Essential Safety Tips While Traveling Alone
Solo travel can feel easy but it has its drawbacks. So it is better to be prepared and follow safety precautions.
Here are some safety tips for alone travelers:
- Stay connected
Those days it is impossible to imagine life without cell phones, smartphones and internet. Before leaving home, check if your mobile phone will work at the destination you are headed towards. If not, or if roaming costs are proving too costly, rent a phone once you arrive (or buy an international SIM card if you have an unlocked GSM phone) so that you can easily stay connected with your friends. Smartphones equipped with GPS or online maps are good options for drivers.
- Pay attention to eating
People traveling alone often times don’t pay give importance to what they eat and when they eat. This can cause digestion or other problems. Make sure to eat on time and have some healthy meals instead of just munching on a few unhealthy snacks.
- Do your homework beforehand
Whatever place you are visiting, it is best to do your homework beforehand to avoid last minute surprises. Book a good hotel room in advance after checking out online reviews. Find out how long it takes and how much it costs to get from the airport to your hotel room. Research beforehand some good and affordable places to eat near to the hotel you are staying in.
- Be careful
Be alert and careful regarding your luggage, bag, wallet, mobile phone, cards, passport, documents and other important belongings. While traveling alone it is easier to get distracted in the sightseeing, or you may fall asleep while sitting on a bench at the airport or the bus stop, which could give a chance to thieves to pick up some of your valuables.
- If possible, arrive at your destination during the day
A place can feel very different during the night when compared to how it feels during daytime. There may be other risks involved when you arrive at a new place during the night. So try to plan your travel in such a way that you arrive at your destination in broad daylight, so that finding your way to a hotel, catching a cab or doing other things becomes easier, safer and more convenient.
- Learn some language
Whenever traveling abroad, it is always helpful to learn at least some words, phrases and sentences of the local language so that you can easily get by. In some places you probably won’t need to speak the local language as everyone speaks English. That being said, knowing some local words could still be quite helpful.