Traveling is all about expanding your horizon and discovering new places. But anxiety can prevent you from enjoying your adventures and loosening up. Every journey brings a different set of worries. Following some precautions and safety tips can help you in avoiding such situations. Here are some travel safety tips that will help you stay safe, irrespective of your traveling style. It will help you with a safe and stress-free travel experience.
Regularly Update Your Friends And Family About Your Whereabouts
It does not matter if you are going on a weekend trip or a month-long trip; always make sure to keep your friends and family informed. You can leave a copy of your travel itinerary with a few trusted people so that they know about your plans. Contact them regularly to inform them of the latest updates about yourself.
Beware of Scammers
People will always try to trick you and take your hard-earned cash regardless of where you are going. You might not get fooled if you are lucky, but sometimes, scammers are professional con artists, and you can fall into their trap.
Every country has its way of scamming people. There are famous ring scams from Paris, milk Scams from Cuba, and “Broken” taxi meters in Costa Rica. Do your research well and beware of the most famous scam of that place.
Be Wary of Public Wi-Fi
Stay away from using “Free” public Wi-Fi and put yourself in the situation of getting hacked. Hackers actively seek to steal your valuable information like credit card details, personal details, etc. The vulnerability of public Wi-fi makes it easier for them to access this data.
If you wish to access public Wi-Fi at such locations, then the best way to achieve this is by setting up a VPN. A VPN (a virtual private network) will add a layer of security, allowing you to access the internet securely while traveling. It encrypts all the traffic and channels it through a funnel to a VPN server. This VPN server is rented or owned by the service provider. Once the data reaches there, the traffic is decrypted and sent to its final destination.
Make Digital Copies of Your Important Documents
While you carry the necessary documentation with yourself while traveling abroad, you should create an electronic or digital copy of all the online documents. Travel insurance, plane tickets, insurance card, itinerary, immunization records, and visas are a few things that you should take care of uploading. Upload it at a place where they are easily accessible. It will help you in situations where your stuff gets damaged, lost, or stolen.
Safeguard Your Hotel Room
Even though you might have chosen a hotel with the best safety measures, it is always wise to take precautionary steps and make your room safer. Try to keep your windows shut and deadbolt the door. You can also use a portable jammer that will slip under your door to provide you with extra protection.
You can also provide an impression that you are in the room while you are away. This can be achieved by keeping windows and blinds closed and putting a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside your door. Also, no matter what, do not let any stranger in your room. If they claim to be hotel staff, you can call the front desk to confirm the same.
Don’t Draw Attention
People who are not local are more vulnerable to crime. If you are traveling around with a huge backpack, along with two cameras and a confused look, it will become evident to the con artists that you are an outsider. Try to blend in with the countries or cities’ dressing styles to capture less attention of people. Be smart while approaching people to help you with the directions and be discreet while looking at the map.
You can also invest in buying protective gear and clothing that will give you an extra layer of protection from anyone trying to steal your items or money.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Awareness while traveling is necessary. Do not let your eyes off your stuff when you are busy taking the perfect photograph to post on your social media pages. Momentary destruction is all it takes for a thief to swipe your stuff off the table. They will pick your camera, backpack, smartphone, or anything else, which is unattended, and walk off without a hint of a guilty conscience.
Use good judgment while talking to strangers. The opportunity to meet new people and learn about different cultures is a big joy of traveling. But, at the same time, if you feel uncomfortable around anyone or you suspect something suspicious, then leave the area immediately.
Be Careful of Shady ATMs
ATM frauds are one of the most common frauds in the world. If you have just a little cash left, do not hop on to use the next ATM available. You might be using the jerry-rigged machine, which will capture your ATM information, and your card might be used to do many unauthorized transactions.
Always know how much cash you have in your pocket and plan to withdraw any cash in advance. It will ensure that you have ample time to find a legit ATM. Try to use ATMs established at the banks and their branches. Prefer using an ATM installed inside a building as they are generally under camera surveillance.
Know The Local Emergency Number
When you plan to visit a new country, you must learn the local emergency contact number. If you are stuck in some weird situation where you need help, then you must know where to call. Every country has a different emergency number, for example, 112 in Germany, 911 in the USA/Canada, 000 in Australia. Check for this number before starting the trip; you never know when you might need this.
Whether you are traveling solo, with your friends or family, these tips will always help you keep yourself safe and secure, allowing you to travel and enjoy in a stress-free manner.
