Solo Travel Safety Tips
- Written by News Feature Team
Solo travel can be an exhilarating experience, allowing you to see the globe on your own schedule. However, travelling alone also brings with it some potential risks. Before you secure a camper van hire for your next solo drive, ensure that you’re prepared to travel safely. By following these tips, you can keep yourself safe as you journey from one destination to the next.
1. Learn Your Destination
Take time to study your destination long before you hit the road. Map out your road trip so that you can learn about the roads you’ll be driving on. If you’re travelling internationally, learn about local culture and slang so that you won’t stand out as a tourist when you converse with locals. Identify any areas that you’ll want to avoid due to high crime rates or dangerous driving conditions.
2. Stay On Course
Once you’ve created your itinerary, stick to it. Don’t deviate from your plan because that’s where trouble can lie. While you might inadvertently make a wrong turn along the way, you don’t want to go off course simply to explore a new area. Remember the research that you conducted before your trip. Make the most of this knowledge by sticking to your route.
3. Share Your Itinerary
When you’re road tripping in a campervan on your own, you want to have someone looking out for you. Identify a friend or family member who you can trust with your travel information. Share your itinerary with this person so that they have a general knowledge of where you are on every day of your journey. Should an emergency occur, you’ll be easier to find if someone knows where you are.
4. Check in with Friends and Family
Similarly, stay in communication with friends and family during your trip. You might send a text or make a phone call after a long day of travel. You can even post updates to social media to keep your loved ones informed of your whereabouts. They’ll all breathe a sigh of relief when they see your updates from the road.
5. Secure Your Belongings
Always be cognisant of where your belongings are located. Never leave your belongings unattended, as this will increase the risk of theft. For example, keep your backpack, purse, or wallet on you at all times. Don’t leave your laptop bag on a table at a café to save your seat. Make sure your campervan is always locked when you depart on an adventure to keep your belongings safe.
6. Disperse Your Valuables
Minimise the damage in the event of a theft by storing your valuables in different locations. For example, don’t leave your wallet, passport, smartphone, and campervan keys in your backpack or purse. If it’s snatched, you’ll be left with nothing, which can turn into a travel nightmare. Instead, keep your passport secured in a safe in the campervan, and only carry your keys when necessary. Carry cash or credit cards, but not both, unless absolutely necessary. Keep a credit card or extra cash stored safely as backup in the event of a theft.
7. Stay Alert
Don’t let your guard down when you’re travelling alone. Always stay alert, whether you’re riding on local transportation, dining at a restaurant, or going on a hike. It’s easy to let your guard down when you’re relaxed and travelling, but you must protect yourself when you’re travelling alone. Always keep an eye out for potential problems or questionable characters so that you can avoid issues during your travel.
8. Be Wary of Strangers
Part of the fun of any solo adventure is meeting new people. However, strangers aren’t necessarily trustworthy, so you should always be wary of strangers you encounter on your journey. Never go somewhere alone with a stranger or group of strangers. Keep your interactions to crowded, public places to maximise your safety.
9. Find a Group
As a solo traveller, you might feel—and even be—vulnerable. To look like less of a target when you’re travelling alone, find a group that you can mingle with in public places. For example, if you’re on a mountain biking trip, ride with another group. If you’re feeling especially vulnerable at a restaurant or bar, sit near a larger group so that you aren’t identified as a solo traveller. These easy precautions can reduce your vulnerability when you’re on the road.
10. Trust Your Instincts
If a situation makes you feel uneasy, leave it. If a person you encounter during your travels gives you a bad feeling, move on. Trust your instincts when you’re travelling because chances are, those instincts are right. Never put yourself in a situation that makes you uncomfortable, and if you find yourself in one, find your way out of it as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Let your solo travelling experience go off without a hitch by adhering to these safety tips. Planning your itinerary, familiarising yourself with your surroundings, and always staying alert can lead to a safe and successful solo vacation.