Most people are scared before taking off on their first solo adventure and it’s quite acceptable to get nervous before heading somewhere new. We all should understand it’s all in our head and our brain creates the worst-case scenarios that aren’t likely to happen. Let’s take a look at the simple rules to follow to keep you safe on your first and even more travel journeys:
Examine your destination thoroughly before your trip
When it comes to your accommodation, how are its ratings for safety for women? What are the reviews of former guests about their experiences of the accommodation? Are there any patterns you can observe in the reviews that you should be concerned about? How are you going to get around to attractions in the destination? Is it feasible to travel safely at night?
When it comes to outdoor activities, especially adventure sports, what are the risks associated with it? If unfortunately, you do injure yourself, will you be covered by your travel insurance?
Are there any local health issues for which you should prepare before taking off? You need to do your analysis in advance, much before your trip begins.
Never keep your valuables on you, while in transit!
Women travellers shouldn’t bring valuables in the first place! True. Never carry anything you would be despondent to lose: family heirlooms, expensive jewellery, your birth certificate, and the like.
Presently women travel safely with an amount of technology that was unfathomable a decade ago. Most of them bring a smartphone at the very least; many even bring laptops, tablets, Kindles or other e-readers, DSLR cameras with pricey lenses, and more. Once you consider the costs to replace any one of those items, they definitely count as valuables.
Plan to make a day bag into which you can fit all of your important items: your passport, your camera, your medication, your jewellery, the credit cards, your smartphone, photography or otherwise valuable equipment.
Never put together all these items into your general backpack or put these items into the luggage hold on a bus. Never place any of these items into your checked luggage on a plane, as if you let them out of your sight, there’s a full probability that they could be taken away from you forever.
Only carry what you actually need and leave the rest locked up
You should never go out for a walk in the city with all of your credit cards, your passport, and the equivalent of $500 or more in cash. Only take what you need for the day: maybe just around equivalent of $50, tops, and a backup debit card and always keep the rest locked up safely in your accommodation. Almost every respectable hotel or hostel has lockers available for guests and utilize them if they have them.
Presently guesthouses, hotel rooms, or other places that don’t have a locker or safe for you, get hold of a portable safe instead: a slash proof bag you can fill with your valuables and lock to a pipe or something else sturdy in the room. While it doesn’t ensure to eliminate the risk 100% as professional criminals have all the tricks to rob you. But most criminals are opportunistic, they'll go after the person who left his or her valuables out in the open, much more easily accessible to them.
Don’t trust anyone too early!
When you’re traveling solo in a new destination, it can be tempting to join up and find a tribe while you move around in the destination. Sometimes these tribes can turn into lifelong friendships, but they don’t always. Some con artists do exist everywhere that have mastered the art of befriending travellers, getting them to leave their valuables unattended, and robbing them before taking off.
When it comes to love and romance, you may desire to crank up the speed when you meet someone outrageously sexy, but that’s not always the best idea. Sex is common while on the road, but make sure to protect yourself as much as possible from conmen.
Sometimes, you may desire to be part of a group so badly that you start trusting people much before you should. If you’re looking to know someone on the trip, don’t blindly trust him or her to guard your expensive electronics while you’re in the bathroom. It’s may look rude but in case you're cautious, don't worry. You should take things slowly, and if someone earns your trust, that’s when you depend on them.
Keep your drinking in limits
This is one travel safety tip for women that doesn’t get said often enough. It’s applicable whether you’re at home or on the road. Whenever you drink alcohol, it dulls your nerves and slows your reaction time, which in turn makes you vulnerable to others.
That doesn’t imply that you should avoid drinking altogether. But look to drink slowly and pace yourself. Always eat beforehand or during the party. Remember to have a glass of water in between each drink and your body will definitely thank you in the morning.
Be mindful of what you are actually drinking, and prefer to take drinks directly from the bartender. Look to resist the pressure, gentle or otherwise, to keep up with others who might be able to drink more than you.
If people the group are taking turns buying rounds for the whole table, say up front that you don’t plan on drinking as much as everyone else and they’ll grasp your concern. Never think on the terms you need to go drink for drink with your companions, especially if they happen to be beefy rugby players from New Zealand.
Blend with the background as much as you can
Your attire can easily win attention of people with not good intentions. If you show up in shorts and a t-shirt in Paris, definitely you'll get the attention of every pickpocket in the streets of Paris. As normal as shorts and a t-shirt are anywhere in North America, you would never see that style happening commonly in most of the Europe. As wearing shorts on streets openly are rare and Europeans in general dress much more neatly than North Americans, especially in France and Italy.
The more you dress to stand out, the more you brand yourself as someone who is unfamiliar with the location, which makes you more an easy target to criminal attention.
Instead, do a detailed analysis for attire on your destination in advance, observe how people dress, and try to pass as a local. If that looks difficult like if you’re in Thailand or Mexico and look neither Thai nor Mexican, try to pass as a long-time resident. Look to wear neat and tidy clothing, by covering your arms, legs, and cleavage in Muslim countries, wearing loose clothing in India, and wearing long pants in Europe and Latin America. In tandem with fusing in, it’s important to maintain composure at all times, and even if you’re hassled by something, at least maintain the appearance of confidence.
Whenever moving out or walking down the street, hold your head up and your shoulders back. Always look to move straight ahead and walk with a purpose. Always pretend that you have somewhere important to be, and if you are falling prey to street harassment, ignore it and keep moving. If unfortunately, you become lost and you need to find your way, go into a shop or café to consult your map privately before continuing on.
Check in regularly
It’s an excellent idea to have at least one designated friend or family member to keep a copy of your itinerary in advance. Right from Cheap flights numbers, your hotel accommodation details, and a general schedule of where you’ll be on specific dates, as well as vital information on your travel insurance, credit cards, and a bank account number.
Schedule ahead of time on how you’ll check in and how often, whether it’s through daily emails, texts, social media updates, or regular Skype chats. Whatever mode and frequency you choose to do, make sure you keep a consistent schedule.
Don’t walk alone at night
In some countries, you'll find it’s perfectly safe to walk alone at night but in others it can turn out to be a risky affair. Things can get really scary if someone grabs you from the back in the dark. Whenever moving out in dark, prefer to stay in lighted areas and walk close to couples or a family. If you ever feel like you're being followed, pop into the nearest restaurant or hotel. There you can find someone who speaks English and helps you remain safe.
