One of the most important things to remember when traveling is to use common sense. Don’t mistake a different location or place as somewhere you can forget about what you already know. Staying safe while traveling is easy for most people and you can further reduce any anxiety you may have as well by keeping in mind some basic advice and common sense. The world isn’t as scary of a place as it seems to some people and as it is portrayed on some media outlets. It can also be a bit more intimidating if you have a hard time understanding foreign travel advisories which tend to be vague and rather over the top outside of specific areas.
There are some of the basic safety tips for travelers abroad you’ve probably heard before but we’ve included some of the rationale behind that and more details to what they actually mean.
Be Aware Of Your Surroundings - This one always makes sense in hindsight as most things do. You can simply notice things like exits and entrances in places you commonly frequent like hotels and perhaps certain restaurants. Keep an eye on people and if someone approaches you and things don’t feel right, leave to be on the safe side. You don’t have to watch very molecule around you but don’t drift off into space when walking around some of the top beaches in Europe or while backpacking in Thailand.
Keep Some Things To Yourself - For any travelers, but especially women, don’t divulge every aspect of yourself or how you are traveling to strangers. For those of you traveling alone or completely unfamiliar with a city, don’t let other people you’ve hardly met know these facts. You don’t need to be an expert about every place or culture you visit but it’s also not a good idea to let anyone else know your ignorance or vulnerabilities too.
Learn Some Of The Language - You don’t need to know every single word in the dictionary, which is how most people tend to take this piece of advice and then end up learning nothing. There are plenty of free online language resources you can use to have fun, be lazier, and learn a few key words as well. Some of these sites are also language social networks where you can converse with others and meet locals as well.
Lock Up Your Stuff - Many hostels and hotels have lockers for travelers to use but them you’ll need to bring your own lock. They might rent them but that’s usually expensive, much more expensive than it should be. Get yourself a good padlock with a combination lock which will come in very handy during your travels. Another great item to have is a PacSafe which is a steel mesh designed to wrap around your backpack.
Know The Cultural Norms And Blend In - The way that people can tell you’re foreign isn’t so much by your race or your physical characteristics, but it’s how you dress, act, and even walk. You can learn much about a culture and some of their norms with a simple Internet search and try to dress and behave a bit more like the locals and less like you would at home. The differences are often very subtle but can go a long way to helping you avoid unwanted attention.
Same as you would at home but simply keep in mind a few of the ground rules may be different. People may act and respond to your actions and gestures in ways they would back in your home so learn a bit and take notice of the area around you when you go places. Trust your gut and keep personal information to yourself, especially if you are traveling alone. Staying sober and keeping your cash hidden in a few places (i.e. backpack, pocket, locker) are also good ideas as well.
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