Do's and Don'ts: Travel Safety

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Travel Safety for Wanderers Like Me

When I travel, I don't always have a plan and I end up wandering around because I am too cheap to pay for a taxi or the even the metro ride home. Sometimes being too cheap means having to sacrifice some things, like safety (although taxis can be just as scary as a metro ride) and (my parents') peace of mind. I stay in low budget hotels and I only take public transportation if absolutely necessary and walk where I can. Aaaaand sometimes I end up in some interesting places. Yeah, interesting is the word that I am going to use. But I've learned how to stay safe while still being as cheap as I can be. So here are some of things that I have noticed so far.

Don't

Don't always trust google maps. It's accurate, that's for sure. But sometimes it leads you through some places that you just don't want to walk around in as a solo female traveler. By the time I saw the hardcore drugs come out I new it was time to turn around and go see something else. Thanks for getting me there in less than 30 minutes Google Maps, but I'd like to make it to my destination in one piece.

Do

Avoid railway stations. Everywhere I go rail stations are always sketchy. I haven't found a decent one. So while it's convenient to have your hotel near a rail station, it's not the safest choice. Instead choose a place in the city center or near the city center. Also, it's not always a good idea to go to rail stations for fun. People know people go to rail stations to travel, so many will take advantage of the opportunity to steal from tourists. So always be careful around those areas.

Barcelona, Spain

Don't

Don't be too flashy. Keep all of your items close to you. Don't leave anything lying around unattended. Don't leave things with strangers to watch over. And don't wear flashy jewelry, especially necklaces that can be easily ripped off by someone just passing by on the street. Keep your purse tucked tight next to you and don't always go flashing around a nice Louis Vuitton bag. But then again, if you have a nice Louie then maybe you don't need to worry about budget cuts to your trip.

Do

Book hotels near some touristy attractions or where there are a lot of other hotels on the map. I personally like to book my hotels/hostels in the city center either near a lot of other hotels or near main tourist attractions. This saves me money on transportation and usually these areas are a little safer than staying next to a train station. It also means your walk back home at night will be shorter.

Don't

Don't ignore your instinct. Even if your instinct is as flighty as a cat, trust it. If you feel like someone is following you, treat yourself to something in a store around you. Avoid anything that involves dark light areas or alleys. And while touristy roads are littered with pickpockets, I prefer to walk where there are a bunch of people where I can easily blend in if needed. And there's no shame in taking a moment to regroup if your alert systems are kicking in. Better safe than sorry.

Do

Know what battles to pick. Going after someone that stole three Euros from the coin machine before you could get it: not smart. And for clarification, I didn't do that. Maybe practically body blocking someone else so it wouldn't happen again wasn't the best idea either. I did do that.

Milan, Italy

Don't

Don't forget to pay attention when taking selfies, or any other distraction. Be careful of the people around you. Like I said before don't leave anything unattended and keep your personal items close to you. Just be aware and don't only focus on your camera. I've gotten really good at taking fast selfies. I don't always look my best, but I can be proud of my lightening speed.

Do

Remember to bring all important items with you rather than leaving them at the hotel. Even if you have a private room, someone can easily come in and go through your stuff. Keep all your boarding passes, passports, and money with you unless there is a working safe in your room.

But the most important is don't let the possibilities scare you out of travel. In my six months as a solo female traveler, the worst that has happened to me was having  almost four Euros stolen. I'm aware of my surroundings and the second I see that I got myself in a bad situation I remove myself from it, and then laugh it off later on.