Is it more dangerous to travel than to stay home? The answer to this is controversial, but for me, the risks of travel are far outweighed by all the great things that I experience. What’s more, I follow a few simple safety principles to ensure I’m unlikely to have any problems on the road. Planning ahead, fitting in to the local area and abiding by a few simple rules will help you have the same experience.
Traveling to a new place, especially in a foreign country, makes some people nervous. Sometimes, it makes their family and friends even more worried! And it’s true that more than a few tourists do find themselves victims of crime – usually pickpocketing or other kinds of thefts, or more serious crimes like muggings or assaults. If you follow a few basic safety principles, and stay alert and thinking, your chances of spending a hassle-free holiday increase dramatically.
Don’t Look Like a Tourist
Your personal safety abroad increases dramatically if you blend into the crowd. That’s the crowd of locals – not the tourists. Your outward appearance is the first way to fix this. Depending on your destination, you might need to change your outfits, but follow one basic principle: dress like you live there. Touristy T-shirts advertising where you’re from or where you’ve been are usually a give-away; shiny new joggers are often another way to pick out someone who doesn’t belong. Of course, dress comfortably, but try to look neutral and ordinary.
Beyond your physical appearance, there are other ways to fit in, too. Particularly if you’re in an area known to be somewhat dangerous, it’s important to walk as if you’re going somewhere. Of course, you probably are going somewhere, but you might not be in a hurry – tourists (and therefore, often good targets for petty crime) are usually the ones walking along with heads held high, gazing around at new buildings and new people. Locals are more likely to look at the ground and appear unfazed by what they see. Try walking with a purpose to a point on a street, then stopping to look around. You’ll look much less like a stranger, plus you won’t trip over bumps on the pavement.
Finally, you should avoid a few other actions that make it clear to onlookers – and potential attackers – that you’re a tourist, particularly a tourist with money. Even though you might have no idea how much your wad of Estonian crown bills are worth, don’t sort through your money in public. This is a job for inside a bank just after changing your money, or in the privacy of your hotel room. It’s also a good idea to separate your money and keep it in different safe places, and if you are traveling with your family, share it out amongst each member. If the worst comes to the worst, letting a pickpocket get his hands on a quarter of your money is much less traumatic than losing the lot.
Don’t Take Unnecessary Risks
The first important rule of thumb is not to do something you wouldn’t do at home. For example, especially as a woman, I’d never walk home alone after ten o’clock at night in my hometown – I’ve read about attacks and incidents in my local papers, and don’t want to become a victim. But when I’m traveling, I don’t know how safe or unsafe the local area is, and sometimes if a place “looks” safe, I feel tempted to be out after dark. Then I remember my rule: if I wouldn’t do this at home, I shouldn’t do it in a new, strange city, where I have no idea what could happen to me. You should also make yourself aware of any known danger spots – particularly in very large cities. A good guidebook will usually point out any areas known to be risky and advise you when and why to stay away from them.
Another common but sometimes risky behavior is to hitchhike, or even just to take short lifts from strangers. Some people like to travel this way, but if you choose to hitchhike, do be aware of the possible dangers. In the same vein, be aware of unofficial taxis that could either charge you too much or turn out to be dangerous – it’s surprising how often this happens. Check for an identity badge or some other official accreditation when you approach a taxi, or even ask to see some ID.
When you’re walking around or traveling on buses or trains, be aware of what’s happening around you and don’t take the risk of leaving your bag or backpack open or unattended. It’s also a good idea to avoid bags which hang over just one shoulder, especially with a long strap – it’s all too easy for someone to cut the strap and take off with your bag before you’ve realised what’s going on. Remember, also, that thieves in crowded places are also able to do things like cut open your backpack and take your belongings without you noticing – in such situations, always carry your backpack on the front of your body. In riskier places, I also like to use small padlocks on my backpack, even during the day when I’m walking around with it – it doesn’t take me much time to open the locks, but it means a thief is more likely to choose an easier target.
Do Have a Plan B
A good travel safety back-up plan starts before you leave home – make two copies of your passport, tickets, insurance details and other important information. One copy should be left with a relative or friend who you could easily contact in an emergency; the other copy should go in one of your bags – but not the one you’re carrying the original documents in.
Before you leave home, a nice trick can also to be to invest in a “decoy” wallet or purse. Cluey travellers like to put a few unimportant cards and just a couple of dollars into a cheap wallet and leave it in their back pocket. If a pickpocket is working a train or bus you’re traveling on, they might take your decoy (and be disappointed later) but then leave you alone; or in a worse case where an attacker demands your wallet, you can hand one over without losing all your credit cards or too much cash.
Plan B should also include on-the-road strategies. When my boyfriend and I visit a particularly big or busy city, we always agree on a place to meet if we get lost or separated. In some countries, our cell phones are still useful, but we still always agree on an easy place to find – a central monument, or a significant place near our hotel – where we can find each other again if necessary.
And a Note on Health …
Finally, in countries where hygiene and disease are a problem, not taking risks with unclean food or water is another way to ensure your safety and wellbeing during a trip. If you know that tap water is unsafe to drink in your destination, be sure to buy plenty of sealed bottled water, and use it for everything, even cleaning your teeth. Likewise, be wary of buying foods (for example, salads) that were probably washed in tap water; or consuming drinks with ice made from local water. You can get more information about the health risks in your destination from the National Center for Infectious Diseases.
Do All This, Then Relax!
Once you’ve thought through all the safety aspects of your trip and made plans accordingly, be sure to stay aware and alert but be careful not to focus on possible dangers or annoyances. After all, you’ve come on your trip to get away from home, experience new things and above all, to have fun. If you follow these principles it’s much less likely that things will go wrong – or if they do, you’ll be better equipped to handle them. So don’t worry, just travel!