your essential travel safety tips


Safety is one of the most important things to consider when planning any trip. I have put together some of the tips, tricks and products that I have used over the years that I have been travelling.

  1. Awareness is without a doubt the best tool you have to feel and be safer in any situation. It is very easy to hunch over with your head down and your hands in your pockets when you feel uncomfortable and vulnerable but this can have a detrimental effect by making you an easy target. Keep your head up and use all of your senses to notice dangers early enough to avoid them. If for example you see a loud drunk coming towards you 100 metres away you have time to take a detour onto a busier route or cross the road to avoid them.
  2. Manners: This one may seem obvious but being polite and courteous can have a dramatic influence on the outcome of a situation. In Bangkok I got myself into a situation that could have been easily avoided by simply being more polite. Read about it here. It was my first time travelling alone and was overcompensating for fear by being rude and arrogant. Always remember to smile and be confident but remember your manners.
  3. Cultural awareness: Before you travel try to spend a little time researching the culture you are going to be immersing yourself in. Small pieces of knowledge can often save you from embarrassment or worse being inadvertently offensive. In a highly religious country for example you will have to wear appropriate clothing when visiting a place of worship.
  4. Keep people updated: If you know you will be out of contact through phone or email for a few days or weeks let someone know where you plan on going and when you intend to be back. This could prove vital if you get lost or are hurt. When you do not contact home alarm bells will ring and you can be found. You can also use the foreign offices 'Locate' service to register your location around the world.
  5. Embassy phone numbers and insurance details: When travelling it can be very useful to keep the details of your home country's embassy to contact in the event of an emergency. Keep your travel insurance reference number and emergency phone number stored on your phone and on a piece of paper with your essential documents.
  6. Don't let pride come before a fall: Pride can be a strange thing that doesn't always work in your favour. If you do happen to end up in an altercation do not let pride make you fight for the last word or the upper hand. Nothing is worth getting hurt for, take a few minutes to objectively assess what has actually happened and the benefits of leaving any problems you may have and walking away. Excessive amounts of alcohol can exaggerate such situations.
  7. Phone with a local SIM card: I always carry a phone with me when travelling just in case. You can easily buy a local SIM cards on arrival in shops or at stalls. They are extremely useful not only for booking hotels but can be used to make emergency calls. Keeping your own home SIM handy will give you a backup but use with caution as Tariffs in certain countries can be very high.
  8. Money Belts and Chest pouches: While moving around it is very useful and safer to keep all your essential documents and cash on your person. I choose to carry a cut-resistant money belt but there are many options to choose from.
                 
      
One final technique I have never personally tried but could potentially be a fantastic idea is carrying a 'Dummy wallet' in case of muggings. A wallet or purse filled with old cards, such as library cards and shop loyalty cards aswell as some local currency may save your important documents, the majority of your cash, and any bank cards you are carrying from being taken.

Read My Travel Story Here


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If you have any comments or questions regarding travel safety do not hesitate to comment below.



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