You can almost guarantee that if there is going to be a problem it will be when you are on vacation in an unfamiliar place but by following a few simple rules, the consequences can be minimized. Travel can be expensive enough as it is without expensive mistakes which could be avoided, resulting in a dislike for your chosen location and its people. Some people are affected so badly they will not leave the resort they are staying in which is not the way to spend a vacation. The most important weapon in your armory to travel safely is your common sense so don’t dismiss this invaluable ability if you want to enjoy your vacation.

Trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right, do something about it. Always be careful about traveling with all your documents and money if you are just going to town to see the sights or have a meal. Consider just what you require for your trip out and take that, placing everything else that is of importance in your room or hotel safe.

A handy tip is to place a small amount of money in a number of locations like bags or pockets then if you happen to lose a bag, visa card or money, you will still have something there to keep you going until it can be resolved.

Many couples who have not adopted the travel safely ethos will have 2 credit cards, both accessing the same account; it is much easier to use two cards, each accessing separate accounts so if one is lost or stolen, there is a backup. A big thing now is bag and camera snatching from people strolling along, often in the road and unaware of the potential danger so make sure you wear the backpack on your back and sling your camera over your head and shoulder.

Always avoid letting something hang from your shoulder next to the road as it is easy to grab something from the back of a motorbike as it passes you. Everyone has heard the stories of different confidence tricks that have happened to vacationers because they are relaxed and let their guard down but the truth is these people do this sort of thing for a living.

We can become complacent believing it will not happen or we are cleverer than them but this is how they make their living and in many cases the way that they feed their family every day. If you carry a bag of any kind, buy yourself a small padlock or combination lock as the few dollars you spend will be well worth it as it will deter the majority of sneak thieves. To prevent keys being lost or stolen try attaching them to a climber’s D-shackle that you can place on your belt or pack of some sort, this should help stop anyone trying to snatch them quickly from you.

A word of warning to those men that always have their wallet in a back pocket; try putting it somewhere else as this is the first place that criminals look and it is an easy target for them. The only reason these types of events happen on vacation is most people are not traveling safely so by maintaining your guard, many awkward situations can be avoidable.