Safeguard your valuables.
Leave fancy jewelry or family heirlooms at home. Traveling with these items
puts you at greater risk of loss or theft.
Make copies. Leave
copies of your credit cards and passports with a family member. Pack another set
with you, away from the originals. Having copies of these items expedites the
replacement process if the originals are lost or stolen.
Manage your money.
Don’t flash a lot of money, and leave extra credit cards at home. Spread out
the money and credit cards amongst all the adults on the trip to prevent
disaster if one person is pickpocketed. Contact credit card companies before
departing on an international trip so that your card won’t be flagged as stolen
when you use it overseas.
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| There's safety in numbers! Also, keep kids and teens with adults. |
There’s safety in
numbers. Avoid being alone and stick together as a group. When traveling
with a large group, institute the buddy system. Always keep kids and teens with
adults.
No news is good news.
While some locals are friendly and like to chat up tourists, use caution in
these conversations. Be careful about sharing specific travel plans and
details. Don’t disclose lodging information or particulars about your route.
Use common sense.
When traveling, use the same common sense that you’d use at home. If you
wouldn’t walk down a dark alley at home, then don’t’ do it on vacation. If you
wouldn’t leave a bar with a person you just met at home, then don’t do it in a
foreign country. It’s still possible to do fun exciting things on vacation
without making poor decisions that endanger your safety.
Keep luggage
practical. Pack light and carry as little as possible. Don’t weigh yourself
down with numerous pieces of luggage. It impairs your ability to travel swift
and light, and it also means you’ve got to keep track of more personal
belongings. Plan ahead and purchase luggage that will best meet the needs of
your trip. A bag that works well on a resort vacation isn’t suited to a hiking
trip. Women should also make the same considerations for purses.
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| It was fun being photographed with these alpacas until the owners decided we should pay more money. Be sure to investigate the parameters BEFORE partaking in the services. |
Watch out for street
scams. In touristy areas, street scams abound. Don’t be fooled into parting
with money because you posed for a picture with a cute character or took
pictures with adorable local children. Participation in shoe shining, getting directions,
or enjoying street musicians can turn sour when the performers expect to be
paid. Be sure to find out the parameters of the situation before you partake of
the goods and services being offered.
Can you hear me
now? Investigate your communication capabilities before leaving home, especially
for international travel. Don’t assume your smartphone will work in another
country. Research this before you depart. Also investigate your ability to
check e-mail or have access to the internet before you leave home.
Provide contact information.
Leave your travel itinerary and all contact numbers with family before you
leave town. If you’re traveling internationally, register with the state
department prior to departure.
Lock down your
house. Take precautions for your home while you’re away. Light timers, locked
windows and doors, and a house sitter can keep your home safe and sound. Enlist
the help of trustworthy neighbors to watch your house and leave contact numbers
with them.
Avoid social media.
It can be tempting to post fun pictures to social media while you’re on the
road, but this just advertises to the world that you’re out of town. Wait until
you get home to post fun pictures of your trip.
Be vigilant and be practical when you travel. Staying
safe on your vacation will help everyone to have a great time.
