The Trouble With Traveling

Traveling is always an adventure, but sometimes your dream trip can quickly turn into a nightmare. A recent study in the Daily Mail in the UK, highlights the countries that travelers find themselves most often on the wrong side of the law, or horizontal in a hospital.  Below is a helpful info-graphic on some of the stark statistics.

We have found three key things to keep safe and secure while traveling:  Be prepared, Be in control, and Be kind.

Be Prepared

The old scout motto is key to staying safe in an unfamiliar area.  On every trip we take, we learn about the basics of our destination.  We learn some of the language, we study the culture and the do’s and don’ts, we have a feel for the laws and customs of the location.  Even with a very basic understanding of the environment, we have been able to avoid most big bumps in our journey.

Be in Control

So many things are beyond your control when you visit an unfamiliar country.  With that said, the things that you can control, you must.  For starters, watch your alcohol consumption.  We have witnessed so many travelers, lose their inhibitions while visiting a new country, let down their guard and get themselves in tough spots.  The next area to exercise caution in engaging in extreme activities.  Mike works in insurance, so we automatically never engage in anything fun!  In evaluating high risk activities like bungee jumping, white water rafting or ocean sports, take the time to understand the risks, and engage the services of people who are highly skilled and trained.

Be Kind

Simple kindness is often overlooked as a way to minimize danger.  The above strategies are key to basic safety and are really common sense ways to protect yourself.  In addition, as in regular everyday life, a little bit of kindness goes a long way.  We have found that treating others with a little bit kindness and courtesy gets you a long way.  We were recently traveling in Croatia and we were pulled over for violating an obscure traffic rule.  Instead of arguing and contesting, we simply confessed that we had no idea, and that we promised to never pass a dump truck again.  We were calm and respectful despite the fact that this was likely a tourist trap.  In the end, we paid a small fine and went on our way.  The moral of the story is, don’t let things escalated.  Treat others with kindness and courtesy and move on.

 

Ill and ill minded – An infographic by the team at Where Brits get into trouble abroad

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We wish you safe and happy travels!

Thank to our friends at My Voucher Codes for bring this info-graphic to our attention.