Travel Tips for Solo Travel
Following these simple travel tips can help make your trip safer and more
rewarding.
- Travel Tips for Passports and Visas Make sure your passport is
still valid, and if it’s not apply for a new one 3-4 months before you plan
to travel. Make sure you have any other necessary travel documents or visas
for the countries you plan to visit.
- Travel Tips About What to Leave Behind-- Leave the following at
home with a friend or relative or relative at home:
- Your detailed itinerary. Include names, addresses and telephone
numbers of every place you will be staying.
- Photocopies of your passport identification page
- Your flight and ticket information
- Travel Tip: Don’t Carry Valuables-- Leave all valuables, such as
extra credit cards and jewelry, at home. Even costume jewelry poses an
unnecessary risk to your safety, because thieves are not likely to know it’s
not the real thing until after they steal it.
- Travel Tips for Health Insurance-- Make sure you have adequate
health insurance coverage for your trip abroad and that your coverage
includes medical evacuations. If your policy does not cover you overseas,
you may need to purchase supplemental traveler's insurance.
- Travel Tips for Medications-- If you take prescription drugs,
make sure you have enough to last the length of your trip, including enough
extra medication to keep you supplied in case of delays, and bring along
your prescription information and the names of the generic equivalents in
case you need them.
Always carry your prescriptions in their labeled containers, because many
countries have strict laws against drug trafficking and may be suspicious of
pills in unlabeled bottles.
- Travel Tips for Safety and Security-- Stay alert, use common
sense, and be aware of your surroundings. If you think you are being
followed, step into a store or another safe place and wait to see whether
the person passes by. Don’t be embarrassed to ask someone to make sure
everything is safe before you venture out again. If you are still unsure,
call your hotel for assistance.
- Travel Tip: Be Confident-- Look, act and move as though you know
where you're going and what you’re doing. This will prevent you from looking
like an easy target and may help you avoid potential danger.
- Travel Tip: Ask for Directions-- Before you set out from your
hotel, ask the concierge or other hotel staff for directions to the places
you plan to visit each day. This will help you avoid unsafe areas and also
prevent you from looking confused and potentially vulnerable. If you get
lost, ask directions from a family or a woman with children.
- Travel Tips for Hotel Safety-- Choose a hotel where security is
good and public transportation or taxis are readily available and close by.
Once in your room, check to make sure that all of the doors and windows have
working locks. If you feel uncomfortable, ask hotel security to escort you
to and from parking lots or your room at night. Always use your peephole
before opening your door.
- Travel Tips for Clothing-- It’s always best to dress
conservatively and inconspicuously when traveling. Whenever possible, take
your fashion cues from local women. In some cultures, what you consider
attractive casual clothing may be seen as provocative or inappropriate, even
offensive, which could spark harassment. In addition, your style of dress,
or the amount of makeup and jewelry you wear, could make you a more likely
target for thieves.
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