As much as travel broadens the mind, heart, and soul, we still need to go into the experience with an open mind as much as a prepared one. Ensuring we prepare for emergencies and prioritize our safety is absolutely critical, and this is doubly so when you are traveling by yourself. This is why there are a number of things that you need to be aware of so you can prioritize every aspect of your physical and psychological safety:
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
It’s tough to remain alert constantly, but it’s partly about ensuring that you are alert and mindful, particularly if you are constantly looking at your phone. When you are using public wifi, make sure that you have updated security software so you can protect yourself against malware and other threats, but also look at something like a VPN (Virtual Private Network), as this can protect your data from potential hackers.
If you are traveling by yourself over a long period of time, it’s vital to prioritize your online safety as well, especially if this is how you tend to access or receive money. When you are aware of your surroundings, particularly when you are accessing the internet from a café or a public area, you should get into that mindset where being alert is your default setting. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy your experiences because you are hypervigilant, but when you make peace with the fact that you need to keep your wits about you in public areas, particularly ones you haven’t researched too well, then this can make all of the difference.
Planning Ahead
Of course, research is a key part of your experience, and while many people don’t like the idea of properly planning, you’ve got to keep an eye on what the worst-case scenarios could be in your chosen destination.
There can be areas that you need to avoid or safety concerns with regard to public transport. When you’re using transportation, you should always be cautious about accepting rides from strangers. Only use licensed, official taxis or ride-share services, but also when using public transport, sit near the driver.
The Key Ways to Protect Your Belongings
When we’re out and about by ourselves, we’ve got all of our personal possessions close, but if you could keep valuables locked up in your hotel safe or, even better, take a portable safe with you, this can make a huge difference, and another good example is a money belt or a hidden wallet, as you can store cash and important documents.
But ultimately, you should avoid carrying large amounts of cash or flashy jewelry. Flashy jewelry can instantly stick out in these public settings, which is not the best idea. You should learn how to blend in, which you can do by learning about local scams and how to avoid them, being discreet when you’re looking at maps or guidebooks in public settings, but also be very aware of local customs, particularly in how you dress. Modest dressing is the best approach.
We are all more than aware of the typical signs of a tourist, for example, the clichéd camera around the neck, and this is why blending in could be incredibly beneficial.
Trust Your Judgment
You should recognize that if something feels wrong, then you should trust this feeling. It’s always a good idea to know how to contact local emergency services if needed and to be aware of locals who are overly friendly and offer unsolicited help. Likewise, you shouldn’t share too many details about your plans with people you don’t know.
Feeling safe is as much about mindset, and this means understanding the best types of techniques to boost your confidence, which can be things like meditation. But looking at the worst-case scenario, for example, if you were on the receiving end of an attack or a mugging, this could mean tapping into some basic techniques in self-defense and de-escalation skills, as this can help to reduce potentially harmful encounters. Self-defense is a very useful tool, but we should always learn how to stop or deflect physical conflict as quickly as possible.
Solo travel should be an experience that you will treasure forever, but many people come home having been on the receiving end of someone they trusted too much or internet issues, as well as a lack of awareness. Therefore, when it comes to your mind, body, and attitude, you always need to ensure you are safe when solo traveling.
