Travelling alone and how to stay safe..

Once you have decided you want to travel there are many things to consider. Should you travel alone, or go with someone else? What is it about travel that makes you happy? How much do you want to spend? Where do you want to go? How can you protect your identity whilst on the road? What should you pack? What type of accommodation should you book?

The benefits of travelling alone are that you get to do what you want, when you want. You can enjoy being with others or avoid them, and enjoying being completely alone. A part of travelling and visiting a foreign country is experiencing the local culture. The best way to do this is to know some language before you go. If you don't manage to do that, at least learn some important phrases to help you on your way. Below is a list I found on the wandersafe site (ref below).

​https://www.wandersafe.com/20-words-that-will-keep-you-safe-when-traveling-solo/

​Wandersafe states the following: "Before articulating the list, I preface that humans are humans no matter what they speak. A smile and sincere greeting is the first thing that you should do before every asking anyone for anything. It sets the scene for cooperation and engaging with someone. Consider your smile a five dollar note, everyone wants one and wishes more people were giving them away freely."
1. Know how to greet someone in their language including hello, good morning, good bye etc.
2. Use polite expressions such as please, thank you, excuse me
3. Learn how to say "I don't speak _________" or "how do you say ________ in ________________"
4. Directional phrases such as "Where is the _____________" or words for water and toilet and I'm lost. 
5. "how can I get there?" Is there a dress code?"
6. Food and health related phrases such as "I am gluten free" or "Do you serve _________?" or "What is the expectation for tip giving?"
7. Safety questions such as "Is it safe for me to go?"

There are many safety precaution apps which can help keep you safe and family aware of your location. There are online communities and trust zones in most countries of the world. Having a travel plan and sticking to it is the best way to stay safe! While you are waiting until we can all travel again why not consider learning a language before you go? Contact us and we can help you get started on your language journey.