It is always in the back of your mind when you travel somewhere new or somewhere known to be a bit ‘dodgy’ that you run the risk of getting mugged, scammed or even worse, injured.
Unfortunately, there are seasoned professionals out there that know all the tricks of the trade in getting tourists to part with their cameras, cash and wallets, turning a dream holiday into a nightmare.
But fear not, if you play it safe and smart you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. We have made up a guide on the essential things you should do before and during your trip to make sure you keep yourself safe as well as your belongings.
#1 Visit Smart Traveller
Do yourself a favour before you set off, visit smarttraveller.gov.au and register your trip details.
On here you will find a wealth of knowledge about the country that you are visiting such as current security advice warnings, weather warnings and even advice about the local law and what scams have been currently circulating.
#2 Make Copies
Before you leave the house, make multiple copies of all your travel documents, especially your passport, drivers license, your itinerary, the front and back of your credit cards and your travel insurance details.
If you are tech savvy, save all copies to the cloud so you can get a hold of them wherever you are or print off 2 copies of each and keep them in separate bags to the original documents.
If your passport gets stolen, it will speed the process of getting a new one reissued significantly if you have a copy of the front page with you photo on it.
#3 Get Vaccinated
Depending on where you are going, you may need one or two vaccines before they even let you into the country.
Check out the Travel Doctor website where you can enter in what country you are going to and when and it will bring up a list of what you will need.
This is something I personally do before every trip and it gives you a good piece of mind before you head off on your next holiday adventure.
#4 Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is paramount when travelling, with so many little things that can go wrong it is well worth the small investment for peace of mind.
Check with your credit card provider as some credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance when you use it to pay for even a portion of your trip.
#5 Leave your bling at home
You may want to look your best while travelling, but it wouldn’t be wise to walk around with your expensive diamond necklace dangling from your neck or that fancy watch glimmering away on your wrist, these are like magnets for thieves and why give them any reason to mug you.
Same can be said with fancy cameras, if you have to take the big DSLR camera along with you, don’t keep it in an obvious camera bag with Nikon written all over it. Crumpler for example make amazing camera bags that don’t scream ‘steal me’.
#6 Fake Wallets
If pickpockets or getting mugged happens quite often in the country that you are going to be travelling to, a great tip is to carry a second ‘dummy’ wallet.
Just throw a few dollars in there, maybe an old library card and a coffee loyalty card, then if you get mugged you can always throw the thief the dummy while your actual wallet lives to see another day.
#7 Use Your Wits, Act Like a Local
If you dress in a bright Hawaiian shirt with a camera in one hand and a map in the other, you are pretty much putting a target on your back.
Ditch the paper map for google maps on your phone, if you don’t have any service on your phone you can always load up any map using the free WiFi in your hotel and save them in offline mode, that way you will blend in and look a little less touristy.
When walking the streets exploring, keep your wits about you, keeping an eye on what’s happening around you at all times can often be enough to deter a thief who is looking for an easy tourist to take advantage of.
#8 Don’t Be a Hero
So the unthinkable happens and you get mugged, the worst possible thing you can do is try and fight back or refuse to give up your wallet.
You have paid good money for your travel insurance which will cover any losses and when it comes down to it, your life and health is more important that a bit of cash or jewellery.
#9 Keep Good Time
Doing majority of your exploring during the day is a wise move, you don’t want to be going into parks or up side streets when its dark or you’ll be asking for trouble.
If you fancy a walk at night or get out of a theatre show and its late, stick to main streets that are very well lit up and where there are lots of people or catch a taxi back to the hotel if you don’t feel safe.
#10 Use Common Sense
If you see a sketchy looking group of people coming toward you, cross the road. If you don’t like the look of a person, avoid them. If the area you are walking toward looks a bit rough, go somewhere else.
When it all comes down to it, simply you use your common sense when you travel and you are bound to experience some of the best adventures that the world can dish up and still arrive home safe and sound to annoy all your friends and family with lengthy photo nights.
