Traveling Tips

Some tips for those who travel solo, especially for girls.

1. When traveling on buses and trains, do not use the luggage rack above the seats. It is easy to fall asleep while traveling and it is even easier for a fellow passenger to swipe your bag and exit without your knowledge.

2. When walking back to the hotel or hostel late at night, walk in the middle of the road. Stay away from poorly lit sidewalks. Usually the center of the road is the most illuminated. It also gives you freedom to run if necessary and allows you to be in the eyesight of bystanders in the case of an attack.

3. Listen up ladies, do not allow guys to walk to home. Many guys are hoping for a holiday fling and may be quite pushy when you say good-bye at the door of your hotel. It is easy to say adios at the club and avoid an awkward or dangerous scene at the hotel.

4. Don't get drunk. I know when on holiday, a few cocktails are going to be enjoyed, but don't be stupid. The list of dangers that can happen to an intoxicated girl while in a foreign country are numerous. To illustrate my point, take a person who ignores both tip number 3 and 4, and that equals a serious situation. I know from experience....

5. Listen to your instincts. When traveling, sometimes you just get a gut feeling that says, 'don't do that!' God gave us little internal alarm systems, and we should use them.

6. Never leave a beverage unattended or accept beverages from a stranger without seeing it prepared. The use of drugs such as ruffies are on the rise in countries all over the world, even in poorer countries. As someone who had a male gigolo send her a drink, I should know that not guys are out 'just to have fun.'

7. When entering a taxi or tuk-tuk, make sure the the driver has a license posted and that the picture matches the driver. If the driver refuses to use a meter, get a different taxi. I have had an ordinary car drive by a group of me and my friends, turn around, stick a fake taxi sign on the top of his car, and try to get us to get into his car. Make absolutely sure that vehicles you use are legit.

8. I recommend girls to stay in hostels over hotels. It allows the opportunity to meet up with other solo travelers. The added camaraderie coupled with the safety in numbers factor makes it a win-win.

9. Just be aware that being a solo traveling makes you noticeable. Even if you are safe and play it smart, you will be subject to scrutiny. As a female traveling alone, I often had guys approach me, even sometimes saying that they had seen me earlier that day or night as a conversation starter. On the surface, that statement is benign. But if one thinks about it for a second, the creepier it gets. Just know that people are watching you and not everyone is altruistic.