Traveling Alone? Improve Safety
According to the US State Department, more and more women travel solo each year. Unfortunately, it is an established fact that women encounter travel-related problems more than men in some cultures. In order to minimize these inconveniences, a woman traveler should enhance personal safety by following these tips:
- Leave a copy of travel plans. Make sure that one of your friend or relative has a copy of your travel itinerary, complete with names of contact person, addresses and phone numbers. It would also be wise to have a photocopy of your passport and other important documents in case they get lost during your trip.
- Leave your valuables. In order to avoid attracting the wrong kind of individuals it would be best if you do not bring your expensive jewelries and all your credit cards. Think twice about bringing costume jewelry for they could still be mistaken as real and could pose some risk.
- Be aware and alert. It is important that you stay alert and constantly aware of your surroundings. If you feel like someone is following you, make sure that you step into a well-lit and crowded place like a restaurant. If you feel threatened, do not hesitate to ask for help.
- Become a local. One of the ways you can avoid attracting the attention of bad people is to make an effort to blend in with the locals and avoid acting touristy. Act and look as if you are sure of what you are doing and where you are going.
- Ask for help. To avoid getting lost, you should never be embarrassed to ask for directions from the hotel staff. In case you still got lost, you should remember to ask from another woman or a family. This way, you do not leave yourself vulnerable and exposed to unscrupulous individuals who prey on tourists.
