30 Travel Safety Tips
Traveling to weird but wonderful
destinations can bring to you the sort of troubles
you do not want to experience while on the road
namely: robbery, rape, or murder. Tourists often
fall prey to perpetrators because they do not
prepare properly before embarking on a trip.
Let's examine some things you should do to prevent
your travels from becoming a tragedy:
1. Never list your home address
on the luggage tag. If on business, put the
company's address on the tag; if visiting friends
you can list their address. Use covered luggage
tags as well.
2. Stay with your luggage until the luggage
is checked. If you must put your bag down, keep
one foot on the handle.
3. Carry important papers with you; NEVER check
anything that you simply cannot afford to lose.
Photocopy your passport, driver's license and
credit cards.
4. Bring a small flashlight. You never know
when you'll suddenly be "in the dark"
and find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings.
At night, keep your flashlight by your bed.
5. Make sure that your prescription medicines
are filled properly and labeled accurately.
In some countries certain prescription medicines
are forbidden.
6. Never wear anything that projects affluence.
No gold chains, expensive watches and rings,
luggage, or other paraphernalia should be in
easy view. Better yet: leave your jewelry at
home.
7. If possible travel with only one or two credit
cards.
8. Women particularly should never accept a
drink from a stranger. Keep an eye on your drink
at all times.
9. Vary your schedule; try not to come and go
at the same time everyday.
10. Only stay in a hotel that uses cards to
open room doors and make sure your room has
a peephole and a deadbolt lock. Secure the chain
and secure the door by pushing a rubber stop
under it.
11. Stay in a room near a stairwell. Never take
the elevator if a fire or smoke is detected.
Always stay in a hotel where the doors enter
the hallway and not directly from the outside.
12. Do not wear name tags in public.
13. Do not use unmarked taxi cabs.
14. Sit behind the driver so you can see him,
but he cannot see you.
15. Pay the driver upon arriving at your destination
and while you are still sitting in the vehicle.
16. If you must rent a car, rent only from a
reputable company. Any operating problems that
occur could signal sabotage.
17. Be aware of 'staged' car accidents meant
to catch you off card.
18. Back into your parking spaces to facilitate
a quick exit.
19. Park only in well lit and well traveled
areas.
20. If your cell phone does not work outside
of the country, consider renting one that does
for the duration of your trip.
21. If detained for whatever reason by an official,
ask for identification. If in doubt, tell them
that you want to see his superior. Keep your
emotions in check.
22. If traveling with children, bring along
an updated photograph of each child in the event
that you become separated from them.
23. Write your child's name and your hotel number
on each card; include a close friend's or relative's
contact information on the card. Give a card
to each child which they will carry with them
as long as you are away. Destroy once home.
24. Discuss with your family what they would
do in event of an emergency while away from
home, e.g. whom to call, how to contact emergency
personnel, etc.
25. Do not discuss travel plans, your room number
or any other personal information in public
within earshot of strangers.
26. Bring along a basic first aid kit with bandages,
iodine, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, alcohol
packets, dramamine, pepto bismol, diarrhea medicine,
etc.
27. Familiarize yourself with train and bus
schedules before traveling. Have an alternate
plan in place in the event your transportation
plans change.
28. Do not flash your passport in public. Discreetly
show important documents to officials only.
29. Consider purchasing portable alarms that
emit a loud sound.
30. Watch for scams on the street. Children
working with adults are notorious as pickpockets.
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