Things you don't learn in school! How to travel safely

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You are going on a trip!  You are overly excited, and the world is open and free.  You are going to explore a new country, and see new things that you might have never seen before. 

But you are also scared because you don’t know what to expect. The world is a scary place and you have done enough research to know what to look out for wherever you are going, but you’ve also heard so many stories about drugs being planted on innocent bystanders that you become anxious and even start to think that you should rather stay home. 

If you prepare yourself for the worst that could happen then you might just be safe. 

It is a much known fact that travelers often get scammed because they are vulnerable, they don’t know the language or the area and they are so relaxed that they are not as aware of their surroundings as they usually are. 

Make a point of searching for any possible scams in the city you are going to.  Each country has a few scams and you don’t want to be a victim of an unnecessary crime just because you look vulnerable.  

Here are a few safety tips when traveling to an unknown country:

• When you pack your belongings do not put all your important stuff into one bag, or carry it on you as person. Wear a jacket with zips so that you can close the pocket and just make it a bit more difficult for any pickpocket.   
• Make sure to make a copy of every travel document, including your passport.  Have the copy certified at a police station.  
• Make a list of important phone numbers and emergency telephone numbers should you be in a situation where you need urgent help. 
• Label everything properly in your suitcase and then seal it so that you can see if someone tampered with it.  These days many people use cling wrap to seal their bags and suitcases so it is too difficult for anyone to open it.  It might look funny, but if someone tampers with your bags you will certainly know this.  
• Make sure to take out travel insurance! You might be traveling with expensive items like laptops, cell phones and digital cameras which is expensive to replace.  Rather be safe than sorry. 

Register yourself with your embassy should you experience any problems.  

You might want to save as much money as you can when traveling but cheap flights often land in the middle of the night. Arrange for transport to your hotel or wherever you are staying.  

If you stay in a backpackers it might not be the safest place.  Take an extra lock with you should your door not be able to lock properly, and be aware of your surroundings.  You might be tired after the long flight, so splurge a little and book yourself into a hotel for that first night before going to your destination.

Keep your personal belongings ON YOU in the airplane.  Hand baggage are not always safe, but it is safer than putting your important belongings in your bag or suitcase. 

VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS

Make a list of friends to email regularly.  Make them aware of where you are at any specific time.  Should anything happen to you they can at least shed some light on where you were or where you were going. 

DO NOT SHARE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS WITH ANYONE YOU JUST MET!!! 

Someone might look trust-able but in this day of age, YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST ANYMORE. 

Make sure you wear appropriate clothing so that you can fit in to your surroundings.  Nothing shouts victim quite like a tourist.  

If you are asked questions that makes you uncomfortable by a so called local, then it won’t kill you to tell a little white lie.  Do not tell anyone that this is your first trip as that will make you even more vulnerable.  Protect yourself by walking away or telling them that you are waiting for someone.  

If you are carrying a backpack, make sure to attach the backpack to yourself in some way.  Use a chain to attach the bag to your belt so that it is more difficult to remove.  

DO NOT CARRY ALL YOUR MONEY ON YOU! 

Put some emergency money away should your wallet get stolen.  Anything can happen and you can be left stranded with nowhere to go.  

Hide some money in a safe place on your body like a secret pocket in your jacket or in your backpack.  Split it up so that if one part gets stolen you still have some emergency fund money left.  

Try not to use your back pocket.  While you are looking at beautiful scenery someone might easily grab your wallet from your back pocket without you even noticing. 

Try to travel in groups rather than alone but if that is not possible then use the proper safety rules to keep yourself safe. 

DO NOT TAKE ANY SOUVENIRS FROM ANYONE TO BRING BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY EVEN IF THEY BEG YOU. 

Many an innocent traveler has landed in a dire situation when they are locked up for drug trafficking.  Make sure to check your bag for any foreign objects regularly specifically at the airport so that you do not unknowingly become part of a statistic.  

What to eat when in a foreign country?

In the end your safety is more important than anything else. Make sure to make an allergy tag in the language of the possible countries you may go to.  

Before you buy food show them the allergy tag to make sure you don’t eat anything you are allergic to. 

It is always an adventure to try foreign foods, but make sure you know what you eat.  If you are scared of food poisoning search for a place where you see a row of people standing.  

This might be the best place to eat and even better is to find a place where you can see them cooking your food.  You don’t want to live of Kentucky and MacDonald’s in every country you come!

Traveling might seem like hard work but it is always better to rather be safe than sorry.  You want this experience to be a good one so for your own sanity, follow the rules and put in that little more effort to make your travel experience something that you will always remember- while you still have all your belongings. 

Happy travels!