Top 5 travel safety tips
Travel is fun, however for a few people that fun will turn to something a lot less pleasant. A few safety procedures put into place before you leave on a trip can really make a big difference.
Here are my top 5:
1. This may seem a little odd but have a dummy wallet that you actually use. When I travel I will have a money belt for my cash, passport, travelers cheques etc as well as a wallet with cash and credit cards. The only difference is that my credit cards will be old out of date ones and the cash pile will be 6 small notes and a single not of the next denomination up. A cursory glance from a mugger will satisfy them they have got my currency.
2. When money is around stop and look. When you are going to pay for something, use a cash point or enter a bank etc, take a second to just survey the area. Is someone loitering, make a mental note. I did this on entering a bank abroad and on leaving the three guys who had been casually chatting outside were now following me on the far side of the road. On passing a parked truck I ducked into a shop to see them scratching their heads as to where their mark had gone.
3. Get false jewelery. A wedding ring has more than sentimental value so why let some fool with a knife have yours, and sell your gold jewelery on. Cheap and cheerful jewels are more than enough to satisfy a robbers curiosity and will save you from doing anything foolish in defense of your real thing.
4. Light is right. Robbers, thieves and evildoers like the sanctuary of dark places in which to carry out their acts. If you are in a well lit and populated place it is so much harder for people to act in a hidden and protected manner.
5. Use your head. Think about your actions before you do them. Just because you are on holiday there is no reason to disengage your brain. Is the local biker cafe really the best place to grab a bite to eat? Do you really want to try blow fish from the back street vendor? Are the two guys trying to befriend you really looking out for your best interests? Err on the side of caution and you will eliminate the majority of risks.
Travel is fun, but safe travel is way more fun.
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