Tips to Traveling Safely
Are you becoming nervous to travel?
Here are some tips on how to feel more confident when you travel
We recently had a booth at the Wine and Food festival showcasing wine-themed river cruises. I love talking about Europe, as we have traveled to 19 countries in Europe, and I love talking about river cruising. I was surprised at how much I ended up talking about the “fear” of travel. With the recent events in Spain, England, and France, I had a lot of people tell me that they wouldn’t travel over there anytime soon because of “all the things that have happened.” It is not uncommon for people to feel a bit uneasy at the thought of going to a place where something bad has happened to innocent people. Eventually, time heals and people start to feel more confident in traveling again, but it does take time.
What if you don’t have time to heal and you are traveling soon after an incident has occurred? How do you prepare yourself mentally to travel? Have faith, hope, and believe! Here are some tips with helping increase your confidence to travel.
Tip #1: Lightening doesn’t strike twice in the same place. This is also typically true when it comes to attacks. Once a city or area has been attacked, a large amount of security surrounds that area to make sure it is secure. It becomes very difficult for anybody to try anything suspicious because everyone is on edge and quickly responds by contacting the appropriate authorities. This is typically the best time to travel to these places because you have added security, and you get to experience a city or area come together like they have never done before.
Tip #2: Set up private tours and transfers. With a private tour or transfer, you have less people to worry about if something goes wrong. You have your own personal concierge or chauffeur that can get you away from the area quickly and safely, rather than having to worry about a large group of people all trying to get on a large motorcoach. Private tours also take you behind the scenes of some places so your guides will know the in’s and out’s of the place.
Tip #3: Each day make sure you have your smart devices fully charged. Information is key! If you are feeling unsafe, then you need to be connected to the world to find out what news outlets or bloggers are saying is going on where you are. Also make sure you have data and voice plans available for your phone.
Tip #4: Be open minded about changing your travel plans. If you feel so uneasy or find out information that makes you more concerned about the area you are in, then try to change up your destinations. Make sure to have your travel consultant’s information on hand and give them call to make a reservation at a hotel in another city or country and arrange a private transfer. Yes, it is going to cost more money to change your plans, but hopefully you will feel much more relaxed.
Tip #5: Be aware of your surroundings. This sounds like something you know you should be doing but it easy to forget where you when you are walking around an amazing place. Knowing where you are and making sure you understand where to go in case you have to get somewhere quickly, is key! Every day, when you plan out where you are going, make sure you know exactly how to get back to your hotel or the US Embassy quickly. Like James Bond, have an escape route.
Traveling is a part of life for everyone. Whether you go a museum on the weekend or travel abroad to visit 1000 year old sites, it is part of who we are. The best way to protect ourselves and make ourselves feel more confident about travel is to be prepared. If you have trip coming up, consider trying out some of these tips to help make you feel more at ease so you enjoy your time traveling.
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