Make Personal Safety A Habit
Copyright 2008 by Worldwide Travel Auctions.com
One of the most vulnerable times for travelers is when moving around in an unfamiliar area.
Remaining watchful about your personal safety without becoming paranoid at the prospect of becoming the target of violence or a robbery when traveling is common sense.
Remaining watchful about your personal safety without becoming paranoid at the prospect of becoming the target of violence or a robbery when traveling is common sense.
But, you will end up spending excessive sums of money on taxis from your precious travel budget as opposed to taking a casual stroll if this becomes a fixation.
But all this can be avoided by being sensible and taking a few basic safety precautions.
So, let's take a look at what makes a tourist so vulnerable then - and you don't have to look too hard to detect the tell-tale clues to spot a visitor.
Most tourists make the fundamental mistake of not blending in with the 'furniture'.
That is, they tend stand out by wearing conspicuous clothing, cameras and accessories are often strung around the neck, standing on street corners with a city map in hand looking completely lost and confused, and being indiscreet by displaying wallets and purses bulging with cash.
This is a very common mistake since generally tourists are regarded as carrying 'cash' and must therefore be wealthy.
If you are traveling in an under-developed country where most people have difficulty finding enough money to survive, it is not unusual to sense simmering resentment of the perceived wealth of foreign visitors. This can in isolated cases lead to a challenge of your safety and security.
But there are a few simple precautions you can take to keep yourself safe without becoming totally pre-occupied about your safetywhile enjoying your vacation, which after all is why you decided to come in the first place.
There are the obvious steps you can take like keeping jewellery, expensive accessories and other valuables concealed in crowded places.
Avoid using hip pockets or dangling carry bags for your purse or wallet.
Even better, place the wallet in a pocket on the front of your body rather than the hip pocket and wrap a couple of rubber bands around it to make it difficult for pickpockets to remove from you without detection.
Never leave luggage or other valuables unattended in any transport.
It’s also wise to spread your cash and credit cards around your luggage or on your person, even place bank notes inside your shoe if you are carrying a substantial amount with you.
The idea is to be vigilant but not totally absorbed by the negative possibility of an unpleasant situation.
In some places it could be a sensible idea to carry a personal alarm, particularly after dark.
These are small easily activated devices normally carried on a key ring which will draw attention to yourself in an emergency and generally create such a racket that you will have any aspiring assailant ‘heading for the hills’ real fast!
Having done all that, you have probably gone a long way to avoiding the "Look at me - I've arrived" message, and you can get on and enjoy your trip.
Happy Traveling
Konrad Carlson