Do not overlook these four easy ways to stay safe and secure while traveling

Traveling is the dream of many people. The chance to see new places, meet new people, and try new things is tantalizing and addicting. Obsession aside, getting out of the house sometimes just feels great. (Moreso if the destination is warm, and you’re leaving a cool climate, say Minnesota at -30 degrees, but I digress…)

So, you’ve done it. You’ve prepared your house for traveling. You’ve planned things down to the minute. You’ve arrived at your destination! Ready for pro-tips on staying safe and secure while out and about? Read on…

The four pro-tips:

ONE – Check out the water situation. You should always drink plenty of fluids, and this is still very important while traveling. Keep in mind, though, that according to the CDC (as well as common sense), there are many places where you should only drink bottled water. In these cases, avoid tap water, ice cubes, and fountain drinks.

TWO – Be cognizant of the food you put in your mouth. It is always rewarding to have a chance to interact with new cultures and try new things. For many cultures and people, food is an integral part of this experience. However, you must use common sense. Consider how a place looks. If a place appears to be very dirty or unkempt, it may not necessarily indicate it is bad, but it is certainly a strong sign. Especially pertaining to street food, look for hot items that have been cooked up in front of you. Avoid food that has been sitting for some time, or is somewhat cold (when it should be served hot).

THREE – Use a “burner” wallet when shopping or paying. It has been common advice for a long time not to carry a standard wallet or purse when traveling abroad. Frequently, the advice is to wear a pouch type of thing facing the front, under your shirt, and shoved down the front of your pants. While this might be very useful and discreet when walking around, what do you do when you have to pay? Discreetly untuck your shirt, take the sweaty pouch out, and attempt to tease out a reasonable denomination of local currency while keeping all of your other bills and documents in place… ?? Yikes. Thus, the burner wallet. Before you head out for the day, put some money in the burner wallet, and keep it in your front pocket. When paying at merchants or restaurants, pay out of that burner wallet. Finally, if someone hassles you for money (or worse), simply toss the burner wallet, and run the other way. The perpetrator will think they are successful, and worse case you’ll be out a subset of your on-hand cash.

FOUR – Remember that “being polite” DOES translate in every language and culture. To be fair, it is possible that you could do something inadvertent that could momentarily be perceived as rude. However, if you are actively trying to be polite, this comes across in near crystal clarity. Things like “Please/Thank You” (especially in the native language) go along way. Other things like keeping your voice down, not slamming doors, not being pushy, waiting your turn, holding a door open, not flashing money or goods around, not getting drunk, etc, are all excellent ways of being polite. Certainly, this doesn’t mean you should be a push-over. However, being polite will show, and it will significantly reduce the chance of a negative experience.

There are many other good tips on staying healthy, safe, and secure while traveling. What other tips do you recommend?

Safe travels, and safe traveling!