Traveling around the world can be a fun and exciting prospect, but anytime you venture into the unknown, it can also be terrifying. Here are five mistakes you can’t afford to make when going into unfamiliar territories.
1. Using Outdated Information
This is not as big of a deal in the age of instant everything, but outdated travel maps can lead you down a path that used to be the “hip” part of town, but has become nothing more than a place for more seedy individuals to set up shop. Make sure that you have the latest information when traveling, or you could find yourself in areas that you never wanted to be in.
2. Not Being Alert
When you’re on vacation, it’s easy to let your guard down and just relax; that’s what vacation is for, after all. But make sure you keep your eyes opened, not so much for dangerous situations as much as for being taken advantage of or conned. A local can spot a tourist from miles away, and may seek to swindle you for something you could get for free.
3. Leaving Tourist Zones
This is not to say that you should never venture into places that seem exciting, or never take risks, but make sure the ones you take are calculated. Does it seem like most people are avoiding a specific location for some reason? Might be best to take a second look at that yourself, to see if it’s worth the trouble. Venturing into the unknown can be exciting, but there can also be a good reason most stay away.
4. Not Guarding Your Money
If you don’t have a travel wallet, get one. If you have one, use it. Most thieves are experts at lifting cash or cards from you when you least expect it, and it may be hours before you even notice, at which point, the perpetrator is long gone. Make sure you guard your valuables by investing in cover.
5. Saving Money at the Expense of Safety
Tour groups are designed to get visitors from place to place quickly, and while they can be annoying and overbearing, they also provide a large group to blend in with. Not to mention the bonus of having a chauffeur, which prevents the inevitable car accident when an American drives on the wrong side of the road in Europe.
Whether it is across the ocean or just across the town, use these tips to keep yourself and those you love safe.
References
https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/why-tourists-ruin-the-places-they-love/
https://www.daveabels.com/the-dangers-of-side-impact-collisions.html
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2015/02/05/how-to-develop-the-situational-awareness-of-jason-bourne/
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/755963/Paris-violent-crime-terror-Chinese-tourists-number-down