Safe Travelling Tips Before Backpacking
Backpacking and travelling is one of the most rewarding and gratifying things that you could do.
Backpacking offers independence, excitement and a whole world of discovery but at the back of travellers mind is the fear of the unknown and the what ifs. More often than not it is the parents and the family have the same feelings.
Before your departure there are a few things that you should do and check in order to have the most protection if anything should go wrong while travelling.
These safe travelling tips can and should be used for any traveller, not just backpackers. After all you are most likely far from home and know very little people while at your destination.
The first and most logical step for safe travelling is simply just to let your family and friends know where you are.
Something I did when I journeyed over to Europe for an extended amount of time was to print out a calendar of the first 2 months while travelling. I marked down which country I was in and when in different colours so that my parents could easily see where I was.
For each of the destinations that I knew where I was staying, I added the name and number of the hostel for those dates as well.
By doing this it gives those closest to you, peace of mind because if they need to contact you while you are away they at least know where to start.
Another fantastic idea is to register your details with your government. Here in Australia we have Smart Traveller and most countries have something similar.
Similar to the calendar idea that you give family and friends, here you register the same details of where, when and how to contact you at each destination.
In the event of a crisis or environmental catastrophe, the government will know where you are, who your next of kin is and are then able to plan your exit of dangers way.
Another bonus and benefit of these types of sites is the real time information of alerts and warning status' for each country.
Even if you don't register your details, you should definitely check these alerts and warnings. Check these messages before purchasing your flight and again shortly before your departure.
The site will warn you about war, uprisings, natural disasters and the like. That way you know whether or not it is suitable for travel.
The alerts and warnings will give you a guide of whether it is 'safe to travel', 'not recommended for travel' and 'don't travel' depending on the severity of what is going on in the destination.
The last and biggest point I can make about safe travelling before backpacking is to make sure that you get travel insurance. And yes I understand that travel is already expensive and added this extra cost is not the most favourable.
Maybe you have travelled quite a lot in your life and have never experienced an incident€¦ that is great news! But what about your next trip or the one following that, can you guarantee you will be safe?
Travel Insurance covers more than just medical expenses, it also covers stolen goods, lost luggage's, cancellations and more. Each of the scenarios is certainly possible, so making sure you're covered is a good way of protecting yourself and your goods.
Medical is by far the most important factor on an insurance policy, so if you really do not want to pay for travel insurance then at least get a very basic policy that covers medical.
Doctors and hospitals are generally very expensive for tourists and in some cases, hospitals may turn you away if you are not covered€¦ otherwise they run the liability risk.
A lot of the major credit card companies cover travel insurance if you purchase the travel using your credit card. These are mostly minimal coverage and you still need to contact the bank after purchasing your travel in order to obtain a policy number.
Travel agencies and online website might charge around 2% credit card surcharge, so the travel insurance isn't necessarily free. The best option for you would come down to how much you're paying for the travel and what the difference between price and coverage of a standard insurance policy to see if it is worth it.
Backpacking and travelling anywhere in the world should be fun and exciting, but covering yourself in the unlikely event that something does go wrong is just smart and logical.
Safe travelling should be practiced by everyone and anyone that travels whether internationally or even domestically.
Backpacking offers independence, excitement and a whole world of discovery but at the back of travellers mind is the fear of the unknown and the what ifs. More often than not it is the parents and the family have the same feelings.
Before your departure there are a few things that you should do and check in order to have the most protection if anything should go wrong while travelling.
These safe travelling tips can and should be used for any traveller, not just backpackers. After all you are most likely far from home and know very little people while at your destination.
The first and most logical step for safe travelling is simply just to let your family and friends know where you are.
Something I did when I journeyed over to Europe for an extended amount of time was to print out a calendar of the first 2 months while travelling. I marked down which country I was in and when in different colours so that my parents could easily see where I was.
For each of the destinations that I knew where I was staying, I added the name and number of the hostel for those dates as well.
By doing this it gives those closest to you, peace of mind because if they need to contact you while you are away they at least know where to start.
Another fantastic idea is to register your details with your government. Here in Australia we have Smart Traveller and most countries have something similar.
Similar to the calendar idea that you give family and friends, here you register the same details of where, when and how to contact you at each destination.
In the event of a crisis or environmental catastrophe, the government will know where you are, who your next of kin is and are then able to plan your exit of dangers way.
Another bonus and benefit of these types of sites is the real time information of alerts and warning status' for each country.
Even if you don't register your details, you should definitely check these alerts and warnings. Check these messages before purchasing your flight and again shortly before your departure.
The site will warn you about war, uprisings, natural disasters and the like. That way you know whether or not it is suitable for travel.
The alerts and warnings will give you a guide of whether it is 'safe to travel', 'not recommended for travel' and 'don't travel' depending on the severity of what is going on in the destination.
The last and biggest point I can make about safe travelling before backpacking is to make sure that you get travel insurance. And yes I understand that travel is already expensive and added this extra cost is not the most favourable.
Maybe you have travelled quite a lot in your life and have never experienced an incident€¦ that is great news! But what about your next trip or the one following that, can you guarantee you will be safe?
Travel Insurance covers more than just medical expenses, it also covers stolen goods, lost luggage's, cancellations and more. Each of the scenarios is certainly possible, so making sure you're covered is a good way of protecting yourself and your goods.
Medical is by far the most important factor on an insurance policy, so if you really do not want to pay for travel insurance then at least get a very basic policy that covers medical.
Doctors and hospitals are generally very expensive for tourists and in some cases, hospitals may turn you away if you are not covered€¦ otherwise they run the liability risk.
A lot of the major credit card companies cover travel insurance if you purchase the travel using your credit card. These are mostly minimal coverage and you still need to contact the bank after purchasing your travel in order to obtain a policy number.
Travel agencies and online website might charge around 2% credit card surcharge, so the travel insurance isn't necessarily free. The best option for you would come down to how much you're paying for the travel and what the difference between price and coverage of a standard insurance policy to see if it is worth it.
Backpacking and travelling anywhere in the world should be fun and exciting, but covering yourself in the unlikely event that something does go wrong is just smart and logical.
Safe travelling should be practiced by everyone and anyone that travels whether internationally or even domestically.
