Preparation is the Key to Safe Travel

There are items of travel safety that we, as the passenger, have absolutely no control over. When American Airlines decided to ground their MD-80s for a safety inspection, thousands and thousands of passengers were stranded. I’d been through something similar, at Newark, when the clock was running out on the time frame Continental had to inspect their puddle jumpers. They ended up grounding them all until the inspections were completed.

My husband and I enjoy traveling. We have done a lot of domestic and international travel over the past few years. Reactions to some of our destinations have ranged from "You are going to be out in the middle of WHERE?" to "Didn’t you know that city isn’t safe?" to even "ARE YOU NUTS?" But we went anyway, We arrived safely, stayed safe and returned home safe.

While a traveler has no control over everything that can happen, one can certainly stack the odds in their favor. What are some of the things you can do?

1) Work with an experienced travel agent. Once when I mentioned an exotic destination to an agent, she replied "There is NO WAY I’m sending you there". It wasn’t until later, after I had done some research on my own, that I realized how right she was. At that time the location was very unsafe for tourists.

2) Go with a group. This is a particularly good option if you don’t know the local language. I know a lot of people like to travel independently but the fact is there IS safety in numbers.

3) Rather than wandering a strange city on your own, ask at your hotel if they can arrange a city tour with a local guide.

4) Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do at home.

The author and her husband have just finished visiting 6 continents. The 7th, Asia, is on the schedule. You’ll find more tips, suggestions and resources at Safe Travel Information.