When you travel to any country, especially a new one, there are lots of things to consider. Apart from obvious things like avoiding walking around by yourself at night, there are several ways you can prepare yourself for a trip to a new country to help keep yourself safe.
Here are a few top tips for staying safe when you’re travelling to a new country:
Research the country and city that you are visiting
If you’re travelling somewhere new, it can be helpful to do a quick google search to know some of the main things to look out for when you’re travelling. Whether it’s cultural differences which could be normal to you but rude in the country you’re visiting, or just general mistakes made by other tourists, it’s good to prepare yourself with an idea of what is to come.
It would also be helpful to work out if there are any areas or neighbourhoods that are best avoided, particularly for tourists. You want to do this before booking somewhere to stay, as ending up in a dangerous neighbourhood could negatively impact your holiday.
Get travel insurance
Every time you travel abroad, you should purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance is vital for covering any unexpected medical expenses while you are abroad, but it can also cover the costs of lost luggage or unexpected cancellation due to sickness or emergency. Travel insurance is there to protect you financially and reimburse you should anything unexpected happen.
Create a paper trail.
A great way to keep yourself safe on holiday is to make sure your family and friends back at home know your full itinerary. Make sure that somebody always knows where you are, and keep posting social media updates or sending emails/texts to let people know you are okay, and keep a track of your location.
In a similar sense, you and everyone you’re travelling with should keep a record of the address of the hotel you are staying at to make sure that anyone who gets separated from the group for any reason can find their way back to everyone themselves.
The last section in your paper train is to keep copies of your passports as well as the front and back of any credit cards and other important documents you may have with you. Even emailing this information to yourself can be a good way to ensure you don’t misplace or lose the paper copies. Doing this will help you to recover or cancel any lost or stolen documents, and to keep a record of everything important you have with you.
Keep a note of emergency numbers
Make sure you always know where to go and who to call in an emergency. Keep copies of all the emergency numbers on your phone as well as the address or phone numbers of embassy buildings that can help you out. Know how to call for a taxi, and have some key phrases written down to communicate with the locals in emergencies. Be as prepared as you can for any eventuality.
Although travelling to a new country can be scary if you don’t know what you’re doing, make use of these tips and be prepared so that you can stay safe and enjoy your holiday to the max. Keep notes of emergency numbers as well as copies of your important documents, get some good travel insurance and research the place you’re visiting, and you will have the holiday of a lifetime.
