As life changing as it might be to travel alone , it is important that you remain cognizant of the fact that there is no one around to watch your back. For this reason, you need to pay more attention to everything around you. Many of the travel tips that I came across before I took my own journey around the world were geared towards families, women, and children. There is nothing wrong with this, in fact, I applaud it, but I also wanted to make sure that men have a handy little traveling list that they could refer to in order to keep safe when they travel alone. There are lists for things that every man needs in their lives , but there aren't many travel tips made for men. So without further ado, here are 10 safety tips geared towards men who travel alone.
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1.Purchase Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is beneficial to you if your connecting flight is canceled, or if you lose your valuables at the airport during your flight. It will also come in handy if you happen to injure yourself during your trip, as it will help mitigate the cost of healthcare in a foreign country. No matter the type of unlikely circumstance that life throws your way while you are on a solo trip, having travel insurance in your corner will make it much more bearable.
It is very easy for most men to brush things off as unnecessary, but trust me when I say that not getting travel insurance really sucks if it turns out that you need it. Purchasing travel insurance also gives you a chance to learn about any restrictions that you might have while flying. It may also inform you of some of the health and safety risks that the area you are visiting has.
2.Let People Know Where You Are
It might not sound fun to always keep someone updated on your location, trust me I know. It is very exciting to get lost in another country and go completely off the map, but it isn't always a safe option. The simple act of letting people know where you are allows you to develop a pattern, and thus your friends and family will already be on alert for your safety if you do not check in with them.
Also, it makes it easier for authorities to track your movements and find you in the event that you go missing (worst case scenario). Needless to say, it is important that when you travel alone, you do not just vanish off the face of the earth (unless that is your intention). Leave some breadcrumbs in your wake so that people can find you if need be, but like I said if you're traveling to hide then ignore this section.
3.Don't Advertise That You're Traveling Alone
Some men have the natural compulsion to brag, and this compulsion intensifies while they travel. However, it is important that you do not get sucked into the false sense of camaraderie that foreign soil can breed. This is not to say that every beautiful person you meet while you are traveling is your enemy, but it is simply a call for you to be cautious about whom you hang around and what you say to them. Regardless of how you feel about the people that you meet on your journey, do not divulge that you are traveling alone (no matter how beautiful or gorgeous they may be).
Advertising that you are traveling alone puts you at risk and makes you a prime target for criminals and burglars who are looking for easy marks. Have you seen the movie Taken (the original)? If you haven't, I suggest that you take the time to watch it before you travel. It might sound paranoid, but it will no doubt keep you safer and out of harm's way .
4.Know How To Contact The Authorities
I am sure many of you reading this are probably thinking, how is this a manly thing to do? The Alpha Male that lies dormant in most males (in some it's always on the loose) will be tempted to come out and keep you company when you are traveling alone. It is important to realize that your personal safety is at a much higher risk when you are traveling alone. As such, learning how to properly contact the authorities whenever you are in a different country is an absolute must.
There are those who think they might not need to contact the police or call an ambulance for any reason, and this is probably your Alpha Male talking over you. Requiring assistance when you are in a foreign country is not something that should even remotely bother you. In fact, it is something that you should want to do because it could very well be the determining factor between having a good trip and having a horrible one.
5.The Fewer The Gadgets, The Better
When you are traveling alone, it is advised that you keep the use of your gadgets to a minimum because it takes away from your situational awareness while simultaneously garnering unwanted attention. Any of these things would be a cause for concern on their own, but together they are truly frightening.
In addition to the points listed above, keeping your gadgets to a minimum allows you to keep better track of them while you are on the go, which reduces the chance of you misplacing something important and expensive. If you want status symbols like watches, make sure that you choose one of the more affordable watches . Same goes for any other product. The cheaper it is the less likely it is to be stolen, and the less you are going to worry about it.
For some men, it is in our very nature to flaunt whatever we have, but when you are in unfamiliar territory, it is best to keep that to yourself. This is important in everyday life but even more so when you are traveling abroad and you are on foreign soil. As welcoming and hospitable as some countries may be, it is important to always be aware of the fact that you are at a unique disadvantage.
Even before you touch down, you should take the proper steps to secure your bags . Everything from your flight to your stay has the potential to put your valuables at risk. If you are not a local, there will be many things that you are not accustomed to, and this places you in a precarious spot. This is why you should leave the flaunting until you are back on home turf, that way you don't incentivize anyone to take advantage of you.
7.Make Use Of A Pocket Dictionary
Traveling is about immersing yourself in a different culture and engaging with the people around you, but sometimes this is hard to do with a language gap. A good way to get around this is to make use of a pocket dictionary (or an app with the same function). This will produce more fruitful social interaction. It will also make the locals more accessible. Trust me, you will not be meeting anyone interesting at a bar or club if you stand around sputtering and being misunderstood all the time.
This is the perfect time to bring up this handy safety tip since I just addressed being at a bar or a club. Now, a lot of men enjoy drinking while they are traveling, and I have nothing at all against this. However, it is important that you do not drink to the point where you are clearly drunk because that can be a problem.
Alcohol laws vary from country to country, and in some places, it is a crime to be intoxicated in public. However, this is a minor concern because being put in a cell to sober up is one of the best-case scenarios. The consumption of alcohol (in large enough quantities) leads to impaired mental faculties and impaired motor skills. This limits your response time and makes you prime for victimization.
Being drunk also makes it harder for you to keep your guard up if the need arises. In effect, this makes you a much easier target for thieves and criminals, and many of them will not hesitate to take advantage of you in your inebriated state. It is imperative that you have your wits about you when you are traveling in another country and this is hard to do when you are visibly impaired.
There are some men that are naturally aggressive and dominant, and this is a trait that should take a backseat when you are abroad. The last thing you want to do is make people dislike you when you are far from your support network, and the fastest way to make people dislike you is to be abrasive and rude. It is key to your safety that you remain open to new ways of doing things and try to keep a positive outlook at all times.
This allows you to form bonds with the people that you meet, and it will make you much less of a target for burglars and criminals. Blend with the culture of the area, and try not to offend those around you through your ignorance of local customs. Be sure that you are not a pushover, either. Stand your ground, but do so politely.
None of the points that have been made above will keep you safe while traveling unless you are mindful of your own limits as an individual. At this point, it is common knowledge that travel of any sort can be fun if you let it be. But you have to be mindful of your surroundings, and make sure that you do not get carried away and blame it on the heat of the moment.
If you have never jumped off a cliff while you are at home, surrounded by people you know, it is not advisable to try and do it when you are off in another country. Try new things when you can, but be sure that there is someone around who may be able to assist you in the event that the worst-case scenario occurs.
Conclusion
Travelling can be fun, and it allows you discover a good deal about new places while simultaneously learning so much about yourself. The benefits of traveling often are at times mitigated by the dangers people face when they travel. Hopefully, this list of tips will help you make the most out of your next trip while simultaneously keeping you safe while exploring.
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