http://grrrltraveler.com/the-grrr/traveling-solo/video-travel-q-8-safety-tips-solo-travelers/ For a more detailed post visit the link above (Apologies, but it will go live this Wednesday). 8 Tips for Solo Travelers 1. Be Aware of your Surroundings. Be aware of what's around you and who's around you. The idea is "If you can see it, you can deter it". This example is much like driving a car. We take special attention in observing and being keen to things going on around us so we can make quick decisions to avoid accidents. 2. Hold your Valuables Close to your Body Thieves and pickpockets always search for the most vulnerable target. Usually these are travelers who aren't paying attention and leave their belonging unattended. 3. Act Confident It's all in the attitude. Criminals target tourists who look distracted, lost, vulnerable and naive. Learn to develop your street smart look. I lived in New York for some time and if you look at an every day New Yorker, you'll notice they have a bold and confident stance. 4. Trust your Gut Always listen to your gut and intuition. If it doesn't feel right, it's not right. Trust that. 5. Avoid sharing personal information with strangers Never give stranger personal details about your relationship status, whether you're traveling alone or what hotel you're staying at. When you tell people you're traveling alone, you're telling others that you're unaccounted for. No one will miss you if you suddenly disappear. 6. Avoid Dark and LonelyPlaces at Night People are often surprised when I tell them as a female solo traveler, I go out at night. But it's also more open to danger. So I know to take stronger precautions and preventative measures regarding my safety. I crank my alert on high. I'm make myself more aware of things and people. I avoid dark and unlit areas.I also avoid any areas where I can be pulled into darkness. I stay on the main street and in the well-lit zones. • Simple Objects can be used as weapons I also carry a small weapon, like a pen. I hold it in my hand vs. keep it in my bag. If someone jumps me, I won't have time to dig in my bag for it. 7. Dress Appropriately Research the country dress and dress appropriately. Dress to respect the culture. Even to blend. Some travelers will buy the clothes of the country so they can blend more. 8. Research the Country • Research Safe Countries to travel to (especially if it's your first solo trip) Ask friends what they'd recommend and read up on the safety of the country. Choose countries that would be considered safe for women to travel in. • Check Travel Alerts & Warnings Americans travelers have a website to get up-to-date information on country alerts and travel warnings. The site is www.travel.state.gov and it let's us know what countries are safe for Americans to travel. Check your government site to see what's considered safe for you to travel to. • Be informed about common scams and dangers of the country I've been scammed before. Probably more times than I'd like to admit to myself. This has all made me a wiser (and slightly more jaded) traveler and after a while, you learn to spot them better and quicker. So I always like to read up on the crimes most prevalent in the country and those targeting travelers. If I know what it is, I can safely avoid it when it happens or I'm approached. *LET'S CONNECT!* Facebook: http://facebook.com/GRRRL.TRAVELER Twitter: http://twitter.com/grrrltraveler Solo Travel Blog: http://grrrltraveler.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/grrrltraveler Instagram: http://instagram.com/grrrltraveler For more videos about travel survival | solo travel: http://youtube.com/ckaaloa GRRRL TRAVELER pens everything from her own adventures as a mid-life female solo traveler, who left her freelance career as a reality TV show shooter/producer to take a gap year(s) teaching English in South Korea. Now she is back in the U.S. and finding her next adventure. Finding your GRRR!is about empowering oneself as a traveler by navigating cultural diversity, while experiencing the bizarre, foreign, frightening and often times, funny.

• published: 02 Sep 2013
• views: 133