Recovering The SelfA Journal of Hope and Healing

Travel

8 Ways to Protect Yourself While Travelling Abroad on Holiday in 2019

by Jenny Griffiths

Your main reasons for going abroad are going to be all about having some fun, enjoying yourself, and broadening your horizons with some new travel experiences. In contrast, you don’t want to come back with any bad memories because something went wrong while you were away.

There are certain things, like unforeseen accidents, that you can’t predict in advance, but you can take sensible precautions and make travel arrangements or plans that make it easier for you to cope with a crisis or troublesome incident when something happens to you miles from home.

Here is a look at some of the strategies and precautions to consider so that your holiday abroad doesn’t have to give you nightmares instead of fond memories.

If You Fall Ill or Have an Accident

Unless you have an existing medical condition that you have already accounted for with your travel plans, most of us won’t be thinking much about falling ill or being involved in an accident on foreign soil.

A basic and essential precaution would be to visit a site like www.european-health-card.co.uk and learn more about applying for an EHIC, which gives you access to free medical help within EU countries that recognize the card.

Having a health card won’t cover all of your medical expenses in a number of circumstances but it will allow you to be seen and get an assessment quickly. This is far better than not having any basic cover and finding that you have to pay costly medical charges before anyone will even examine you.

It would also be sensible to have travel insurance too so that you have covered most of the angles if you fall ill unexpectedly or have an accident while on holiday.

Think Safety

It is perfectly understandable that you want to explore the area where you are visiting but you should always be vigilant when it comes to protecting your personal safety.

Keep away from unlit and non-tourist areas where you could be vulnerable if someone sees you are a tourist who has strayed off the usual route. It is best to stay in well-lit and heavily populated areas as this will reduce the risk of being mugged or being subjected to a personal attack.

The odds of this happening to you are slim in many popular tourist destinations but it never pays to be complacent and it is better to be proactive when it comes to personal safety measures abroad.

Keep Your Valuables Safe

Almost nothing spoils the holiday vibe quicker than the discovery that you have had your money or other valuables stolen.

Invest in a secure and sturdy bag to keep your money in while you are travelling around and it is always a good idea to wear your backpack on your front as so many unsuspecting tourists have items stolen from behind their back.

Avoid Excessive Amounts of Alcohol

You want to relax and enjoy your holiday and that means many of us will have a few drinks to help the evening along, but too many beers or wine and you quickly make yourself much more of an easy target for a variety of unpleasant crimes.

You need to maintain control of your faculties when you are in unfamiliar surroundings and it is best not to draw attention to yourself by being drunk.

Get the Lowdown on Local Cabs

A familiar scam in some foreign countries involves unlicensed taxi drivers who try to pick up unsuspecting tourists.

If this happens to you, it might be that you get overcharged or taken a long way around to bump up the bill. There is also the prospect that your personal safety could be threatened if the driver doesn’t have his license to worry about.

Check what the registered cabs look like and stick to using these at all times.

If you need to be picked up from the airport to go to your hotel, try to arrange a pickup through the hotel so that you have the details beforehand and know that the service is legitimate.

Try to Blend In

It can be hard to avoid looking like a tourist in some countries and that will always make you vulnerable to scammers and locals who like to make a living by finding a way to target visitors for their money and valuables.

Make an effort to blend in as best you can and avoid the obvious signs such as having an expensive camera around your neck and the sort of holiday attire that make you stand out in a local crowd.

Don’t Advertise Your Absence

It is not uncommon to find that criminals will target major airports in search of people who are in the departure lounge with their luggage tags displaying their name and address.

This information means they can target your home while you are away on holiday.

Be aware of this threat and don’t spoil your holiday by giving a would-be burglar the chance to help themselves to the possession you have left at home.

Do Your Homework

You will probably search some websites to get an idea of the things you can see and do while you are visiting a particular destination and it would also be worthwhile to check some local security information at the same time.

The internet should make it easy to search what sort of typical tourist scams or issues you need to be aware of in advance.

You can also get official advice from government sites who might be able to tell you which areas to avoid and other relevant safety details that are well worth knowing beforehand.

All of these tips are basic safety suggestions and sensible precautions that you should consider taking if you want to remember your holiday for all the right reasons.

Be prepared for your journey and if you take care of your health and security arrangements it should help ensure your trip is enjoyable and passes without incident.

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