cash or attention is a significant factor in someone’s life. But in that remote place, when I hadn’t seen another vehicle on the road all day, perhaps my business could have benefited those girls in a small way. I could have easily parted with the few coins a bracelet cost without affecting my trip budget, and I would have been keeping cash within the local economy—one of Ethical Traveler’s guidelines for ethical travel.

It’s hard to have no regrets at all. But when we look at our travel budgets and realize that in some cases, spending a little may bring happiness all around, it’s easier to have fewer regrets. And those moments may just become the fodder for great memories.

What travel regrets do you have?

Posted by | Comments (5)  | June 18, 2010
Category: Ethical Travel, Languages and Culture, Money Management, On The Road, South America


5 Responses to “Travel regrets”

  1. Don Says:

    I regret not having a camera along with me on a trip to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru way back in 1976-77.

  2. Abhi Says:

    I regret not exploring London enough when I was in UK for a 3-month internship. I went to all possible places like Swansea, Scotland and Stonehenge, but ended up spending just a single weekend.

  3. Rebecca Says:

    Ah, travel regrets. Probably not traveling for a longer period of time. Sometimes the budget is not spot on and it’s necessary to cut your travels short. Live and learn.

  4. kathy Says:

    I have a similar regret. The experience made me wonder what, if any, positive impact or impression I had left on the local kids and elderly ladies in that tiny town I had passed through. When I travel, I know it’s for selfish reasons. I want to get away, I want to explore and see new things. But some of the people I come in contact will never see where I am from, or any of the things I will have seen in my lifetime. So what kind of positive impact can a traveler leave behind apart from a few dollars? I know this is the reality of global travel, but at times it is hard to reconcile.