Travel Safety Tips

Travel Safety Tips

Today, as COVID-related restrictions on travellers are easing and countries are beginning to open their borders, we’re going to offer seven travel safety tips to help reduce the risks of the road.

Travelling often takes you out of your comfort zone, delivering benefits such as:

• Better understanding of other people and places

The satisfaction of overcoming communications challenges

• Heightened creativity
• Peace of mind
• Reduced risk of depression
• Break from your daily life
• Makes you a more interesting person

Yes, travelling delivers many great experiences and is joyous—except when it’s not! Though we often don’t like to admit it, travelling can also cause suffering and be dangerous. Here are our seven travel safety tips to help reduce the risks of the road:

1. Travellers should pay close attention to hygiene procedures at their destination. One way of doing this is to check out in advance hotel or Airbnb health and safety or hygiene-related protocols/accommodations, especially in terms of COVID-19. We recommend choosing destinations with certifications.
2. Bring clothing appropriate for the physical activities that you plan to do. Uncomfortable shoes can lead to painful blisters, heel pain or even ingrown nails, while poor arch support can lead to back, knee and hip problems—all of which are sure to reduce the benefits your trip can provide. As for the rest of your body, be sure to take appropriate heat-insulating clothing for colder climates (boots, jackets, gloves, hats, possibly heat warmer inserts) and light-colored, loose-fitting, moisture-moving garments for hotter climates.
3. Write down emergency information for all places you are going to be travelling to before you get there. When an emergency arises, you might not have the time or tools to search for contact information for local police or ambulance services. We recommend storing this information on your phone and writing it down on a card you can slip into your wallet.
4. Purchase travel insurance before you head out the door, not only for injury or illness, but also for cancellations/interruptions and expensive/valuable items that you might be taking with you. Insurance is something you may not think you need—until you really do need it. Travel insurance can be purchased for the exact number of days you will be away or for larger blocks of time up to a year.
5. Food and water safety considerations are fundamental to any successful trip. We recommend, therefore, translating before your trip the details of any allergies you might have, and carrying a card with this information to hand to servers and other food handlers throughout your trip. If possible, watch the cooks/chefs prepare your food to help prevent you from eating anything that might be unhygienic. Also, bring a bottle with a filtration system to help eliminate any unknown bacteria in drinking water. Many a traveller has experienced the consequences of drinking unclean water . . .
6. Prior to your trip, tell your friends and family the details of where you plan to go, possibly giving them a printed itinerary that includes contact information. Keeping them informed as you travel from place to place can also help get you out of a jam. Be sure, however, not to share with strangers too much information about yourself, your itinerary or where you are staying. It’s a fine line between being friendly and open to meeting knew people and exposing yourself to scammers.
7. Pack a waterproof first-aid kit for common medical emergencies and medicine you take on a regular basis, including a little bit extra should your trip home be delayed. Carry all medicine in their original containers with clear labels that identify your name and dosing schedule. If you have a chronic condition, such as diabetes, seizures, or allergies, consider wearing a medical alert bracelet.

Next time you travel, keep in mind these travel safety tips. You don’t want to be caught unprepared while enjoying yourself away. If you are in need of any safety equipment for your trip, contact Heartzap and we’ll be happy to assist.