Let’s face it, we would all be traveling to our heart’s content if we had all the means and the guts to confront some of our fears. But many of us are hindered by the images we see in the media of dangerous politics, tropical diseases, scary transport conditions and so much more. So instead of staying at home scared, wake up your intrepid traveler by knowing what to look out for, going through a detailed checklist, and talking to locals in the know.
Local Experts
Of course, no one will give you the low-down about the dangers, difficulties, and problems of a place more than someone who actually lives there. Locals are not only in the know of what to avoid, they can also tell you how they solve their everyday problems. Talk to travelers and locals on TriplnR, visit forums on Trip Advisor, post on social media, or find local friends to talk to about your concerns. Whether it’s finding out what neighborhoods to avoid or whether a volcano is actually dangerous, people who live or frequently visit a particular area can tell you if you are worrying for nothing or are in total denial about looming dangers.
Vaccines and Medicine
One of the hardest parts of exotic travel is that different areas of the world breed varying bacteria, viruses, and insects. Sometimes it’s as simple as having a hard time digesting a different water supply other times it entails massive virus breakouts. Because we are sometimes misinformed, it’s a good idea to become aware of local medical warnings before traveling to stock up on pills from home or to get recommended vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Medicine (CDC.gov) have an extensive website that allows you to search any destination for medication and vaccination precautions. The site informs you of disease warnings and recommended vaccines. It also allows you to search by type of traveler (for instance, family or pregnant woman) so you can receive specific recommendations.
Weather
Let’s face it, everywhere has its pluses and minuses and sometimes the most gorgeous destinations have bouts of extreme weather conditions. Figure out what the temperatures are going to be if there will be any extreme weathers such as heavy rain or snow, hurricanes or tornadoes at the time you plan to visit. There are several weather sites offering national and international travel conditions for all times of the year that you can access on Google. A personal favorite among meteorologists is wunderground.com. Research weather conditions months in advance for the projected temperatures and weather status at your projected vacation time.
Political Situation
Many a beautiful place has gone from hot tourist destination to scary war zone because of political turmoil. And sometimes it is hard to tell apart truth from hype if using the news or social media as a grounds for making travel planning decisions. Usually, the people who have the best pulse on a situation are people familiar with the locale. Chat with travelers and locals on TriplnR to find out what the feel is on the streets of your desired trip destination. For more formal warnings and detailed travel advisories, visit the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory page at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html for a summary of the political and criminal forecast of a region.
Local Norms
People are the same no matter where you go, yet customs can vary greatly. And sometimes not knowing or abiding by a local custom can be dangerous. Differing religious and gender expectations, cultural etiquette and norms of politeness should be observed as much as possible to ensure a positive and pleasant trip. Some of these differences may not be obvious in your home country yet can be scandalous abroad like walking with your head uncovered in Iran, shaking hands with your left hand in Saudi Arabia, or making eye contact with the opposite gender in Japan. Besides not wanting to offend anyone or do something illegal, staying safe stems from observing the local norms.
Language
When you speak a local language, you have a particular window into the soul of a nation. But poetry aside, knowing some basics in the local language can make the difference between arriving in the right place or losing your way, especially in very remote areas. Do yourself a favor and bring a printout of common expressions with you on your trip. If you really want to enjoy the local culture and avoid mishaps, try taking an online class or spend a few months on Rosetta Stone. It could make all the difference between a pleasant vacation that goes smooth and a series of problems.
For some reason, most great life experiences involve some risk. You may not be able to avoid risk altogether, but calculated risk and being prepared sure beat spending the night in a broken down foreign hospital. Cover your bases in advance and you just may be able to go to all the places you dream of.
