If traveling to more than 90 countries on six continents doesn't teach you something, well, you're just not paying attention. It's safe to say that Marybeth Bond is an A student. She's the author of 12 travel books and the editor of GutsyTraveler.com, an online travel magazine. You've probably seen her on "Oprah" and the major news networks, who seek her out for her expertise. You can see her in person Feb. 23 and 24 at the L.A. Times Travel Show and get the accumulated wisdom of her experience for yourself. What follows is an example of the wisdom she'll dispense. These tips are Marybeth Bond at her best -- showing us the way and giving us the tools to do so. "Even the most seasoned traveler, like me, still makes mistakes," she wrote. "Here are the worst dumb mistakes that could have ruined my trips, but I've been very lucky. Learn from me and avoid unnecessary disaster."