Know before you go
Research destinations and ask yourself the following question: What are the main dangers of the country or countries that I will be visiting? Crime, natural disasters, health issues and political instability are all things to be considered. Study www.fco.gov.uk or www.smarttraveller.gov.au both great resources for travelers. Time spent planning and preparing is never wasted. Don’t just look at the country but specifically at where you will be region, city and town.
Minimize risk
List the main dangers you have found from your research in points 1 and 2 and then ask yourself one further question: How can I minimize these risks? It is not just identification of risks that’s important. Learning how to react accordingly is vital. Professionals in all industries train constantly for what may happen; it should be the same for emergency preparedness when traveling. Consider taking a travel safety course. Click here to see our web-based travel safety E-learning course specifically designed for student travelers.
Check insurance
Insurance may cost money that you don’t think you can afford, but believe us – when you need it you will be glad you opted for it. Hospital bills and medical evacuation costs especially in more remote environments that you may find yourself in can easily reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. It may be as minimal as a twisted ankle on a Glacier trip, or appendicitis in Africa. Either of those could cost you thousands of dollars if you don’t have coverage. Check the small print over and over again of any insurance coverage. The insurance companies will not be flexible or heartfelt when it comes to paying out.
Learn first aid
Off the beaten track or on the road less traveled volunteers may find themselves in medical and first aid situations that they have to deal with themselves. Being able to care for you, friends and colleagues can significantly increase chances of survival in times of extremis. Learning how to identify, prevent, treat or diagnose the basics such as heat illness, travelers diarrhea and mosquito borne diseases are extremely important. Other life saving skills such as CPR and hemorrhage control should also be considered, especially if traveling in remote environments. Consider taking a first aid course or at a minimum learning the basics prior to travel.
Smile
Just as the above point in number 7. If you are kind to people then 90% of the time they will reciprocate. You smile they will smile back, if you are nice, they will also be nice. This opens so many doors to a traveler, meeting people, learning about secret local spots off the beaten track, meals with kind strangers and a host of other great experiences that come from interacting and being nice.
Never switch off
This is important especially because of the last two entries. Even though we will be patient, kind and nice we must at no times lose our situational awareness. That means never switching off your risk analysis. We should never walk around with our head in the clouds. It is vital to be aware of our surroundings at all times, to scan for danger and analyze risks constantly. This comes back to point 3. Minimize risk, through preparation, either by training or planning one should learn how to identify threats early.
Always wear a seatbelt
The biggest risks to travelers in foreign countries are vehicular accident. Even when on a bus, wear a seatbelt. There are many other risks related with transportation. Buses, trains, boats, rickshaws, mopeds all have a huge list of inherent risks associated to their use. Research and prepare, but whatever you do always wear that seatbelt. Never take chances with overland travel – it is the threat most likely to kill you!!
Think Situational Awareness
Be more aware of your environment. Focus on a relaxed awareness to pro-actively identify threats. Being aware of one’s surroundings is of vital importance to identify threats early. Criminals and predators may stalk their prey for a short time prior to an attack to provide the best opportunity of when to strike. With increased observational skills and awareness, chances of spotting an attack or threat are significantly increased and allow a person time to react. This is also useful in avoiding pick-pockets, muggers, opportunistic criminals and many other dangers.
Be patient
This is one of our key pieces of advice. Traveling is all about getting to know the locals, seeing new things, experiencing new adventures and having the time of your lives. If one is patient, polite and generally nice then life just goes so much smoother. With patience, comes the ability to put up with perceived rudeness, inefficiency, delays, corruption and a whole variety of things that as travelers or volunteers we may not be accustomed too. Things are done differently in different places, with patience we learn and we adapt to avoid conflict.
Know a bit more before you go
We cannot over emphasize the importance of knowledge. Research your destinations using commercial websites; interact on chat forums, advice pages and blogs. The websites www.lonelyplanet.com and www.bootsnall.com are great sources of information. Learn from others mistakes and experiences.
Travel Safety Overview
This is just a basic list of tips that will help you stay safe whilst traveling abroad. Travel safety and security is a huge topic and one with many variables and standpoints. If you have any questions or queries jump on our Facebook page or blog and ask us. We are dedicated to travel safety and security and will endeavor to answer your questions. Remember traveling is one of the most amazing things you will ever do, enjoy it but always think the number one rule of safe travel is the same as emergency care, think about number one. If you are interested in learning more about how to stay safe.