Cara Laban knows how stressful traveling can be.
It’s the reason she launched TravelReddi in February of this year, a free app that tells prospective travelers exactly which apps, documentation and more they’ll need to smoothly get to, and get around, their destination of choice. It also alerts users about scams and other dangers common to the areas they’ll be exploring.
Her mission: To do whatever she can to help others avoid the pitfalls she herself has experienced throughout more than a decade moving around the world as “a traveler who learned hard lessons the expensive way.”
And so far, she’s helping a growing number of globetrotters. Between iOS and Android, she reports roughly 1,600 downloads. Her social media pages boast tens of thousands of followers; her newsletter goes out to several thousand subscribers. Users of TravelReddi can now learn the specifics of traveling to 42 countries across all continents, she adds.
To her broader aim, Laban shared with us some of the most frequent mistakes she’s seen new travelers make. The common thread among them, she notes, is that “none of these are exotic travel disasters. They’re small, boring information gaps that experienced travelers only know because they’ve been burned once.”
1. Travel Documentation Snafus
One especially common problem, Laban says, is that someone will search online to see if they need a visa to get into a specific country. They’ll get a “technically true” answer of “no” in response – but “what they needed was an ESTA, an eVisa, or a specific entry form,” and they have no way of knowing the difference. Laban once saw a friend lose $1,000 over just such an error. Also, “tons of countries require six months of validity beyond your travel dates,” another small distinction that can cost travelers big bucks.
2. Tech and App Errors
“Uber, payment apps, delivery apps – they’re regional,” Laban explains. So, “people land, open the app they always use, and it’s dead, or barely functional.” Also, when it comes time to juice up their devices – or do anything that requires electricity – inexperienced travelers will often find themselves without the chargers and connectors they need. “People buy a shape adapter and fry a hairdryer or straightener because they didn’t check the voltage. It’s a small thing that ruins a first day” abroad.
3. Water Woes
This one isn’t just inconvenient – it can be harmful (or at the very least, costly). Travelers will make inaccurate assumptions about local water supplies, Laban says. They’ll think “it’s fine because an area ‘looks like’ other places they’ve been safely.” Or, they’ll err in the opposite direction, and assume that tap water is unsafe everywhere besides their home country, and spend needlessly on water bottles. The truth is, the situation is “very country- and sometimes city-specific,” and requires research.
4. Falling Prey to Scams
“The Thailand temple scam – a tuk-tuk driver will say a temple’s ‘closed,’ then take you shopping instead – is the classic example,” of a scam that fools newbies into derailing their plans and spending more than they need to. But even those who have traveled extensively stumble in this regard. “It’s not carelessness – it’s just that information [on this subject] is scattered across old blogs and random TikToks, if it exists at all.” Apps like TravelReddi, she adds, are especially useful in centralizing such information.
5. Assumptions Around Money
Conversion rates are one concern – “getting hit with foreign transaction fees” is another. A general tip: “When a machine asks, ‘Do you want to pay in local currency or home currency?’ That prompt is a trap … that costs you a worse exchange rate every time. Always choose local, or decline if the question is ‘Accept conversion?’” Laban says. “Let your home bank handle the conversion.”
6. Getting Stranded Sans Data
“People forget about needing data while exploring,” Laban notes. “Some places, all you need is WiFi – but just in case, it’s great to have maps and language guides downloaded offline.” Another option is to get an eSIM, or a digital SIM card. For a week-long trip, you’ll only be investing a few dollars – which is far preferable to paying $10 to $15 per day by relying upon your home carrier, she adds. ◼️
TravelReddi was named to The Story Exchange’s 2026 Brilliant Business Ideas list earlier this year.
