“The more I travelled the more I realised that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.”
– Shirley MacLaine
Travel safety is not something you should take lightly, especially given the turbulent times in which we live. Before leaving on your travels, make sure to do some basic research for information about your destination. It may also benefit you to become familiar with some basic local laws and customs so that you do not behave in a manner that may offend residents of your host country. If possible, become familiar with some simple words and phrases in the language of the country or countries you plan to visit. To facilitate your movements and plan your route before you set off (especially at night), get copies of (download onto your electronic device if you are taking one with you) maps and identify local attractions and essential services including local police stations and hospitals. Part of travelling safely should include obtaining the details of your home country’s local consulate or embassy’s address and phone number to keep on hand, in case needed. As an added safety precaution, given on-going terrorist activity around the world, review the US State Department and CIA World Factbook websites for any travel warnings and tips about your planned travel destinations.
When travelling in South Africa, in case of an emergency, dial 10111 for the police (this call is free from any phone box or landline) or dial 112 from a mobile phone.
In case of your luggage / handbag being stolen, make sure that you travel with certified photocopies of your valuable documents (passport, airline tickets, credit cards, visa, itinerary, and important phone numbers) and leave a copy with a family member or friend so that they can quickly access the information if necessary. Also, before you start your travels, make sure that you have checked with your insurance provider to see if you need additional coverage for travel, health and accident insurance.
When staying at a B&B or Hotel for a few nights, make sure to enhance your travel safety by being aware of where, in relation to your room, the nearest fire exit, fire alarm and fire extinguisher are situated. Keep your room door locked at all times and utilise the hotel safe to store your valuables, if one is provided. Don’t leave your room keys lying around; rather hand the key in at the front desk when you leave.
Whilst walking to and from your various destinations, make sure to appear alert and aware and pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t discuss your travel plans with strangers and watch your possessions, especially electronic devices which are easy to steal and re-sell.
All major metropolitan hubs have some areas that are known to be more risky than others. Avoid these areas as well as deserted areas where possible and especially at night. Do not wear visible jewellery, limit the amount of money you carry on you and keep mobile phones and wallets tucked away where no one can see them.
If you don’t need your electronic devices when you travel, leave them at home. If you do take your electronic devices with you, in order maximise your travel safety, do not leave them unattended. Clear your browser history and cache including saved usernames and passwords before you leave. Also delete any saved or bookmarked sites that could expose your personal information or browsing habits. Make a back- up of all your data (on laptops, tablets and cell phones) before you travel, and, for vital importance, make sure your antivirus, security patches, and firewall are enabled and up to date. Where possible, remove any personal data, pictures, information, and business files that you would not want exposed to the internet, rather store all such data in the cloud or on a business server. Consider all free Wi-Fi to be insecure, rather use a VPN connection before you log into any websites or access sensitive data.
5 Additional Travel Safety Tips
- If travelling abroad, ensure your driver’s licence is valid or obtain an International Driving Permit, if applicable.
- Never leave your drinks unattended in bar’s and restaurants.
- Be wary of anything for free i.e. free wi-fi, free transport, free drinks etc.
- Only use reputable tour guides and operators
- Keep a low profile.
Related Links
Northeastern
South Africa Info
Best Western
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