Safety guide to travelling: my top tips

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Travelling is my favourite thing in the world; I adore the freedom of roaming around new places and ticking countries of my list one by one. It's an exciting prospect seeing new places but like anything in life, there are always worries and precautions that need to be put in place to ensure it's safe.

Safety guide to travelling: my top tips

If you're new to travelling or looking for some reassuring advice, here is my safety guide to travelling and all the things to consider before you go.

Before you go

Staying safe when travelling comes with preparation and that means ensuring things are in place before you jet off, drive off or hop on the train.

Documentation is key

When travelling, especially in a foreign country, you want to ensure you have your ID or personal identification with you at all times, just in case of any situation that arises. And the best way to do this so you're not carrying around important documents is to make photocopies of each document. This helps in case you lose the actual documentation so you have evidence of who you are.

Also, in regards to documentation, it's vital that before you go somewhere new, you check the entry requirements, whether you need a visa or the papers in regards to Covid safety precautions too. Travel insurance documents should be included under this point, in case you need medical help.

Do your research

I'm an avid researcher so wherever I'm going, I like to have in-depth research of what there is to do, the cultural differences, and things to be aware of. I'm not saying you need to be a pro on your destination before you go as that's the whole point of exploring it, however, it's important to be aware of what the culture is like, the language and currency used, if there are any dangers to be aware of and how you're able to get around. Having some kind of scope on the destination will ensure you're prepared to go but also feel safe and secure as you set foot there.

Download relevant apps

The beauty of smartphones is the accessibility wherever we go and that includes when it comes to travel. There are so many apps that'll help you out whilst you're away so I'd always suggest to have them downloaded before you leave. The best apps to have to hand are your airlines, the accommodation company you've booked through, Omio, to book trains, a taxi app that's relevant to your destination (Uber in Europe, Grab in Asia for example), Citymapper for getting around, and if you have a travel money card, the app used to top it up. There are many others you can use like the London tube map (or relevant ones to where you're visiting).

Learn some local phrases

It's always handy to know a couple of phrases to your destination anyway, but from a safety standpoint, even more important. You never know what's going to happen, so if you get lost and only locals are around who don't speak English, it's good to have some phrases under your belt to communicate and get help.

Emergency numbers

If you get in trouble or hurt when abroad, it's important to know who to call so ensure you research numbers of local authorities or hospitals and note them down.

Whilst you're travelling

Landing in a new destination is an exciting feeling and a time for you to have your best adventure, but there are a couple of things to be aware of.

Legitimate companies

For you spontaneous travellers out there or those who like to book things along the way, it's important to be aware of who you are booking with. Scamming happens all the time with tourists, especially in destinations that are tourist hubs. The best thing before you put down your money is to do a some research on the background of the company, see if they have social media accounts, a legitimate website, or good reviews for example. It's all about making sure that you're booking through a secure source, especially the tour or experience you're paying for is expensive.

Pickpocketing

Unfortunately, pickpocketing is a common thing for tourists abroad, especially in busy cities such as Rome or Barcelona, and that's why it's important to be aware of your surroundings. Try and avoid backpacks, and use a bag that can be close to you. Always ensure it's zipped up and that you don't leave your phone or purse out at a table, as you never know when it could be scrapped.

Street scams

Scamming like pickpocketing is very common in highly dense tourist areas and you need to be aware to spot when you're being scammed. For instance, in Europe, a lot of scams involve trying to get you to sign up for a charity and donate to them, when really, it's not a real charity. In Asia, you'll find a lot of kids begging for money but the thing about that is, it's the thing keeping them out of schools as money is lining adults pockets so they send kids out to beg. There are lots of scams out there to coax tourists in to give money, especially in poorer countries so be mindful if you have a stranger come up to you asking for cash.

Food poisoning 

Food poisoning can happen anywhere in the world but in poorer destinations where food hygiene isn't a priority, it's more common, especially for tourists who aren't used to the germs entering their system. It's important to be aware of this as you can get really sick from it. By best advice is if it's a restaurant, check the hygiene rating (if available) or see how the general place is presented, or if it's street food, see how it's being prepared. Eat foods that are fully cooked and always have translation cards on you to ask for any allergies (if needed). Your best bet is to also line your stomach with probiotics before you go, so your gut is prepared.

Be aware of public WIFI

Not all internet connection available when you're travelling around is secure and you need to be mindful of that because if you're using it to enter bank details or send over personal information, your browser could be easily hacked and details can be taken. Ensure when you sign up to a free WIFI that it has secure icon on it.

Putting your money in different places

If you're using cash on your trip, rather than just a travel money card/debit card, then it's important to separate it throughout your belongings in case you lost your purse, your suitcase gets stolen or simply you misplace part of it. That way, you always have cash somewhere else.

Lock up your valuables

When on the plane, travelling around or if you leave them in the hotel/hostel, ensure your valuables are locked up at all times, even if you are staying in a fancy place.

Talk to locals

Research may be key but it's the locals who truly know which streets and areas are safe and which ones aren't. Speak to them as much as you can and ask questions on where the best places are to go and any dangers you need to be aware of.

Let your family/friends know where you are

Email your travel itinerary, send photos of your location and keep in touch in general so they know of your whereabouts at all times.

Travelling around solo

Travelling can be a little more worrisome when on your own as you don't have anyone to help you feel safe or have your back essentially, however, it can be done easily and it's just important to be a bit more mindful than if you had someone else. Always be aware of your surroundings, learn your route back to your hotel, make friends with people at your accommodation, keep in contact with your friends/family back home and don't trust people too easily. Have your phone on you at all time and be aware of the emergency services in case you feel you're in danger. You need to put yourself and your safety first before anything - try to stay in busy places as much as you can. Showing travel confidence is the most important thing you can do.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other safety tips do you have?

Thank you for reading <3

12 comments

  1. I'm travel obsessed too! And I often travel on my own so I know how careful we have to be. These are all really great points! I always send my itinerary to my mum and friend before I go. And keep money in different pockets too when away. Downloading relevant apps before you go is a really good idea too in case you can't do it there. I'm actually travelling next week so thanks for the reminder to print out my insurance details!

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  2. I am so happy to see your travel content is back! In a COVID world, I'd 100% say it's important to print everything, have it easy to access and then also have all the apps and screenshots on your phone. When we went to Mauritius for our wedding, we made sure we did all of this and then shared the screenshots on each other's phone just in case one person's phone died. It's such a faff but so worth it!

    Rosie

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    1. Aww that's so kind of you, thank you lovely xx

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  3. Great tips! I think the thing that would worry me the most is food poisoning! You just don't know how your body will react do you? And I think I'd be an absolute mess being that ill in another country where I don't speak the language!

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  4. This is such valuable travel advice Della, I would say that you definitely need to have protection in every aspect cause of Covid now! x

    Lucy Mary

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  5. Learning a few phrases is such a good tip, understanding the language is a great step to feeling more comfortable when you travel x

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  6. Knowing local phrases are important, I feel like it helps to communicate!

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  7. Learning local phrases is a wonderful way to up your communication levels and get more in touch with the place one is visiting! Love your tips for letting family know where you are on any given day and being responsible about valuables and wifi connections.
    Thanks for sharing! xo

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Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful in anyway. I'd love to hear any feedback you may have.