Sensible Travel Planning
Travelling alone is exciting. Travelling with your friends or family is even more exciting. However, I wanted to share some tips with you to ensure you have a great time and that nothing goes wrong.
All too often, the excitement can make you forget the fundamentals of travelling. Common sense flies out the window and trouble lay in wait. To help you remember these simple but effective steps, follow the following advice:
Make sure your passport is valid and has at least 6 months left to run. Make two copies of your passport. Keep one in a separate part of your travel luggage and the other leave with someone at home.
Be aware of any travel warnings for the country you are visiting. Find out about security and safety conditions in your destination by asking your travel agent and/or looking on your government website under travel advice & warnings.
Ensure you have been vaccinated against any infectious diseases prominent in the area you are travelling to. You can check with your doctor or nurse for any recommendations. Do this about 2 months before travelling to ensure vaccinations are secure.
Ensure you can be contacted in case of an emergency, make a copy of your itinerary and contact addresses / phone numbers and leave it with someone at home. If you decide to change this whilst travelling, be sure to let your family know about it.
Buy full cover travel insurance and read the small print.
Travel light and dont pack valuables that you wouldnt want to lose. Leave your jewellery at home.
Remember you are a foreigner when you travel. You are a guest in their country and therefore should abide by their laws, and to a certain extent, their customs. Be aware about taking photos of the locals as this will offend if you do not ask for permission.
Be aware of taking in alcohol to some countries as this may not be permitted and it will be confiscated.
Travel in a group where possible and in well known areas. There will be times you want to get off the tourist track, so make sure you always have a travelling companion with you.
Only carry small amounts of cash on you and spread it out amongst your pockets. Your credit card and travellers checks will pay for most things.
Try not to bring too much attention to yourself when travelling. Dont go out looking like a tourist with a flashy camera and expensive clothes. This includes the beaches and the lesser tourist areas of town. Beaches in Brazil are renowned for thefts in broad daylight of your valuables.
Be aware of the dress code for the country you are visiting. Many Muslim states do not allow bare arms and legs in public.
Watch out for pickpockets! Wear a money belt and keep your purse/wallet in the front of your body. Report any loss or theft immediately to the local authorities and ask for a police reference number for your insurance.
Dont leave your luggage unattended anywhere. Apart from having it stolen or items from it taken, you could also become an unsuspecting drug courier. Spain has a high theft of luggage on the street when you arrive at or leave your hotel. Just ask Lewis Hamilton the F1 driver!
If travelling with a partner, pack half your clothes in their luggage and vice versa. This way if one of you loses your luggage, you will still have some clothes.
Pack your light coloured clothes in waterproof bags. This will stop any colours running if your luggage gets damp. Aircraft luggage holds get high condensation or if your luggage is left in the rain for any reason. It also helps with creases.
Lock your luggage and label everything.
Avoid having your home address on your luggage. Only have a phone number and zip code. This prevents anyone seeing your home address and knowing you are away.
Lock your hotel room. Keep money and valuables with you or in the room safe, not left unattended in your room.
When using public transport be aware of possible theft. If you are travelling overnight, secure your luggage and sleep on top of it if possible. It is not uncommon for tourists to be drugged while on trains and buses so dont accept gifts of food or drink from strangers on public transport.
If at any time you feel worried or unsafe, whether it is on the streets or in your accommodation, get out. Follow your instincts. Stay safe when you travel by being aware of the dangers and obeying the laws of the country you are visiting.
