Some
tips and advice for safer travelling...At
all times visitors should be aware of pickpockets
and petty thieves wherever they are in the
world, particularly on the trains and metros.
Keep all valuables well hidden and ensure
all your bags are closed and out of reach
of others. Do not accept drinks or food from
strangers. Try to keep a list of useful telephone
numbers with you for things like Emergency
Aid Services, Police, Fire brigade and hospitals.
Padlocks: are great to lock your bags to luggage
racks in trains and buses, particularly overnight
services, or to secure lockers or just to
act as a deterrent to would be thieves.
Passport and money: Keep these on your person
at all times, particularly when sleeping on
overnight transport. Money is best divided
through your bag so if some is stolen or lost
you have another ready supply. Try sewing
an emergency stash of cash (US $50) into your
backpack.
Important documents: Documents should be copied
several times and left with reliable people.
Documents to photocopy would include:
- important pages of your passport
- drivers license
- bank and credit cards
- other identification
- air tickets, bus passes, train passes, other
important travel cards
- birth certificate
- proof of residence
Daypacks: are better than shoulderbags for
deterring thieves
Money belts: are another proven security method.
If you can also pin these to the inside of
your clothes it is a secondary protection
measure. Some people now wear these around
their ankles.
Bum bags / Fanny packs: are not advisable.
In crowded areas these can easily be unzipped
without your knowledge. If you wear one do
not keep valuables inside.
TOP
KEEPING FIT
Fitness of body and mind helps you to keep
control of situations and to deal with them
rationally. Mental alertness or quick thinking
can help avert problems as physical fitness
can mean a quicker or easier getaway. It can
be difficult to keep fit on the road. Great
Italian food, oily frites in Belgium, lazy
days by the seaside and tiredness are huge
deterrents. Walking with your pack, hiking
or touring a city is exercise but for just
a few minutes a day you can make sure you
don't put on extra kilos and stay agile.
- Stretch each night or morning. Massage sore
and tight muscles with soap in the shower
or with a cream.
- Do pushups or situps in your room for basic
toning.
- If you know some yoga or aerobics develop
a small routine. You do not need much room
and you can use your walkman as a silent accompaniment.
- Walk as much as possible, avoid getting
buses and trains unless really tired. It's
also the cheapest option.
- Eat good food, fruit and vegetables. These
are also your cheapest option.
Mental sluggishness can prevent you from seeing
trouble developing or responding quickly to
situations. It can develop easily from lack
of sleep or simply from lack of use. For mental
alertness:
- get to bed early
- keep your brain active through reading,
writing, cross word puzzles etc.
- create a mental challenge each day
- discuss philosophy, current events and other
issues with fellow travellers
Every day, travellers face situations which
can be stressful. It may simply be finding
accommodation, food or the right train; or
it may be more complicated like being harassed,
confronting someone for pushing in etc.
Here are some tips to help:
- Never appear angry or unsettled. Develop
a poker face.
- Take deep breaths filling your whole body
and releasing slowly
- Count to ten
- Walk through the steps in your mind about
what you have to do now
- Every day in your new environment take a
few moments to review safety situations and
how you will act. This helps prevent panic
if a situation develops.
A big part of self defence is self confidence
and assertivenes which can help you avoid
physical measures to defend yourself. Here's
a few defensive tips:
1. Remember you are not invincible. Things
can and will go wrong. Learn from your mistakes,
don't be put off by them.
2. Learn some self defence and keep fit.
3. Set physical, verbal and other boundaries
and do not let anything past it, even the
most subtle of attempts. Do not let anyone
touch you more than you would a complete stranger,
regardless of their customs.
4. If you are uncomfortable with someone elses
behaviour then say so. Learn the phrase for
"Leave me alone" or "Don't
touch me" in each country you go to.
The universal "No", "nein",
"Nay" gets you a long way, especially
a definitive, assertive and loud one.
5. Wear a wedding ring or engagement band
regardless of your marital status. This significantly
reduces your rate of problems.
6. Do not accept invitations for drinks, dinner
or any other gifts. It is not worth the risk.
7. Never say you are alone. You are always
meeting someone (preferrably male) either
back at the hotel, in the next city etc. Stick
to your story.
8. Don't go to lonely or out of the way places,
particularly at night. Avoid streets, parks,
dark alleyways. Be conscious of your surrounds
and don't wander far from people.
9. Hook up with other travellers where you
can, particulary in unsafe areas/countries.
10. Carry as little as possible. Keep your
arms free so you can fight back and without
things people can easily snatch from you.
11. Be prepared to scream, kick, holler, or
make any noise as soon as someone approaches
you in any way that makes you uncomfortable.
Usually any attempt to fight back will scare
most would be attackers away.
12. Try not to talk to people around or near
bathrooms. Don't visit out of the way bathrooms.
Travelling alone can be a rewarding and interesting
experience. You meet new people every day
that you can pick up with or leave behind.
However there are some countries where this
is not adviseable for women for example some
Asian countries, the middle East and Africa.
If you are travelling alone here are some
tips:
- sit near family groups on trains, buses
etc.
- don't go to out of the way places, stick
to the beaten track even in big cities. Don't
wander down dark alleys or secluded places
after dark.
- observe how the local women dress and behave
and try and act accordingly
- do not speak to single men unless it is
absolutely necessary eg. a business transaction,
directions etc.
- don't drink too much. If you are unaware
of your faculties people can take advantage
of you.
- eat in restaurants outside peak time if
you don't want undue attention or try and
eat on the move or back at your hotel/hostel.
Spending a few moments each day reviewing
escape or emergency procedures on buses, planes,
trains and other situations can save your
life in event of fire, earthquake or other
emergency situations.
1. When you enter a building do a quick check
for means of escape. Count the number of exits
for the building and do a quick mental rehearsal
of how you will get to them in an emergency.
2. If you are on a plane, bus or train, count
the number of aisles to the nearest door exit
so you can
exit quickly.
3. If you are staying somewhere overnight
always have your bag packed and ready to go
or at least have your valuables easily at
hand.
4. Always read emergency procedures.
5. Go through in your mind how you will deal
with an emergency situation and rehearse as
often as possible.
6. If an emergency situation develops don't
panic. Keep your head clear of extraneous
thoughts and keep breathing.
7. Accidents happen every day and you are
not immune. Try and keep active and easily
mobile. Consciousness affected by drinking,
overtiredness or irrational thinking can hinder
escape efforts as can too much baggage or
panic.
