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Personal Security While On Vacation
Being Safe On Your Vacation
Millions of Americans take a vacation nearly every year, alone, with a spouse, or with the whole family. But few take the proper precautions to protect themselves. Here are some tips in order to keep you safe.
Travelers' Personal Security – Packing Security begins at home For individuals traveling with jewelry, this means wearing your most valuable jewelry in flight. Large diamond ear studs are fine to wear with everyday travel clothing; other travelers will assume they are fake cubic zirconium earrings, or rhinestones.
Large necklaces and bracelets can be worn under a turtleneck sweater or other clothing that masks the neck. Make sure your clasps and hooks are in good repair so you do not accidentally lose your jewelry while walking through the terminal. What you cannot wear should be packed in a handbag or fanny pack. Beware of backpacks – would-be thieves can open a bulging backpack and remove valuable items without the traveler ever knowing their personal security was breached. If you need to travel with valuables, keep them out of sight and keep the luggage that contains them close to you.
Always make sure that your can see the luggage and if someone does try to take your bag, just let it go. Your personal security is more important that your valuables, so make sure you do not fight thief. You do not know if they are carrying a weapon and you really don’t want to find out. Better yet, leave expensive jewelry and electronics at home. Pack items you won't mind losing when you travel.
Travelers' Personal Security--Public Transportation-- Check departure times for trains and planes before you begin your travels. This way you won’t get stuck in the wrong terminals and put yourself at risk getting lost or losing personal items. Also, when you are traveling, protect your personal safety by sitting near aisles or doors, if possible. Always know the location of emergency exits and alarms.
Try not to sleep on public transportation. This can open you up to theft. Also, consider investing clothing and accessories that are specially made in order to conceal important documents such as your passport, money, and credit cards. It is important to keep money in more than one place on your person, so that if you are robbed to can hand over some cash, and they will not get everything, including the passports and credit cards.
Make photocopies of all your important documents and place them in another safe location, so you will at least have copies available if your originals are stolen.
Travelers' Personal Security – Cash Every traveler needs some cash at the airport for tips, newspapers, meals, etc. However, no traveler should carry more cash than absolutely necessary. Usually about $20 to $30 in fives, tens, and ones will meet the traveler's need for cash at the airport. Every modern airport has an ATM. If you need cash at your destination, use the airport ATM after you arrive at your final stop. Carrying and flashing large amounts of cash create an irresistible temptation for thieves.
Travelers' Personal Security – Shopping The best security advice is to travel with a companion who can watch your belongings for you while you shop, eat, and use the restroom. If you are traveling alone, rent a locker to store your belongings while you wait for your flight to board. Even if you need to rent two or more lockers to stow all your belongings, you will be relieved to carry a small key around with you instead of rolling and toting bags and baggage filled with your valuable belongings.
Travelers' Personal Security – Security Check One of the places most travelers commonly lose things is when they go through security. As you pass through security lies, be aware of how many bins or trays you have left your belongings in, and be sure you have checked that same number of bins or trays before you leave the security area. Always keep your eyes on your laptop. If there is a delay with a person in front of you, try to hold back your laptop until it is resolved otherwise your computer may end up on the other side of the scanner within easy reach of a thief.
Travelers' Personal Security--Sightseeing The best thing to do is to research the area where you are going to be traveling and make sure that you can blend in to the crowd. Don’t wear blue jeans everyday in the place where wearing something like blue jeans is not common. Wear comfortable walking shoes, not sneakers so as not to identify yourself as American in anti-american countries.
Try to blend in as much as possible and you will be taking and extra step in protecting your personal security. Too many people have their own idea of what an assailant will look like that they often ignore many other warning signs. Often times, news reports are quick to point out that a person was robbed by someone wearing a suit and tie and the victim never saw the attack coming. Had they looked for signs other than appearance, they may have been able to detect the person's actions and attitude as a threat. People have a mindset about what an attacker will look like and miss the signs of danger.
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