There is nothing worse than having problems occur when you are on vacation, especially in a foreign land where many things are unfamiliar. Usually these problems could be prevented but may give a false impression of the location you have visited. Or worse still, a situation that sees you locking yourself in your hotel room, afraid to go out, or even spending time at the local Police station. The most important weapon in your armory to travel safely is your common sense so don’t dismiss this invaluable ability if you want to enjoy your vacation.
If you ever get that distinct feeling that something is wrong, which often happens on vacation, that is your instinct giving you a warning that you should take notice of. A big mistake made by many tourists is they take everything of value with them which makes it very easy for thieves and pickpockets to steal their whole identity in one go. Take just what you need for the day and leave the rest in the hotel safe as it is better to lose a little, rather then everything. One suggestion that can help reduce the risk of losing everything is placing cash and credit cards in different locations like pockets, wallets and bags; a pickpocket who is trying to steal from you will only get a small amount, leaving you with means to get back to the hotel.
As an added measure when using travel safely methods, carry credit cards from different accounts; should one be lost or stolen there is a second to fall back on. Many resorts are renowned for bag and camera snatching which is not so easy to do if they are over your head and shoulder. If you are the person carrying the camera or bag, then walk away fro the edge of the road where it is easy for motorcycle thieves to grab something and make a quick getaway. We have all read about the different scams that people have fallen for and the truth is people continue to fall for them because the scammers are professionals and they’re good at it.
We can become complacent believing it will not happen or we are cleverer than them but this is how they make their living and in many cases the way that they feed their family every day. If you use a small backpack or day bag when wandering the streets or local markets why not buy a small padlock because would be pickpockets will be put off straight away. Another good idea is to use a hikers (or climbers) small shackle that can be used to safely secure your keys to a belt or bag for those people that frequently lose their keys. Both men and women lose their wallets and purses because men have wallets in their back pockets and women have their open handbags; so the easiest thing is for men to change the place they keep their wallet and for women to make sure their handbag is closed properly. Generally speaking there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a great vacation if you just remember to travel safely, listen to your instincts and act using your common sense.
