A part of one of my studies was about safety. Human safety, safety for building and more. From that moment I check some situations. Just standard, can’t do anything about it. In combination with my travel trip I made a safety list for backpackers. Safety first so I think it is good to share with you as a backpacker. Other way to stay safe is to avoid scams in Thailand.
Before you read Backpacker Safety tips
Some safety is just the feeling of safety, be confident!
I’m not your mom, but life is to beautiful to die right?!
Backpack and life free, don’t be afraid to travel free from the things below!
Understand the risk and reduce it. Not more not less.
MY nr one safety tip: don’t be stupid wear your seatbelt
I’m still confused why people don’t wear a seatbelt when the seatbelt is available. Wearing a seatbelt reduce the chance by 42% to have a fatal injury. The safest seatbelts are the 3 point seatbelt. Also in the bus, wear your seatbelt 🙂
Video my nr one backpack safety tip
Avoid travel alone on bad moments at bad places
Yes of course it depends on the place and moment. Let the locals inform you about where you can go and where you can’t. In Asia I never felt unsafe so far. There are 18 year old girls traveling here as well no problem. Just take care when you go where.
Backpack safety tips: Important documents
Make a copy of your important documents, like pasport, medical pasport, creditcard & insurance card. Important is to separate them from the originals. For example one in your small backpack and one in your big backpack. And storage them online in your email or Mega.co.nz.
Save your contacts
I think you know the phone number of your best friends, parents maybe brother and sister. But make sure you have the number of the important persons you need. For example your bank when your credit card is stolen. Directly block the card. Maybe the number of the embassy & Health insurance.
Backpack safety tips :Personal belongings
Don’t show your most valuable belongings everywhere. The most places is no problem. And always keep an eye on your valuable belongings. Don’t put the valuable stuff in your backpack in the luggage space of the bus. Better wear them on your body or close to you.
Separate your sources of money
Same as with your important documents separate the sources of money. Do you’ve two credit cards? Separate them so when one bag is stolen you always have one left. Other good thing is a account like paypall and a account like Airbnb. With Paypall you can transfer money easily and book seral products online. And with Airbnb you only need to know your login to book an apartment. So you have always a place to sleep at a normal place.
Act confident
Don’t look to often in your guidebook. Just walk a little further and do it there again. Wear comfortable but respectable clothing that lets you blend in with the majority of people around you, act confident and look like you belong there. I think the Maps.me is very useful to have. It is a offline map so you walk always straight to the right location. It brings confident as well. You always know where you are.
Pay attention on the right moment
Ofcourse you are on a travel trip you’ve to relax! But be aware at the right moments. Busy places, busstops etc. don’t look on your screen to much maybe take out your earplugs. You don’t have to be paranoid just pay attention.
Just google de places where you go “place name scam”
It is handy to know something about the culture, the places and the scams. For example I googled “Don Det Scam” found the laundry scam and busticket scam. On that moment you just know what to look for and recognize the scam faster.
Bring a flightbag
We all know the stories about drugs in a bag and it isn’t from him or her and the get locked up for many years. Yes that happens a flight bag with a special lock makes it harder to put something in your bag during your checkin and flight. A good flight bag is also good to have in hostels. When you put your bag in the storage room. Or just in the dorm where you don’t trust that one guy. (99.9999% of the travelers are cool) When you have a waterproof backpack it can safe your valuable electronics on a busride with the luggage on top.
Save you photo’s and contacts
We life in a time where is wifi available at the most spots. So backup your photo’s and video’s. When I’ve a good connection I upload all my photo’s to Mega.co.nz. Mega provides free 50GB online storage! They have a website and app available. You can also backup your contacts somewhere in the cloud.
Check the emergency exit
You don’t need to worry but it is good to know where the emergency exit is. Better know it than try to find it when in a bad situation.
Travel medical kit
Bring a travel medical kit. I hope you don’t need it but better bring it so you can use when you need it. When you have a medical kit already check before you go if the products inside are still good. Maybe update you’re kit when you go do a different country or region.
Your personal belongings
When book a hostel or check a hostel I always check if there are lockers available. So I can put my valuables in the locker. When I use the locker I always use my own padlock. (you can use a padlock with numbers so you never loose your key)
Backpacker Safety tips and Health
Before you go on your trip inform which vaccinations you need. Do you know that you can die in 48 hours if you’re bitten by a cute monkey? Yes I know they costs a shit load of money but better than a couple of weeks ill or even worse die.
Remember that you can prebook a lot of things
Maybe you arrived somewhere and it didn’t worked out the way you wanted and you veel a little unconfident. Remember that you can prebook a lot of tours and accommodations. Build up your confident again and just try again when you feel good!
Don’t give to beggars.
They often work in gangs. After you gave the “poor” person the money the others know where your wallet is. When you want to give something you can buy something in the shop for them or have soms change money in your pocket. (also be aware of scam, it is sad but for example: When you see women with a baby they ask you for milk. They go with you into the shop and point at the most expensive one. You buy the milk, say good luck. When you’re around the corner they ran in to the shop and change the milk for money. And of course there are exceptions!)
Backpack safety tips Travel insurance
When you go backpacking it is important to have a good travel insurance. Who takes care of your belongings and your health. Check the contract of the insurance before you signup, there are a lot of insurances who don’t cover you on a big trip.
Reorganize yourself
For some people it is hard to travel, all the people around and the full dorms. Sometimes you have to slow down. Just book a single room and relax! Reorganize your backpack. Check everything, take your time to plan your next trips. Feel good and travel further.
Fun backpack safety tips
It is a fun tip I read but maybe good when you go to places where they don’t offer good keys for your room. Bring a doorstop. You can always lock the door from inside. So when you are sleeping they can’t steel. (Yes happened to me 6 years ago sleeping in a room with two friends, they robbed us on one meter from our bed.) On my cycling holiday I wrapped two little bells arround my bike when I went into a shop or slept on a campside.
Last Backpack safety tips tip.
Don’t try to be the hero. Stuff is just stuff you can replace it. The medical world isn’t so far that they can give you another life.
