Traveling rarely goes as planned. Help during those temporary moments of travel woes is not always available. Tips on how to stay safe and sound without going broke abroad are helpful to anyone that travels.
Prepare to Avoid Being Unprepared
Preparation is crucial for most aspects of life. Travel falls into a category that makes it a priority to have everything organized far before it is time to leave on vacation. A great tip is to make copies of all of your documentation. Travel assistance services can have the copies ready in case of an emergency.
The prepared pack of originals and/or duplicate documents should include:
- Health Insurance Cards
- Passport
- Credit Cards Planned for Usage & at Least One Emergency Card
- Ideally, a Hundred Dollar Bill Stashed
The Idea of an Itinerary
A schedule of activities is preferably done far before it is time to leave. Copies of it should go to a friend, relative, or a travel assistant in case of emergency. Breakfast and after dinner plans can be laid out before the trip. Leave a little wiggle room in an itinerary to allow room to relax and breathe. No one wants a last minute decision to hang up a vacation or the inability to find a group preferred activity.
Avoiding the Avoidable
The first rule of thumb is to follow the laws of the land. Whether it is a different state or country, no one wants to go to jail on vacation. It means monitoring public drinking, drugs, and attention even to crosswalks. Also be aware of surroundings at all times.
Pretending to live in a city or country during vacation is more likely to keep thieves at bay. Potential thieves tend to gravitate towards tourists. It also means not to carry around expensive equipment and items that could draw a curious eye. Make a point to learn phrases and cultural differences during a getaway. It is not only to “fit in”, but learning in tandem with traveling makes for a larger than life memory.
Lastly, try not to travel to countries or high-crime areas. Reduction of a chance of violence against you or witnessing the brutality of all kinds is the byproduct of avoiding nations in political turmoil or cities that are known to feed on tourists.
Safety with Technology
While traveling, cell phones are safest when password protected as well as adding tracking tools and apps for the security of the phone and person. Avoid publishing on social media that a vacation is in the works and the dates they are planned. Local thieves have an eye for that sort of thing, also.
With the invention of the smartphone, credit cards and reports are easily monitored. It is easier to address an issue as it happens than before arriving home. No one wants their vacation-memories to include identity theft or fraud. In a few easy steps, safety becomes established.