{"id":2830,"date":"2016-01-03T21:46:13","date_gmt":"2016-01-03T21:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/?p=2830"},"modified":"2019-12-02T22:25:59","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T22:25:59","slug":"on-the-road-travel-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2016\/01\/on-the-road-travel-safety-tips.html","title":{"rendered":"On the Road: Travel Safety Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
So what makes this travel blogger qualified to ramble about travel safety tips….. As many of you know, many of my travels stem from my work as a Marine Officer overseas and my expat life in Brussels as a NATO staff member. \u00a0On both jobs, I have had extensive training in security and anti-terrorism\/force protection. \u00a0 As the security manager at my agency in Brussels, part of my role was to inform our staff members about threats not only at work but also keep our team informed on how to stay safe outside the office. \u00a0As a Marine, my roles have been varied-from providing travel briefs to General Officers to manage telecommunications networks for first responders for large-scale events such as the Marine Corps Marathon. \u00a0Thankfully after all this training, I am still about solo travel from time to time…as long as I take certain safety measures.<\/p>\n 2015 has not been a good year for the travel industry. \u00a0With unfortunate events such as the Paris and Beirut terror attacks, I know personally of people who have cancelled their trips. \u00a0Sadly, we look at acts of terror and hindsight is always 20\/20. The best thing we can do is to be prepared if something does happen to us.<\/p>\n Keep Someone Informed of Your Plans:<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0The whole thought of wandering on your own sounds romantic but then again, look what happened to the guy of “Into the Wild”. \u00a0There’s nothing wrong with traveling alone, but I highly suggest you keep someone informed of your plans or any changes that come along. \u00a0Share your itinerary with your significant other, friends, colleagues, or parents.\u00a0 If there is an attack or a natural disaster, they can quickly contact the authorities or your country’s embassy.<\/p>\n Register with the Embassy:<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0If you’re an American, you can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program<\/a> online before you travel or as an expat. \u00a0When I lived in Brussels, I appreciated the emails I used to get from the US Embassy about any issues ongoing in the city, such as protests that may hinder traffic and mobility within the city. \u00a0Also, each embassy also has information on scams or things that you should look out for while traveling. \u00a0As an American, I can share firsthand about my experience with the US Embassy but I know that many countries offer similar services. \u00a0Most importantly, being registered ensures that you are accounted for in case of an emergency at your destination.<\/p>\n Communicate: \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>I love my Simple Choice Plan from T-Mobile. \u00a0It allows me to use 3G free data and unlimited text internationally. When I traveled to Taipei earlier this year, I would send my husband quick texts via WhatsApp to let him know what I was up to, especially when I was out late exploring the night markets. \u00a0Google Translate is also a great tool to have. \u00a0You can type into the app and it can turn it into the voice of your language of choice. \u00a0Useful if you need to deal with authorities.<\/p>\n Know how to contact the authorities:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0Yes, in the USA you can reach the police via 911. \u00a0EU emergency phone<\/a> number across all member nations is 112.\u00a0 The emergency number in Japan is 119<\/a>. \u00a0 It’s a good idea to have these numbers on hand and programmed into your phone before traveling.<\/p>\n Who’s Trying to Get Information?<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0There have been plenty of great people who I have met on the road, whether it’s at a restaurant, market, or bar. \u00a0However, be aware if someone you have encountered is asking too many questions. \u00a0Ask yourself: “does this person need to know where I’m staying?” “Does he\/she need to know that I am traveling alone?” I recall being in Sydney years ago at a bar with two of my coworkers. \u00a0A random guy started chatting us up and then started asking questions about our jobs. \u00a0One of my colleagues clearly looked like a military guy. \u00a0We knew it was time to switch up the conversation and gracefully move to another spot. \u00a0Most people are genuinely curious but trust your gut.<\/p>\n Do you know where you’re going?<\/strong><\/em> Sometimes the best experiences are the ones we don’t plan, however, it’s smart to have an outline, especially on a multi-leg trip. \u00a0In case of a natural disaster at your destination, do you know the evacuation routes? What are the closest airports or train stations? \u00a0This takes just a few minutes to Google but can save you time and effort in case of an emergency.<\/p>\n Be Vigilant:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0In Brussels, pickpocketing is a common practice. \u00a0I had plenty of my colleagues that came into my office with reports about being robbed. \u00a0I was a victim myself after my car was broken into twice. \u00a0Make sure to have all of your belongings close to your body. \u00a0That’s why I am not a fan of a backpack, especially if taking public transportation. \u00a0Totes or crossbody work best. Also, make sure you have positive control of your bags at all times. \u00a0Another trick I’ve seen too often is that a perpetrator will run by and cut the strap. If renting a car, make sure you keep your purse either in the locked trunk or on the driver’s side. \u00a0A common offense in cities like Brussels is perpetrators breaking the passenger seat and snatching the purse\/bag while someone waits at the stoplight.<\/p>\n Luggage tags:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0One of the things that make me cringe is when I see travelers or even people on the metro (especially those in military uniform) who have an open luggage tag with their address in plain view. \u00a0This gives easy access to perpetrators to know where you live.<\/p>\n Know your destination:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0Aside from doing your research, ask a local friend or the hotel staff about safety practices. \u00a0For example, in San Juan you can treat a stoplight as a stop after 11pm in order to keep the vehicle moving and staying safe. During one of my trips in Spain, there was a warning about criminals throwing eggs at windshields of cars to make vehicles pull over and then rob the victims. Again, you can get a lot of this information via the local embassy website.<\/p>\n Change it up:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0Many of us are creatures of habit, but especially during a long trip, change your habits up. \u00a0Go to a different bus stop to get to work at different times. \u00a0If you are a target for a robbery or an attack, it will be easier for a criminal to find you if they know your routine.<\/p>\n Valuables:<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0Make sure your valuables are locked up in a safe. \u00a0Also make a file on dropbox of essential numbers of your bank, embassy, airlines in case your wallet or passport get stolen. \u00a0Travel Insurance is a good thing to have. \u00a0Many travel credit cards provide travel insurance as well. \u00a0In the unfortunate case you do get robbed, make sure to get a police report as many insurance companies will require it in order to file a claim and be properly compensated.<\/p>\n Know the local laws:<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0Did you know that in many countries you can be detained without any right to a lawyer? Or that you may be detained for a certain amount of time before they have to inform your country? \u00a0Some countries require a specific dress code, especially for women. \u00a0Be aware of the laws, especially in developing nations in which laws can be vague at times. Unfortunately, I had to deal with my employees being detained by foreign police while living abroad. \u00a0They have an advantage as you are just a visitor. Don’t compromise your freedom, even if you don’t believe in those particular laws.<\/p>\n Driving:<\/strong> Do you know if you need an international license when renting a car at your destination? Are you comfortable driving on the left side of the road? Renting RVs is becoming more popular. Ask yourself: “do you need a special license to drive an RV?<\/a>” before going on your adventure.<\/p>\n Trust your gut!<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0This is one of my main travel safety tips. \u00a0If there is something about a person you meet on the road that doesn’t give you a good vibe, trust your gut. \u00a0There’s a fine line between being courteous and being naive. I encourage people to explore local neighborhoods or places beyond the beaten path. \u00a0However, those experiences are best done with someone else or a walking tour if you’re traveling solo.<\/p>\n Latergram:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0I know this one is challenging, especially from a blogger’s perspective as we are expected to capture our travel experiences in the moment on social media. \u00a0When I am traveling alone, I make my social media posts after the fact. \u00a0Even when I am traveling with my husband, friends, or group I use my judgement in terms of real-time posting. \u00a0If traveling on business, I suggest you check with your company or agency security officer and get their social media policy.<\/p>\n Despite the threats we face around the world, I think there is no better time to travel than now. \u00a0I think about my first time traveling abroad to Germany 15 years ago. \u00a0I was traveling alone-there were no apps, no google maps, no google translate. Things are so much more connected now. \u00a0Take advantage of that, prepare ahead, read my travel safety tips and see the world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So what makes this travel blogger qualified to ramble about travel safety tips….. As many of you know, many of my travels stem from my work as a Marine Officer overseas and my expat life in Brussels as a NATO staff member. \u00a0On both jobs, I have had extensive training in security and anti-terrorism\/force protection. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":2843,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,448,56],"tags":[227,449,326],"class_list":{"0":"post-2830","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"category-travel-safety","9":"category-travel-tip","10":"tag-travel","11":"tag-travel-safety-tips","12":"tag-travel-tip"},"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>
Photo by Nikky Richardson Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMy key travel safety tips I have learned from my fifteen years on the road:<\/h3>\n
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Photo via Henri Bendel Website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>