Who doesn’t love to travel? Whether it’s in the home country or internationally, traveling does sound fun as we get to see endless things, explore different cultures, try out different food, and much more. However, there is a dark side of traveling and some haunting stories that you must have heard about international travelers. The thing is anyone can fall victim to a mishap, it will be pretty bad if it happens on a foreign land which you might not be very familiar with.
If you are here, you must be feeling a little scared of traveling abroad or thinking about all the things that can go wrong. But don’t worry, all you need to do is take some safety precautions to avoid any unfortunate event and make your trip memorable.
Here, we are listing down some tips for first time international travelers or those who are a little worried about going on an international vacation.
1. Get Electronic Copies of your documents
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There will be many documents that you will need to travel abroad and they all will be very crucial. You don’t want to find yourself in a scenario where you lose any of the important documents. This is why you should create electronic copies of all your important documents. These documents would include your passport, visas, travel insurance, flight tickets, etc.
This backup will be a lifesaver if you lose any of the important documents during your trip.
2. Get a checkup and get vaccinated
The worst thing that can happen during a trip is to fall sick! It can ruin the whole trip as well as give you big fat medical expenses in the foreign land. This is why you should always get a routine checkup and get vaccinated for common flu. This will make you immunized from common illnesses or diseases.
3. Keep your things close and upfront
You don’t want to use a small backpack bag which includes everything you own. Pickpocketing is common in every part of the world and you can always fall victim to that. This is why make sure you either have a belly pouch bag that includes all your necessary stuff and documents along with money, so there will be less chance of theft.
You should not put your purse at the backside of the chair or leave your bag unattended even for a minute. Keep an eye on your bag and make sure it’s closer to you every second!
4. Don’t keep all your money at one place
You don’t want to lose all your money at once if you lose your bag. This is why make sure all your cash is stored at different places like some in your baggage, some in your bag, and some in your pockets. You can also put your important stuff that you won’t use occasionally in the hotel safe.
5. Don’t wear expensive jewelry
Keep your jewelry at home because you don’t want to tell the world how much money you can have or attract the wrong kind of attention. Also hide those branded or expensive stuff that might tell the world your net worth. This will only attract the thrives and make you their next target. Wear simple stuff and only use your camera when it’s necessary otherwise keep it hidden too.
6. Make sure you are not leaving anything
When you leave a hotel room, a restaurant, a restroom, or even a shop, make sure to look around and double check whether you are leaving something behind or not. Make this a habit while traveling abroad because you don’t want to lose stuff at a location that you might not even remember later or it will be too late to go back and get your stuff.
7. Don’t give much attention to strangers
Surely, you will attract a lot of attention in a foreign country and this will make people want to talk to you. Most of them will be someone who shouldn’t be around you. So try to avoid talking or interacting with strangers as much as possible.
8. Beware of the scams
Most of the countries see some foreign tourists as their next prey for scams. Which is why always trust an authentic person or guide and do your own research before visiting somewhere. People can make something ordinary an exotic tourist attraction and charge a hefty amount for the same. This also applies for the fare charges for public transportation and tickets for the places that are free of cost to visit. Beware of these things by doing some research on what costs what and where you can buy the tickets or passes.
9. Don’t be a hero
If you get in a situation where you are getting mugged, then don’t try to fight or find a way to escape at the risk of you getting injured. Leave the wallet to them and slowly escape the place. If you lose important documentation then contact the official foreign offices of your country and get your copies for passport and visas. No amount of money is worth getting injured or losing your life.
10. Get a travel insurance
A travel insurance can make a lot of difference if you face some unfortunate events such as theft, injury, health issues, flights getting delayed or canceled, etc. In these situations your insurance will cover the additional expenses and will protect you.
Conclusion
So these are some of the safety precautions that you must take while traveling abroad. Just be cautious of your surroundings and aware of the people you interact with, and your trip will be fun and joyous! Don’t stop yourself from seeing the world because you have heard some crazy stories. The world is not fair and there are people who love to take advantage. With that being said, it is majorly safe to travel to most of the places worldwide if you are mindful about certain things. Have a memorable and safe trip!
