As a travel writer, I have been fortunate to visit mesmerizing places, from gorgeous seaside towns in Sicily to bustling city streets in Belgium.
But a major goal of mine is to put my home country, Scotland, on the map for curious travelers across the world.
With that in mind, in September I embarked on a trip to three Scottish islands that I had never set foot on before: Barra, Seil, and Easdale.
My reasons for wanting to visit each island were different. While Barra is known for its beautiful beaches which are often compared to the Caribbean, Seil and Easdale are known as slate islands with a fascinating history.
I was born and raised in Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, so I had no idea what to expect from island-hopping, and I ultimately made some errors along the way.
Whether you intend to follow in my footsteps or visit a different set of islands, there are five mistakes you could learn from when planning your own trip.