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Budget Travel Tips - Safety, Security, and Common Sense |
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On your next trip, keep the following points in mind. Just alittle forethought and planning can vastly increase yourpersonal safety and security, wherever you happen to go. Beloware a few of my favorites:
* Don't travel with precious possessions and be discreet withcash and other valuables. Leave sentimental and irreplaceableitems at home preferably.
* Protect your essentials like travel documentation, passport,traveler's checks, credit cards and more. Concealing themon-person, in a pouch or somewhere in your clothing is allaccepted practice. I learned this one the hard way!
* Be watchful but not paranoid about being at risk of becomingor being a robbery victim. You will end up spending excessivemoney on cabs everywhere as opposed to taking a gentle troll andor exploring by foot!
* Keep valuables concealed in crowded places. Don't consider hippockets and dangling bags good places for your wallet!
* Don't carry excess cash you don't need, especially at nightand don't flaunt cash in public under any circumstances. Don'tmake yourself a visible and easy target.
* Divide and spread your cash and other money instruments liketraveler's checks around your luggage. Don't carry it all in oneplace.
* A good security tip is wrapping your wallet with a rubber bandor two to make it harder for pickpockets to remove it from yourpocket without detection! Better yet, don't carry a wallet atall! Get a money belt.
* Keep your luggage safe, with you and secure at night when yousleep.
* Never leave luggage and or valuables in a car, bus, taxi,train or other form of transportation.
* Always watch at security screenings and customs checks toensure that your belongings do not disappear. Anotherhard-learned lesson. It's often difficult to be on your toesaftera long international flight. I walked away from a customscheckpoint without a very important bag, just out of fatigue! Bealert!
* Speaking about customs, when exceeding the duty-free limits,know that it will cost you dearly, up to as much as 10 % on thenext $1000 worth of goods.
Here's a few more of my favorites:
* Avoid the duty-free lure and trap. Typically, all shops inairports and train stations are expensive. It is a myth that youalways save money! Actually, compare the next time you try tobuy liquor or souvenirs against reputable quality departmentstores. You might find to your surprise that the prices arehigher!
* Be creative with meals and do not hesitate to improvise andeat like the locals. For example, a picnic or a quick bite toeat on the beach or in a park is one of the best ways to keepyour food costs down and save your travel dollar for theevenings and dinners out.
* Be resourceful and curious. Know as much as you can about yourdestination and prepare as well as you can, even for theunexpected. Read any and all literature you can find on what youshould know before departing, such as facts, warnings,advisories, entry requirements, crime statistics, demographics,local economy, attractions and special events for your dreamdestination.
* Arm yourself with personal information. Having all your bankcontact telephone numbers written down on a piece of paper,packed in your luggage and somewhere else on your person or inthe hotel safe in an envelope with your other valuables you wantunder lock and key is the best way to protect your financialinterest. Finding out in advance who to call in case your checksor credit cards are lost or stolen is very important and willsave you time and money and minimize the impact of any theft andor aftermath of lost, misplaced or stolen cards, wallets andtravelers checks.
So plan a bit, stay aware, and have a great trip.
About the author:
Pete Cullen runs a budget travel tips website. To get more greattravel tips, please visit http://easy-budget-travel-tips.com.This article may be re-published in any form as long as thisresource box remains intact.
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