Stay safe when backpacking
January 25, 2006The appeal of loading up the backpack, with cheap flight in pocket, and heading out to discover hidden corners of the globe is strong amongst many of us.
But in this rush for a taste adventure some people may leave their common sense behind and face trouble through a lack of preparedness.
The Guardian has a very useful article about the steps you can take to make sure you don’t become a crime statistic or rack up a steep medical bill.
Written by Ingrid Marson, who has backpacked around the world and written a book about it, the piece says just telling people where you are going is a good start.
Although the appeal of travelling solo is that you can go wherever you may wander a few simple facts left with someone else such as where you intend to go and when, can be a real help if things go wrong.
My own favourite of spreading your money around yourself is also featured, and I also carried a pocket full of small change to hand over if faced by someone as most thieves aren’t looking to hang around.
Many articles stress the importance of travel insurance and it really should be top of your list, there is no comparison between the cost of a policy and the bill you may face after being flown back in an air ambulance.
Ultimately staying safe means keeping your wits about you and thinking, would I do this back home? If not then don’t do it.
Related article:
Get in the know before travelling
© Cheapflights Ltd Craig McGinty
