6 Low Key Travel Safety Hacks

Don’t be afraid to ignore or come across as impolite if something doesn’t seem right. You can leave a situation, not speak to someone, or say no if you have a bad feeling.

I always take a business card from the hotel I’m staying at and that way if I get lost or confused, I can show that to the driver in case he doesn’t speak English.

Act confident even if you do not feel it. Has worked well for me

It's also useful to take a picture of your luggage before you leave home. If the airline loses your bag or it's stolen, you have a picture to give to the airline or police.

A tip for older people or people with chronical diseases: - have a written copy with all your diagnosis and your medication chart - written in local language (the country you are travelling to) or at least english - make sure to mention the active ingrdient next to the brand name of your medicine - keep it always in your purse or backpack - put a little post-it on your ID-card or health insurance card that says something like: you can find my medical information in.... It is of great help not only during an emergency when you are unconscious, but also with any interaction with a physician, hospital or pharmacist. Especially when you do not speak the local language. A health problem during your travel is stressing enough and such a list helps a lot to get adequate help.

A somewhat overlooked tip: moderate your alcohol consumption.

Bring a wedge-shaped door stopper and put it under the hotel or Airbnb door when you go to sleep to prevent someone from coming in.

Not all cultures accept that you travel alone. If people start bugging you, tell them that your spouse died. That happens in all cultures and is respected.

I once knew a high roller gambler when I worked at a casino and he dressed slightly above homeless and almost always had a shopping bag because he was obviously expecting to get robbed but never was. Smart dude. 😂

Maybe a video on what does a person actually do if the passport is stolen or lost? Just an idea. Maybe you’ve covered it before 😊

Mine are: - try to find out what locals tend to wear (I don't mean traditional clothes, I mean daily fashion), and dress accordingly. This might not help a lot if you obviously look different from locals, but not dressing in shorts and hawaii shirts if the locals don't, goes a long way. - act confident, as if you live there, walk with purpose. Don't try to find the next route or place in the street, instead memorise them a bit at your hotel or at a cafe or something. - if you do have to stop to look for directions, again, act as if you live there. Find a spot out of the way, like go sit on a bench or lean against a wall, don't stand out, act nonchalantly. - don't get drunk! Have a few drinks, sure, but DON'T GET INTOXICATED

Not over packing is one of the absolute best tips you gave! I just turned 60...but still love to travel and I find it is harder as you get older to schlep luggage around, especially in Europe. Now we only do carry on luggage with an easily dealt with tote or backpack as the airline "personal item". It is so freeing and I am not a tired mess all the time!

Reusable grocery bags are some of my favorite souvenirs! Easy to pack, and I get to remember my vacation every time I go shopping at home.

A tip I do, when traveling to Europe, as a guy, is to wear a nice scarf. Blend in. Also, while walking around the streets, not only abroad but to those who come up here to the northeast USA, NYC/Boston/New Haven, don't walk around and smile at strangers. Gives you away as a tourist to those areas right away.

Hi Walter, regarding scammers taking payment from you mobile phone nfc. I’ve used both Google Pay and Apple Pay and no scammer could get a payment from my phone just by tapping e.g, my pocket hosting my phone because I have my phone setup where you have to momentarily double click the power button to activate the default card to appear on screen before tapping the card reader. Once transaction is complete, the payment method is no longer active unless you double click again for a new transaction. Also, I have to FaceID my phone before I can use Apple Pay so if you set your phone up right, shouldn’t be a problem 👍🏾

If you are a lone traveler: - Never say you are alone! Always say you are with friends, or you're meeting your friends later today. (Criminals will realise someone will notice if you go missing.)

A twist on the "football jersey" rule: I have found that wearing a NATIONAL team jersey actually gives you stat points from the locals and can be helpful. I was recently in Chile and Uruguay and I wore a national team jersey in both countries (not all the time), and I got a decent amount of recognition for it. Also, if you are in a city that has only ONE league team, wearing that team jersey can also be a good thing. That being said, I wouldn't wear an Arsenal jersey near Stamford Bridge.

Good list Mark. I do all of those, plus: Take a picture of my bags and the contents before I leave, Air Tags for the inside, printout of reservations in case of dead or stolen phone, two days of cash in the currency of the country I'm going to in case of lost credit card, and a Pac Safe bag with straps that cannot be cut and locking zippers.

I read one time that if you rent a car, purchase a couple of local newspapers and leave them either on the back seat or somewhere in view. This is a visual clue to potential thieves that the car owner is a local and not a tourist.

Love your videos! Here's another safety tip: We always pack a nightlight. It weighs nothing and is easy to pack. But when you get up at night in a strange place to go to the bathroom, a nightlight can help keep you safe by saving you from stumbling over something and / or falling. Just an idea!