Most of us love to travel around the world because it’s fun and adventurous. We get to meet new people, make friends, discover new places and experience various cultures. But, as we all know, every trip comes with its fair share of risks including theft, accidents, natural catastrophes, and violence. Because of this, it’s very important that you prepare well and put in place measures that will ensure that your journey is enjoyable and memorable.
Here are several tips to make your travel as comfortable and safe as possible:
a) Ways To Make Your Travel More Comfortable
Carry Comfort Aids
Spending several hours traveling by bus, train, or plane can make you tired and stressed. To pass time and overcome boredom, some people prefer to chat with fellow passengers, listen to music or sleep. If you fall in the last category, travel pillows can help to support your neck and spine while sleeping, thereby making your sleep more comfortable. They also help to reduce joint pains and snoring during travel.
Dress Strategically
You never know how the weather will be on the way to your destination, so dress strategically. Put on clothes that you can remove easily if the weather turns out to be hot. Soft, loose, and breathable clothes are recommended when traveling during the summer because they make you feel relaxed and more comfortable.
Avoid wearing tight clothing that will make you uncomfortable. You should also carry at least a jumper, sweater, or a blanket to keep yourself warm when the temperature drops.
Wear Appropriate Footwear
If you’re thinking of wearing that stylish pair of high-heeled shoes you bought recently, don’t, because you’ll regret it big time. Besides making you feel uncomfortable, wearing heels will also make you take longer to go through security checks at the airport.
Your best bet is to wear trainers or low-heeled shoes that fit properly. Wear shoes that you can take off easily at the checkpoint and put on faster being checked. Also, if you love wearing jewelry, try to keep what you wear to a minimum to avoid taking longer when going through security. They can also be stolen if you’re not careful.
Carry Earplugs
Earplugs come in handy when you want to sleep without interruptions during your travel. They’re very effective in blocking out all the noise coming from chatting passengers and crying babies nearby.
Listen To Your Favorite Songs
Also, don’t forget to bring your favorite playlist along. Whether you’re traveling abroad or within the country, listening to relaxing music will help to calm your nerves, put you in a good mood and make the journey less stressful.
Pick A Good Place To Sit
Every person has a preferred sitting position when traveling. Some people like being close to the window in order to get fresh air, while others prefer front seats. There are also those who like middle or back seats. Whatever position you choose to sit, just make sure it’s far away from engine noise and smelly bathrooms.
Empty Your Pockets Before Sitting Down
This is another important tip you shouldn’t ignore if you want to stay comfortable while traveling. Unload all sharp things from your pocket before sitting down to avoid being poked/pierced on your butt or side. Keep them in your small handbag to avoid getting lost.
Hydrate
Lastly, you also need to carry enough, clean drinking water to keep your body energized and well hydrated throughout your travel. Don’t drink soda or coffee (even if you feel like it) because they’ll only leave you dried out, tired and uncomfortable.
b) Ways To Make Your Travel Safer
Do Proper Research Before Traveling
This is the first step you need to take if you want to have a safe journey. Don’t go to any place without having knowledge about how things are done there. Take your time to conduct proper research and learn more about the country you’re traveling to. Make sure you know something about the country’s culture, cost of living, political situation, as well as safe spots to hang out, eat, and sleep.
You should also learn the local language and be able to communicate with the local people properly. Know how to order food in a restaurant, ask for directions, and seek help when necessary. Doing so will help you to blend in easily with the locals and prevent others from taking advantage of you.
Avoid Standing Out From The Rest
Standing out among locals in a foreign country may make you feel different and special. In reality, however, you’re only making yourself a target for robbers, scammers, and all other bad people. Therefore, avoid anything that makes you draw more attention to yourself like showing off your wealth or looking confused. Try to blend in with the locals as much as possible.
Take Travel Insurance
An unexpected loss of personal effects, sickness, flight cancellation, accidents, or death can turn your travel into a nightmare. That’s why you need comprehensive travel insurance to provide you with protection against any of these emergencies.
Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
Free public Wi-Fi can be very tempting when traveling, but please don’t use it to post pictures on social media, chat with friends or buy something online. That’s because it’s easier for hackers to steal and use your information through public Wi-Fi. Carry a portable router if you plan to use the internet.
Protect Your Devices With Strong And Unique Passwords
Protect sensitive information stored on your phone or tablet from hackers by creating a unique and strong password for each of your devices. This way if your phone gets lost while traveling, your credit card information, email, social media accounts, and social security number will not be hacked and used illegally.
You may also want to enable location tracking on your phone to help you track it. Another option is to install wiping software to destroy all stored data in your stolen device.
Carry Only What You’ll Need
Carry only important documents that you’ll need for your trip i.e. your passport, medical insurance, driver’s license, and credit cards. Anything else that you don’t need should be kept safely at home. Once you reach your destination, lock the documents safely in your hotel room when going out to have fun.
Keep Your Valuables Safe At All Times
Since pickpockets, thieves and other bad people are always on the lookout for unsuspecting travelers, keeping an eye on all your bags at all times will go along way in preventing them from getting lost.
Keep Your Money Safe
Many people have lost their wallets and handbags containing cash, credit cards, and other important documents while traveling. The same thing can happen to you if you’re not careful. So, keep your wallet safely out of reach to avoid being a victim of cash theft, identity theft, or credit card fraud.
Overall, traveling comfortably and safely is a great way to start your journey. Whether you plan to travel by train, bus or plane, the above practical tips will help you stay protected and comfortable, give you peace of mind, and make your traveling experience exciting and unforgettable.
