Some travel a lot and others travel less. Regardless of whether you are alone or with someone, experienced or completely new to travel you sometimes need to refresh your memory . These points can help you to travel safer or even save you in some situations. These are points that should be repeated from time to time. Safety when traveling is A and B and should always be in your thoughts. Here are some notes from me that may also help you!
There is a lot you can do to be safer when traveling. You can learn the word help, have a safe insurance, inform family and friends where you are going, have money and personal information spread out and add emergency information to your mobile. It is also very important to trust your instincts. Read on below.
I’m going through:
- Help!
- Credit Card
- ID Copies
- Health Insurance
- Clothes
- Accommodation
- ICE
- Call A Friend
- Tell Someone
- Self-defense & Emergency Courses
- Pay attention
- First Aid
- Find Other Women
- Trust Your Instinct
- Post Later
Tip: if you want to find something in particular press ctrl F and search for your word.
Help!
When I traveled to Italy, a local friend taught me the word for help in Italian. It is something I will take with me on my future travels. Not everyone knows English and doesn’t understand if you call for help. Learn the word for help in every country you travel to and you might just save yourself!
Credit Card
When you travel, you rely a lot on your bank card, but what if one day someone were to steal your card? If you lose it or something happens to your bank? What are you doing then?
My tip is to get a credit card. You can get a credit card or a regular card from another bank. Having two cards is to secure yourself and your money. The reason you might want to consider a credit card is because you can also earn from it. If you travel a lot, you can choose to focus on a particular hotel chain or airline company. Then you can get points and benefits that can make your trips cheaper. On my credit card, for example, I have purchase protection and travel insurance for up to 90 days.
ID Copies
Copying out your ID documents is a personal decision. There are some pros and cons, but may still be worth considering.
The big disadvantage of having several copies of your ID documents is of course that someone can steal them.
The advantages, however, are that they don’t steal your real one. Many places will accept copies of your ID document as long as you can identify yourself. For me, it feels better to leave a copy at a hotel than my actual passport. If you have the opportunity to laminate paper, do so. The copy lasts a long time and you don’t have to wear out your regular passport.
If you don’t want to have copies of your ID on you, it might be a good idea to at least leave it to a family member or a close friend you trust. Then they can help you identify yourself in an emergency.
You could also email photos to yourself and mark them, put in the drive or in your cloud copies that can identify you.
Having copies easily at hand such as on your mobile, with a friend or on another paper can be very helpful if you need an emergency passport. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you at least have one of these options. It’s good to have many choices at hand.
Health Insurance
When you’re traveling, you don’t have the natural protection of your country, or the insurance you usually buy at home. You are also more exposed to diseases and more inclined to take risks. Therefore, you should have a travel insurance that you can fall back on if something goes wrong. Search, compare prices and choose what suits you and your lifestyle best.
Sometimes it feels boring to spend money on insurance, but remember that your safety is important! In the worst case, you may have to pay more because you don’t have insurance.
Clothes
When we are traveling in warm countries, we often want to put on our holiday clothes. Especially us from the northern regions. But is this how local people dress? Usually not. It’s okay to dress like a tourist, but make sure to do it in the right context! Dressing too differently can lead to pickpocketing, but also that you, as a woman, are exposed to uncomfortable situations.
If you ever have to walk in shady neighborhoods or at night, it might be wise to dress neutrally with longer pants and neutral colors. Walk purposefully and don’t speak if you don’t know the language spoken in the country. This is particularly important for solo female travelers. Be careful.
Some countries have specific dress codes. It can be inside churches where you have to cover shoulders and knees or generally. Be sure to read about the country you are traveling to.
Accommodation
When looking at hostels, it can be tempting to grab the cheapest one. But do your background search! A cheap booking can mean an unsafe night and after all, it’s the sleep we’re paying for. Check reviews and use your gut and logical thinking. Don’t be stupid.
Once I met a girl at an Airbnb hostel in Rome who told me about her scary night when she booked cheap. The woman who lived there had been shaking and waking her up every two hours. She couldn’t sleep and became very uncomfortable. It didn’t feel safe. Don’t risk your safety.
ICE
If you go into settings there is often a setting called emergency calls. On iPhone, you get a red star next to your selected contact. Make sure your contacts have country numbers and write ICE in the order you want it with numbers. Example ICE 1 (Mom). This can help you contact your loved ones when you are unable to do so yourself.
Make sure your emergency contact knows about allergies or anything else specific that is important. You can also write this in the Emergency Journal if it is on your phone. I have an iphone and I have written there.
“I’m Traveling With A Friend”, Call A Friend
A girl I spoke to when I was volunteering at Ostello Bello, told me that she was traveling with her friend. When I then thoughtlessly told her that I was alone, she admitted that it was something she said to feel safe. Since then, I think before I say I’m traveling solo. If you are being stalked or monitored, call a friend, family member, or someone else. Say you’re going to meet and which street you’re on. Keep talking to them until you arrive.
It can be good to have a certain word that you can say once or three times naturally, but still something different so that they understand that you are in danger.
Tell someone where you are going – Tracking
Tell a family member, another trusted person in the accommodation or a receptionist where you are going. Tell them roughly what time you should be back. You can also use a tracking app. Which you can share with, for example, your mother.
Self-defense & Emergency Courses
This is not something I have done, but something I believe one should do. Especially if you travel alone a lot. If you can’t afford to spend money on it, luckily we have the internet. There are many informative texts and videos where they demonstrate what to do. They may not be as effective as a course, but may be able to give you tips in difficult situations.
Pay Attention And Party Calmly
The key to being safe is to pay attention. Don’t look at your phone if possible. Some attach their cell phone to a band so that they don’t have to hold it all the time and at the same time be sure that it won’t be stolen.
Partying can be fun, but be careful who you join. Always keep an eye on your glass and don’t get so drunk that you can’t get home safely. You always make worse, less thought out decisions when you are drunk. That’s why it’s good if you know the way home so you don’t get lost. Personally, I never get drunk when I travel.
First Aid
Bring some basic things you might need, tweezers, pain pills, allergy tablets, bandages, plasters and other things. There are sure to be buys wherever you go, but it doesn’t hurt to have some handy.
Enter all emergency contacts for hospitals, police and firefighters under one title. (First aid, emergency) There you can also write information about CPR, or how you deal with other injuries.
My mother wondered if such instructions are really taken up in an emergency. The answer is probably no, but since writing that up I’ve learned it without having to look. It makes it easier to remember.
Find Other Women
Whether you want to find a travel buddy or need help, as a woman I always contact other women. You and other women share a situation. If you are both traveling alone. Take advantage of it! You become less exposed and can also enjoy more.
And let’s face it. Women are safer than men. It feels safer to ask a woman than a man. If you are a man who needs help. Be polite and respectful and women will want to help you too.
If you decide to meet a woman from the internet, or a person in general make sure to do it in a safe public place in daylight. Tell someone about your plans and if you get a bad feeling from the person make sure to get out of the situation as quickly and safely as you can.
It is easy to find friends when you travel if you stay in a hostel or make contact via the internet.
Trust Your Instinct
Trust yourself! You are right more times than you might think. If you feel unsafe, get out of the situation. If you feel safe, you usually are, that said, you should still be careful.
Post Later!
The Internet is a vulnerable place. Posting real-time or location-based photos and videos can put you at risk. If you own a house at home, for example, it may be wise to post later. if you’re posting a photo publicly in real time, maybe you shouldn’t add the exact location. It’s mostly about common sense. Be careful and think before you post anything.
Conclusion
My advice in summary is to trust yourself and your gut. Be careful, put the extra money needed to stay safe, and don’t skimp on it. Being insecure is what stresses us humans the most. Make sure to make your lifestyle a safe place for you.