Britain may be a nation of forgetful travellers, according to a recent report conducted by TravelSupermarket, a UK-based online travel company.
While nearly 50 percent of British travellers forget to pack holiday essentials like plug adapters, 12 percent of the respondents admitted to forgetting phone chargers, and 12 percent also admitted to forgetting sunglasses. Around 3 percent even admitted to forgetting to pack their underwear for travel.
But it is not only the travel essentials that British people forget; they also forget to complete some essential household chores before leaving for a break. 21 percent of travellers have forgotten to clean their refrigerators before setting out, and have returned to be confronted by as smelly fridge; while 12 percent of the respondents admitted to forgetting to take their rubbish bins out before leaving home.
According to the study, around 11 percent of Brits have forgotten to switch off their electric appliances and other items before leaving for a vacation, while 8 percent of them have admitted to leaving without checking if the doors and windows of their houses are secure, an error which can result in having their home insurance cancelled.
The forgetfulness can often extend to other aspects of travel as well, with 24 percent only packing on the day before the trip, while 5 percent pack just hours before leaving. And forgetfulness can be expensive too, as around 7 percent of British travellers have paid for a last minute passport after discovering that theirs was out of date; 7 percent paid more to get their names changed on tickets; and 4 percent have even admitted to missing their flights by not reaching the airport on time.
Bob Atkinson, the company travel expert, said, ‘Holidays are a great way of getting away from it all and a time to leave your worries at home. Unfortunately it appears that many Brits are leaving a lot more at home. Whilst a forgotten phone charger or travel adapter shouldn’t ruin your holiday, you don’t want to waste precious holiday time scouring local shops for a replacement and if you forget a few items, it can really eat into your holiday budget. Spending a few minutes double-checking you have everything might seem like a waste of time as you rush off to the airport, but it could save you a lot of hassle, as well as vital spending money, whilst you are away.’
