Safety First…….How to Stay Safe Around the World

Let’s not beat around the bush.  I have been to 116 countries. I have been to “unsafe” and “dangerous” places as a solo female traveler including Iran, Iraq, and North Korea.  I currently live in Delhi, India and work in a slum. I am tall and blond which means I don’t really blend in anywhere. For all intents and purposes, I live life on the wild side. Yet, my scariest ever encounter was actually in New York City.   

There are many preconceived ideas about how dangerous the world is for women traveling alone.  Thankfully, in my experience, this has not been the case. Sure, I have been lucky. But I also try and be smart.  Below are some of my top tips for staying safe when you are on the road.

• • • Do your research!  I can’t say this one enough.  I don’t mean research like looking at the US State Department warnings for a place (which are often geopolitical bullshit).  Read blogs or guide books about a destination, search for other people that have been there. If you are traveling somewhere in Western Europe or Southeast Asia, congrats.  This should be easy. For some of the more far-flung destinations, I also check out couchsurfing (good rule of thumb is that the more female hosts there are, the more tolerant and open the destination).  
  • • Pick a good place to stay!  It doesn’t have to be the Ritz but DO NOT always book the cheapest place you can find.   Like they say, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. While saving on accommodation can help make your trip lasts longer, sometimes it just isn’t worth it.  It could result in minor annoyances like having loud roommates in a party hostel or it can be much worse than that. Make sure to check out the area that the accommodation is in.  Is it a close distance to public transport? Is the neighborhood safe? What is located nearby? I usually use Booking.com and search by distance. This generally pinpoints the middle of a city.  I then filter search for something with good guest reviews that is in my price range.
  • • Do not carry your passport with you!   Some people say that carrying their passport is the safest way to keep track of it.  Others keep it safe by locking it away in the hotel safe. Personally, I hide mine somewhere in my backpack.  This works best for me because 1) I don’t have to worry about getting my purse stolen as much 2) I don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving it behind in the hotel safe.  P.S If your passport is stolen, it isn’t the end of the world. Your embassy can usually help you get a new emergency one that will at least get you home.
  • • Make sure you have enough money!  This should be a no-brainer but it is shocking to see how many people travel on an absolute shoestring.  As much as I love traveling, I would never do this. If you are so low on funds that you aren’t sure how you will eat or pay for a hostel, save up your money and go later.  Worrying about money constantly definitely puts a damper on your trip and it can cause you to be in unsafe situations.
  • • Let people know where you are!  Again, this is common sense but it is sad to read about so many women who go missing and no one knows their most-recent whereabouts.   I always try and check in to Facebook when I get to a new city so people have a rough idea where I am. While it certainly isn’t foolproof, it is at least something.
  • Carry as little luggage as possible!  While some people cry that they can’t go away for  weekend with only a backpack, I managed to travel for a year and a half with only a carry-on.  Traveling lightly doesn’t just limit the physical pain of having to carry everything with you, financial pain of paying hefty fees to check your bag on an airplane or emotional pain when you lose your all-time favorite pair of jeans.  Traveling lightly also keeps you safer. Without so much baggage, you are able to move faster, blend in easier and be more self-reliant. You can hop out of a taxi quickly if you feel unsafe and can quickly swing your bag up onto an overhead rack in a train without relying on help.   You also have less stuff for someone to steal. Ditch the hair dryer, cosmetics, and pack clothes that you can wear for many different occasions. Hand-wash your undies and bras and get used to living with just a few items. Trust me, it is well-worth it in the end.
  • DO NOT get wasted!  Ok, so I am not going to lie.  I have not always adhered to this rule and have imbibed on quite a bit of beer while I have traveled.  However, it is extremely important to not get fall over drunk when you are traveling alone.  Those new “friends” that you met?   Don’t trust them.  I have had fellow hostel mates try and climb into bed with me, I had someone steal my Lonely Planet guidebook  (this was before easy access to internet so it was SORELY missed), I have had my purse stolen while my “friends” were supposed to be watching it.  The point is that you can’t really trust people that you have just met. Keep your wits about you and make sure that you can get yourself home.  Do not rely on anyone else to do it for you

I hope this list helps you feel more confident during your next trip.  If you have any other questions, feel free to post in the comments section or send me an email!