The State of Travel Nov. 2023 – Travel Safety

In the past few years there has been so much that has happened around the world and have affected our lives and has for sure affected travel around the world. The Pandemic, severe weather world wide, world wide instability and war might make people take a pause when deciding where to travel or to travel at all. We have continued to travel around the world but now more than ever you need to take safety in mind and make informed decisions. It never has been wise just booking a trip without knowing much about the destination but today you absolutely must take a look at what is going on in a location. While the world might seem scary and there are risks its still well worth it continuing to live our lives and explore what is a magnificent world full of many great people. While we should be cautious and informed, we should not live in constant fear. We still should get out of our comfort zone and try to grow and learn. While some might freeze in these conditions we should still keep moving as its rewarding. Unfortunately crime and incidents can happen anywhere and statistically depending on where you are going it could be safer there than in your home town in the USA Here are some of the guidelines and techniques we use as we keep traveling:

1. Research the Destination including Government Sources for Safety – The first thing we will do is research the country or destination we are going to so we can be informed of anything that is going on. Its important to of course look at what there is to do there but you also should take a look at what is going on and what risks there might be. We look at the US State Department website to start with and then countries like the UK and Canada’s State Departments information on a country we are not overly familiar with. We take this information with a bit of a grain of salt as sometimes we find the US State Department can be a bit more intense than what we have encountered but you should still be mindful. We have canceled or adjusted trips based on information we have found. I’ll also read up on blogs of travelers who have been to the destination we are looking into themselves to get an idea of what they experienced and advice. With all of this you will know what you could come up against safety wise or if its better to not go at all. Right now (Nov. 9, 2023) there is a Worldwide caution due to the various wars and risk of terrorism. Below is the link to the US State Department Country Information Site. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html
2. Look Into Any Weather or Natural Issues You Might Encounter – For your own safety its important to look into what the weather will be like not just for packing but to see what is going on. We have learned a couple times the hard way like when we went to El Paso and New Mexico when they were having freak flooding they hadn’t had in many years. In the Caribbean/Central America its normal to be hot and they have distinct rainy seasons where it can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to travel there. We have canceled trips due to Hurricanes at our destination or where we would be changing planes. While Earthquakes are something that can’t be predicted you can know if you are going into an Seismic Zone like in Mexico City so when we heard the alarms we generally knew what it was about.
3. Pack to Be Prepared – For us if there is a country where crime rates are higher or pick pocketing is prevalent we will pack money belts and other anti-theft items such as backpacks that lock and are slash resistant. We usually have things like disposable rain ponchos and a small umbrella (we have had people come up to us asking where we bought the ponchos) and we have a medicine kit with allergy, cold/flu medication, medication for stomach issues and things like Tylenol.
4. Check Local Customs, Laws and Health– There are different laws all over the world and things such as a decongestant with pseudoephedrine could cause you issues when entering a country. In Jordan the customs officers searched all our medications when leaving the country but we had already looked into the rules and made sure we didn’t have anything that would cause an issue. In some countries taking pictures of Government building could be an issue. Its a good idea to do a quick check of these kinds of things just to make sure you don’t end up in a lot of trouble. If you are traveling to a new country talk with you doctor to make sure you have all the vaccines you need as well.
5. Don’t Be Flashy and Pay Attention – This really goes for anywhere and especially in the USA you should be careful showing off expensive phones or cash in crowded areas. It just opens you up to theft and safety issues. Also be careful with wallets and purses. Donna usually wears a small backpack instead of a purse and will wear it in front if its very crowded. If you are driving DO NOT leave anything visible in your car. I have seen too many cars broken into (mostly in the USA) where people have left things visible in their car.
6. Use the Hotel Safe – Leave your passports, extra credit cards and cash in your hotel or cruise safe. It keeps your belonging much safer than having them on you.

While all of this might seem intense and a lot its just ways to keep you safe in a world that has it turmoil. I do want to encourage you all to keep traveling as it might seem bad out there but its not all as bad as it seems. We should all be cautious but still explore, learn and have fun out there. Life is short but wonderful and not meant to live in fear. For me personally if I stop learning and trying new things I will feel a great loss as expanding my understanding of the world through things such as travel is very important to me and I hope is for you too as we are not meant to be stagnant!