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Name: Alan Burke, Renalyn Taba
Email: a.burke_gwa@gemsedu.com, r.taba_gwa@gemsedu.com
Weekly Meeting Time:
Meeting Place:

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CI - Travel can open opportunities to connect to the world. 

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CI - Travel can open opportunities to connect to the world. 

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LOI #1 – An inquiry into the negative impacts travel has on the world.
LOI #2 – An inquiry into the reasons why people travel
LOI #3 – An inquiry into safe travel

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Mohamed

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Traveling is important for humans. We are communal creatures that are all of the same species, yet our location determines societal actions based off cultured and governmental laws. We are so similar, yet our little worlds are so entirely different. Traveling to see places beyond our hometown is crucial to gain exposure to the world. Whether someone travels domestically or to a foreign country, it can be an experience that is reminisced for a lifetime. Foreign travels may require extra planning such as obtaining a visa. Even if it's last minute and an individual has no schengen visa appointment, they should still reach out to places where they can obtain one. Traveling should be a happy thing, even if it is just a business trip to another state. It's important to maintain a continual pattern of learning and awareness throughout one's lifetime, and traveling is great way to do that.

Traveling gives us exposure to other cultures. If an individual has remained in their home time for their entire life, it would make it hard to completely understand the struggles and celebrations of other regions and countries. One country can be vastly different from one side to the other. The dialects differ, food, local music, and the terrain can all be different from one place to another. There are different languages and ways of communicating all over the world. Exposure to these things allows us to become open-minded and understand that though we are different, it is our similarities as humans that brings us together. Traveling is great for global humanity.

Arguably, one of the best things about visiting a new place is the food. Many television shows are dedicated to showing us all about other cultures and the food they eat because food displays many virtues and explains many things about a culture from the local agriculture to necessary imports. Food is traditional, historic, evolving, and something all humans need. Food is a great way to learn about different dishes to incorporate other places. It's a great way to share cultures with one another.

Something that traveling demonstrates is the communication and language barriers that individuals may face going to a place. It's also a great way to understand and learn to appreciate nonverbal communication. When traveling, it is important to learn necessary words the region's native language such as: hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and bathroom. It is also highly beneficial to learn menu items and restaurant etiquette as it allows individuals a way to order correct food. Learning as much of the native language that one is traveling to is crucial to enjoying a trip with as minimal communication barriers possible.

One of the great benefits to traveling is the connections that are built, and the relationships made during one's stay. As humanity is so often divided learning to communicate across nations and foster a global understanding of each other is crucial to the success of all countries and people. Traveling fosters a medium to build human connections with one another by learning about culture, food, new sites, music, and the way people live their day to day lives in different parts of the world. It's the best on-site learning a person can get. The internet can only explain so much about a place. Even with virtual reality being a new and innovative option to take tours of places, there is still nothing like seeing a new place in person for the first time.

Traveling is also important for human happiness and mental health. Studies show that traveling can be great for mental health. Living in a world where individuals are constantly slammed with the stress of work, relationships, and maintaining a family, it's important that they take time to relieve all that stress, so they can continue to function normally. Traveling helps humans gain a greater understanding of themselves to create a feeling of wholeness within their own individuality. This is important, because remaining present is such a hard thing to accomplish sometimes when our brains are saturated with things to stress over and fill our heads with anxious thoughts. Traveling gives individuals the moment to remain present, even if it's just for a few moments. Traveling can also just make humans happy overall. The pursuit of happiness is arguably the meaning to life. Finding love and happiness is something most humans aspire and yearn for. Traveling can also be a way to build mental resilience. It can be incredibly intimidating to visit a new place, especially if there are language and cultural barriers to overcome. Learning emotional regulation and intelligence in these situations helps build stronger mental health.

Traveling is many experiences in one. It's a way to learn and grow within oneself and grow with other people by learning about something or someone new. It's is a way to hone organizational and time management skills. Traveling is an opportunity to communicate with someone different than ourselves or the people in our region. Through communication and understanding, traveling can provide a way to bring humanity together.

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Traveling is important for mental growth and human happiness

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Traveling is important for humans. We are communal creatures that are all of the same species, yet our location determines societal actions based off cultured and governmental laws. We are so simil...

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How to Travel Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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As borders reopen, what can travelers do to lower their risk of contracting COVID-19?

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Are you thinking about travelling abroad to visit a new place? Exploring new locations is always fun and enjoyable no matter whether you're by yourself or with someone else. However, having fun shouldn't be your only concern once you reach the destination. The importance of safety should always be a concern for individuals who like to travel.

Here is some advice on how to be safe when you're travelling and visiting new places.

1. Always Be Mindful About The People Around You

2. Watch Your Belongings Wherever You Go - Don't always assume that the place you'll be staying is a safe place. Check the internet or listen to what the employees of the hotel say. Example: Barcelona - there're so many pickpockets there that you HAVE to be EXTRA careful on who you befriend.

3. Don't Leave Your Belongings Unattended

4. TSA Padlock - Use TSA locks so that you don't have to worry about the TSA breaking your suitcase lock. The locks vary in price, $6-$30+, depending on where you buy them.

The following advice come from personal experience as I don't want anyone to go through what happened to my family and me.

Barcelona, Spain, is one of the busiest tourist spots in the world. Are you thinking about going there? If you are, there is one place that I would advise you to be extra cautious, and that place is Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is somewhat like a marketplace, and as thousands of tourists visit, it is also a thriving ground for thieves.

Pickpockets aka thieves are not like ordinary thieves. They dress like tourists, and when you're distracted, the thieves will snatch away your belongings. While my family and I were eating at Burger King at Las Ramblas market, my dad sat at the table while my mom and I went to the restroom. The three of us left our bags on an empty chair at our table, but when we came back to the table, my dad's bag was missing. He thought we took it with us. When he figured out that it wasn't the case, we called for the manager. I thought that it was one of the people who distracted us, but I had no proof. There was no CCTV, and nobody saw anything. We were told to report it and to go to the consulate. There, we meet other Americans who were there for the same reason. Dealing with the aftermath of the pick pocketing made us lose two days of tour. It was an experience that I never want to repeat.

Pickpockets in Barcelona are very fast, and it looks like they turned pick pocketing into a profession. The manager from the apartment on where we were staying even warned us about pickpockets, and look what happened to us the very next day!

Here are more helpful tips to keep in mind while abroad:

Don't wear clothes that scream out that you're a tourist - On the day that we got mugged, I was wearing my Princess cruise jacket because I was excited about the cruise that we were going to take in four days. I still think to this day that we were followed and targeted because of my jacket. The thought of being mugged never crossed my mind.

Always put your bags where you can see them - Don't put them down or leave them where it is reachable for someone to take them.

Try not to bring valuables with you.

Try to blend in with what others are wearing or where they're going

Human Trafficking also plays a huge part about the importance of safety. Always be on alert not only so that you won't lose your valuables, but also so that strangers don't get the opportunity to snatch you away. Don't get distracted by your surroundings. Going somewhere and visiting attractions is one of the reasons for travelling, but don't lose track of what is going on around you. Have fun on your vacation, and to avoid being so worried about your belongings or yourself, make sure to always keep an eye on your surroundings. And remember, if an occasion arises where you have to choose between your belongings or your safety, always stay safe!

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The Importance of Travel Safety - Part I | NHEG

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Are you thinking about travelling abroad to visit a new place? Exploring new locations is always fun and enjoyable no matter whether you're by yourself or with someone else. However, having fun shouldn't be your only concern once you reach the destination. The importance of safety should always be a concern for individuals who like to travel.

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Disclosure.

Travel Tips

After traveling the world for the past 7 years, I've learned a lot about staying safe - sometimes the hard way. Here are my best travel safety tips for avoiding trouble on your next trip.
Nothing ruins an adventure quicker than getting scammed or robbed!
In Panama, some women distracted me while my laptop was stolen from my backpack. I figured it was gone forever, until incredibly, this happened 3 months later. I got lucky.

In Mexico, a pickpocket grabbed my iPhone as I was walking. I managed to get that back too, chasing the thief down the road screaming like a maniac and brandishing a bottle of tequila!

You don't even need to travel internationally to have bad stuff happen. In Miami, my camera was stolen from the beach when I wasn't paying attention.

After seven years of almost constant travel around the world, I've grown accustomed to deceitful taxi drivers, two-faced tour guides, insincere offers of help, and the occasional robbery or scam.

For the most part, the world is a pretty safe place for travelers. I don't want to scare you too much! However it's wise to be prepared for the worst.

With that in mind, here are my best travel safety tips to help minimize your chances of something bad happening to you or your belongings during your travels.

Useful Travel Safety Tips

1. Learn Common Travel Scams

Wherever you go in the world, you'll always find people ready to trick you out of your hard-earned cash. If you're lucky, they'll be kinda obvious - but there are plenty of craftier, professional con-artists out there too.
Everyone thinks they're too smart to be scammed - but it happens.
Here are some of the most common travel scams I've come across. I recommend you learn them all - then fire up the Google and do even more in-depth research into the worst scams happening at your specific destination.

For example, the milk scam in Cuba. Broken taxi meters in Costa Rica. Or the ring scam in Paris. Every country has its own special ones to watch out for!

Forewarned is forearmed, and this research can help defend you from being tricked out of hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars (while suffering the kind of frustration and misery that ruins a dream trip).

2. Write Down Emergency Info

If disaster strikes, you might not have time to search for numbers for local police or ambulance services, or directions to the nearest embassy for your country. You may also be too stressed and panicky to think straight.

Don't put yourself in that position. Instead, record that information in advance, and create an "Emergency Plan" for you to follow if things go badly. Save it on your phone somewhere (I use the Evernote App).

I also recommend you write it down on a small card or sheet of paper, get it laminated (easily done at your local office supply store) to protect it from moisture, and keep it in your wallet/purse.

That way, if something goes wrong out there, you'll always know exactly who to call and where to go for help.

3. Check The State Department Website

The U.S. Department of State has a page for every country in the world, where it lists all known difficulties and current threats to the safety of visitors. You can find it here.

However, a big caveat for this one: it's the State Department's job to warn you about everything that go wrong, which is sometimes different to what is to go wrong.

This means their advice is generally on the hyper-cautious side. Factor that in, while you dig up more on-the-ground information.

But researching travel warnings will give you a general idea of what's going on in the country you're visiting, and specific problem areas you may want to avoid.

For example, just because certain parts of Thailand or Mexico have problems, doesn't mean you should completely avoid those countries.

4: Lock Up Your Valuables

Putting aside the fact that traveling with anything super valuable is usually a bad idea, there will always be something you absolutely cannot afford to have stolen. I travel with a lot of expensive camera gear for example.
Your job is to minimize the easy opportunities for theft.
Firstly, know that most bags aren't very secure. It's easy to feel that a zipped, even locked bag is a sufficient deterrent to any thief, and doze off next to it. Waking up to find someone's slashed a hole in the side!

Unless it's a slash-proof backpack, the material can be cut or torn by anyone determined enough. Many zippers can be forced open with sharp objects like a writing pen.

Always be aware of your valuables, and try to keep an eye on them in such a way that it would be impossible for someone to steal without you knowing. I'll use my backpack as a pillow on train/bus routes that have a reputation for theft, and will sometimes lock it to a seat using a thin cable like this.

Secondly, call your accommodation to ask about secure storage options like a room safe, lockers, or a locked storage area. Carry your own locker padlock when staying at backpacking hostels.

5: Get Travel Insurance

You never think you need it, until you do. If you're really worried about the safety of yourself and your gear while you travel, you can almost completely relax if you have some good insurance.

People ask me all the time if I'm worried about traveling with an expensive computer and camera. I was, when I didn't have insurance for them. Now that I do, I'm not worried. If stuff gets stolen, it will get replaced.

Everyone should carry some kind of health and property insurance when traveling. Why? Because shit happens. Whether you think it will or not. It doesn't matter how careful you think you are.

My recommendation is World Nomads for short-term travel insurance (less than 6 months). They make it super easy to buy online. Just be aware that they have "per item" limits on coverage of $500. So it's not going to cover a whole $3000 camera.

If you're going to be traveling for a long time, there are good long-term options like a mixture of expat health insurance from IMG Global and photography/computer insurance from TCP Photography Insurance.

READ MORE: Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

6: Ask Locals For Advice

If you really want to know which neighborhoods are safe and which might be sketchy, ask a local resident of the area.

Most locals are friendly, and will warn you about straying into dangerous areas. On the other hand, if a stranger offers up advice, it's also wise to get a second opinion - just in case they don't really know what they're talking about but simply wanted to help (or worse, are trying to scam you).

Taxi drivers can be hit or miss in this regard. Some can be excellent sources for good information, others are miserable assholes who might actually lead you into trouble.

I've found that hostel or hotel front desk workers are generally pretty good sources for local advice.

Don't be afraid to ask them which parts of the city to avoid, how much taxi fares should cost, and where to find a great place to eat!

7: Register With Your Embassy

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, from the U.S. Department of State, is designed to make a destination's local embassy aware of your arrival and keep you constantly updated with the latest safety information.

It's free, it's available for all U.S. citizens and nationals living abroad, and it's a great way to get reliable, up to date safety information as you travel, along with an extra level of security in case of emergencies.

Canada has it's own version, called Registration Of Canadians Abroad.

That way if an emergency happens, like a natural disaster or terrorist attack, the local embassy can get a hold of you quickly to share important information or help with evacuation.

8: Email Your Itinerary To Friends/Family

Once you've worked out where you're going and when, make sure someone else knows too.

The best way is to email the full itinerary to a few family members (and double-check with them that they received it - don't just assume it landed in their Inbox, make sure it did). Then, if you can, check in from time to time.

Before I travel anywhere, I make sure my parents know where I'm going, what my general plans are, and when I should be back.

That way, if they don't hear from me for a few days after I'm supposed to return, they can help notify the proper local authorities, the embassy, etc.

9: Don't Share Too Much With Strangers

If you're ever tempted to make your itinerary more public, say in a Facebook post, just remember it can be a roadmap of your movements - just the sort of thing someone with ill-intentions would love to know.

I also don't recommend sharing too many details about your travel plans or accommodation details with people you've just met. For example, don't tell a local shop owner or street tout where you're staying when asked.

If someone does ask, rather than be rude, you can be vague about an area of town rather than the name of your hotel. Or lie and name a hotel you're not actually staying at.

Sometimes people will ask if it's your first time visiting their country or city. If you don't trust them yet, you can pretend it isn't your first trip. Because sharing that you're new might also signal you're a good target for scams.
When feeling vulnerable in a strange place, little white lies won't hurt.
10: Be Aware Of Your Clothing

When it comes to travel, the wrong clothes scream "TOURIST" and make you a target for scammers, thieves and worse. The less obviously a visitor you look, the less attention you'll get from the wrong kind of people.

Wearing the right clothes is a sign of respect. Many Islamic countries have specific dress code guidelines that are often strictly enforced - and other destinations have laws that may catch you out (for example, walking topless through the streets of Barcelona is illegal for both sexes).

However, it's possible to stay within the law and still offend locals with what you're wearing - generating a lot of hostility towards you in the process. Ignoring local customs can come across as both arrogant and ignorant.

In conservative countries, it's just safer to dress more conservatively yourself. Obviously as a foreigner you're still going to stand out a bit, but much less than those who ignore the local customs.

Start by checking out Wikipedia's general advice on clothing laws by country - and then narrow down your research until you find someone giving advice you can trust, ideally a resident or expat turned local.

11: Splurge On Extra Safety

If you're traveling as a budget backpacker, like I was, it can be tempting to save as much money as possible with the cheapest accommodation, the cheapest flights, the cheapest activities.
But it's important to know that this isn't always the safest way to travel.
Ultra cheap backpacker hostels aren't always the safest places. I've stayed in some without locks on the doors, that felt like make-shift homeless shelters for drug addicts and other seedy people.

Budget flights can often arrive in the middle of the night - usually not the best time to be hailing down a cab in a dangerous city and hoping the driver doesn't abduct you.

Sometimes it's worth the extra few bucks to splurge on a slightly better hostel, a more convenient flight, a taxi home from the bar, or a tour operator with a strong safety record.

12: Stay "Tethered" To Your Bag

Most quick snatch-and-run type robberies happen because the thief can do it easily, and has time to get away. Therefore, anything that slows them down will help prevent it in the first place.

If you can keep your bag tethered to something immovable at all times, and do so in a really obvious way, thieves will consider it way too risky a job - and leave you alone.
A simple and effective method is to use a carabiner clip. Even a regular strap around your leg or chair.
It doesn't need to be secured with a steel cable and padlock all the time, just attached to something that will make a snatch-and-run attempt too difficult.

13: Learn Basic Self-Defense

You don't need black-belt skills, but joining a few self defense classes is a worthwhile investment in your personal safety. Some good street-effective styles to consider are Krav Maga or Muay Thai.

Next, learn WHEN to apply it. Just because you can kick someone's ass, doesn't mean you should in all situations. In the words of author Sam Harris:
"Do whatever you can to avoid a physical confrontation, but the moment avoidance fails, attack explosively for the purposes of escape."
A great way to neutralize a threat is to get yourself as far away as physically possible. If someone with a gun or knife just wants your phone, give it to them, run away, and live another day.
Use force only when your life is threatened & there are absolutely no other options available.
If you want an extra level of personal security, pick up a tactical pen (and learn how to use it). I often carry one, and it doesn't set off any alarms when going through customs.

14: Project Situational Awareness

Did you know that a majority of human communication is based on non-verbal body language? This projection of confidence can prevent you from becoming a target.

Keep your head up, stay alert, and aware of you're surroundings. When you're confident, potential attackers can sense it through your body language and eye contact.
Most will choose to move on and find an easier victim to attack.
In many places, making direct eye contact with potential threats can help ward off an attack, ensuring they notice you see them and what they may be planning. Yet in other parts of the world, too much eye contact might invite trouble...

Generally you should stay aware of who is around you, walk with a purpose, and don't look worried, lost, or scared (even if you feel that way) - but I'd also avoid staring contests with sketchy looking strangers.

15: Tell Your Bank Where You're Going

Imagine the agony of doing absolutely everything right and keeping yourself perfectly safe and secure - only to have your trip ruined because your bank thinks you're the thief, and locks down all your cards.

If this happens and you're lucky, you'll be asked security questions to determine your identity. The rest of the time, you'll get a notification from the bank's fraud detection team that irregular activity has been recorded on your card, and they've put a hold on all transactions until the situation is resolved - which might take days.

The solution is simple. Most online banking services have a facility for letting the bank or credit card provider know about your upcoming travels. Make sure you use it, shortly before leaving - and keep them in the loop if your travel plans change.

I also recommend using your debit card at the airport ATM machine as soon as you arrive in a new country, as this also helps let the bank know you're traveling.

READ MORE: Travel Banking Tips & Advice

16: Hide Emergency Cash

While it's good to do everything you can to prevent worst case scenarios - it's equally smart to assume it'll happen and plan ahead for it. This is the thinking behind having an emergency stash of funds, stored in a safe place.

Some of my favorite hiding places include:

Secret pocket sewn into your pants

Behind a patch on your backpack

Rolled into an empty chapstick container

Inside a hidden compartment (like this hair-brush or belt pouch)

How much emergency cash? This will be personal preference, but I usually prefer $200 spread out in 2 different places. Some hidden on me, some hidden in my bag. A hidden backup credit card is wise too.

Now if things got really dire, and everything's gone, what then? You call up a friend or family member, and ask them to send you the emergency money you left with them before you went traveling, via a Western Union or Moneygram transfer.

Hopefully it will never come to that. But these things do happen occasionally, and it's better to practice safe travel techniques than to remain ignorant about the possibility.

17: Food & Water Safety

After traveling extensively the last 7 years, to over 50 countries, eating all kinds of weird stuff, I've only had food poisoning a couple of times.

Don't be scared of the food when you travel! In fact, eating strange new foods can be a highlight for many people on their adventures around the world.

My food-obsessed friend Jodi recommends the following tips:

Eat at popular places with long lines

Try to watch how your food is prepared

Pack translation cards to express your allergies

Fully cooked food is always the safest

Only eat peel-able fruit to avoid bacteria

I also recommend getting a filtered water bottle. In many modern cities around the world the water is safe to drink, but outside of those places it often isn't.

Sure, you could keep buying bottled water everywhere you go, but that plastic waste is a huge environmental problem. Why not get one sturdy filtered bottle, and re-use it for years?
It pays for itself and saves the environment at the same time!
18: Use ATMs Wisely

You may have been told to cover your hand when keying in your PIN number at an ATM. That's good advice worth following, both for others looking over your shoulder, as well as hidden cameras trying to record your pin.

Always take a close look at ATM machines before you use them. Pull on the card reader a bit. Does it have any questionable signs of tampering? If so, go into the bank and get someone to come out and check it (and then use another machine, regardless of what happens).

If an ATM machine appears to have eaten your card, run a finger along the card slot to see if you feel anything protruding. The "Lebanese Loop" is a trick where a thin plastic sleeve captures your card (preventing the machine from reading it) - then as soon as you walk away, a thief yanks it out and runs off with your card.

Another overlooked factor is where other people are when you're at the machine. Can someone peer over your shoulder? Are they close enough they could grab the cash and run off?

If so, use another ATM elsewhere. Better safe than sorry! Never let anyone "help" you with your transaction either.

19: Stop Using Your Back Pocket

It's the first place any pickpocket will check - and short of putting a loaded mousetrap in there (not recommended if you forget and sit down), the best way to deal with the dangers of having a back pocket is to never use it...

And if putting money in the back pocket of your pants is a habit you can't seem to break, grab some needle and thread and sew it shut!
Your front pockets are a lot harder to steal from without being noticed.
If you're REALLY worried, or plan to travel to a city where pickpockets run rampant, you can wear a money belt. I'm not a fan, but I know many who use them for peace of mind.

20: Travel In Numbers

The more people around you, the more eyeballs are on your valuables - and the more legs are available for running after thieves.

A group is also a much more intimidating physical presence, which helps ward off predators of all kinds. It will help to keep you safer than trying to go it alone in a foreign country.
If you're traveling solo, consider making some new friends and go exploring together.
Staying at backpacker hostels is an excellent way to make some new friends. Often you'll find other solo travelers there, who may want to do some of the same activities you want to.

However, I'd also like to highlight the importance of not trusting new people TOO quickly. There are some professional scammers who use the backpacker trail to take advantage of other travelers looking for a friend.

Don't leave your expensive or important stuff with someone you just met. No matter how friendly they seem.

21: Pack A First Aid Kit

Injuries can happen when you travel abroad, not matter how careful you are. That's why traveling with a basic first aid kit is always a good idea.

You don't need to go crazy and bring your own needles and scalpels, but stocking the basics to treat cuts, sprains, stomach issues, and burns can help if you or people around you may need them.

I prefer a basic waterproof adventure first aid kit with a few additions of my own:

Small tube of sunscreen

Re-hydration salts

Anti-histamine tablets

Small pair of scissors

Extra pain pills (Ibuprofen)

Emergency space blanket

Small tube of petroleum jelly (helps prevent blisters)

22: Stay (Relatively) Sober

Getting too drunk or high when you travel is almost always unacceptably risky. If you're wasted, you're not present, and anything could be happening around you (or to you).

I'm not saying don't enjoy yourself. Hell I have plenty over the years! Just do it responsibly, stay hyper-aware of how much you're consuming, keep hydrated & fed, and make sure you don't lose control of the situation.

Harder drugs are especially risky - it's a good way to get in trouble with the police, who may not be as forgiving (or even law-abiding) as authorities back home. Not to mention having to deal with potentially nefarious people who are providing those drugs - and their own alternative motives.

On a similar note, if you're partial to late nights out partying until pre-dawn hours, be careful assuming that unfamiliar destinations will be as forgiving as back home.

Many generally safe destinations (especially ones filled with tourists) become far less secure late at night - and if you're stumbling around intoxicated, you're far less aware of your surroundings - and a VERY easy target for all kinds of bad stuff.

23: Trust Your Instincts!

This one is easily overlooked - and incredibly important.

You are a walking surveillance network. Your body sees and hears more things than you could ever process into coherent thought. Let's call it your " spidey sense " - the ability to sense danger.
Your body might be sensing signs of danger, before your brain is fully aware of it.
This is why gut feelings are always worth examining! If you're feeling uneasy and you don't know why, try not to write it off as irrational fear. Stop and pay closer attention to the situation. Can you figure out what the problem is?

It's easy to dismiss your instincts as "silly". Never treat them as such. Those gut feelings and intuition have kept humans safe for millions of years.

24: Travel Safety For Women vs. Men

All the travel safety tips above are equally important for both men and women. I don't think the ability to travel safely should be focused on gender.

Unfortunately women are victims of violence everywhere, including here in the United States & Canada. Traveling doesn't necessarily increase that threat, it simply changes the location.

Women worried about being assaulted or harassed might prefer to visit a local street bazaar or nightclub in a group rather than alone. Especially if it's a common problem for the area.

I know some women who feel safer carrying a safety whistle and rubber door stop when they travel solo too.

However men also have specific safety concerns they need to watch out for, related to their egos. Like getting goaded into a physical fight that isn't necessary. Or being scammed by a beautiful woman.

Travel safety is really about staying street smart, prepared for the unexpected, and minimizing your exposure to risky situations in a new and unfamiliar country.

25: A Few Words About Risk...

If you want to travel, you cannot avoid risk. There is no way to be 100% safe from any threat, in any part of life. Risk is an integral part of adventure too.

This means when you hit the road, you're bound to get scammed sooner or later, or find yourself in unexpectedly challenging circumstances. It happens to all of us.
Risk is unavoidable - but it can be managed, so you can stay safer.
How do most people hear about events in other countries? It's usually through the news. This is a big problem, because the media is biased - but not the way politicians would like you to believe.

The media reports on unusual events (most often negative ones). Things get featured in the news because they rarely happen. That's the definition of "newsworthy".

If the news was truly representative of what's happening in the world, 99.9% of each report would sound like: "Today in Namib-istan, absolutely nothing dangerous happened, and everyone had a perfectly normal day - yet again."

The news media makes other countries feel a lot less safe than they really are. In fact, the world seems to be getting safer every decade, according to data collected by economist Max Roser and psychologist Steven Pinker.

This isn't saying that bad things don't happen. It's saying they're usually a misleading representation of what normally happens.

Don't believe the hype. Generally speaking, it's never been a safer time to travel! So get out there and go enjoy your trip. ★

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Have any questions about travel safety? What about other suggestions? Drop me a message in the comments below!

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25 Important Travel Safety Tips Everyone Should Know * Expert Vagabond

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Disclosure. Travel Tips After traveling the world for the past 7 years, I've learned a lot about staying safe - sometimes the hard way. Here are my best travel safety tips for avoiding trouble on your next trip.

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10 Powerful Reasons Why People Love to Travel | Virtuoso

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Why do people voyage all over the globe? The reasons why people love to travel are varied. Take a look at these 10 motivations - which ring true for you?

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Imagine that you could not talk to your friends or family for six months. Now, imagine that you are also floating 250 miles above Earth. What are some challenges you might face getting or receiving a message?

Communication is vitally important to astronauts while they are in space. Not only does it allow them to talk to their friends and family back home, it also allows them to communicate with the team of experts on the ground that helps them carry out their mission safely.

Communication in low Earth orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) orbits, is almost instant. When traveling further into space, communication becomes a bit tricky. The further out you travel in space, the more issues you have with communication. For example, it could take 20 minutes to send or receive a message between Earth and Mars. This time lapse is one of the many challenges engineers face when designing human missions to go to Mars.

You can experience what communication with the ISS is like on September 27 when the STEM in 30 team, along with students from the Washington, DC, metro area, will have a downlink with the International Space Station. We will be talking with NASA astronaut Randy "Komrade" Bresnik live from space at 12:15 pm EST. Join us online or on NASA TV.

Subject: Physical Science | Grade Level: 7-8 | Time: 45 Minutes
Lesson Plan: Using Waves to Communicate

Don't miss our other videos. Be sure to check out ISS Science, and follow along with the hashtag #ISSScience.

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Imagine that you could not talk to your friends or family for six months. Now, imagine that you are also floating 250 miles above Earth. What are some challenges you might face getting or receiving a message? Communication is vitally important to astronauts while they are in space.

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From the rise in poaching to the waning of noise pollution, travel's shutdown is having profound effects. Which will remain, and which will vanish?

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Last spring, a herd of Great Orme Kashmiri goats was spotted ambling through empty streets in Llandudno, a coastal town in northern Wales. Credit... Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

For the planet, the year without tourists was a curse and a blessing.

With flights canceled, cruise ships mothballed and vacations largely scrapped, carbon emissions plummeted. Wildlife that usually kept a low profile amid a crush of tourists in vacation hot spots suddenly emerged. And a lack of cruise ships in places like Alaska meant that humpback whales could hear each other's calls without the din of engines.

That's the good news. On the flip side, the disappearance of travelers wreaked its own strange havoc, not only on those who make their living in the tourism industry, but on wildlife itself, especially in developing countries. Many governments pay for conservation and enforcement through fees associated with tourism. As that revenue dried up, budgets were cut, resulting in increased poaching and illegal fishing in some areas. Illicit logging rose too, presenting a double-whammy for the environment. Because trees absorb and store carbon, cutting them down not only hurt wildlife habitats, but contributed to climate change.

"We have seen many financial hits to the protection of nature," said Joe Walston, executive vice president of global conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society. "But even where that hasn't happened, in a lot of places people haven't been able to get into the field to do their jobs because of Covid."

From the rise in rhino poaching in Botswana to the waning of noise pollution in Alaska, the lack of tourism has had a profound effect around the world. The question moving forward is which impacts will remain, and which will vanish, in the recovery.

While the pandemic's impact on wildlife has varied widely from continent to continent, and country to country, its effect on air quality was felt more broadly.

In the United States, greenhouse gas emissions last year fell more than 10 percent, as state and local governments imposed lockdowns and people stayed home, according to a report in January by the Rhodium Group, a research and consulting firm.

The most dramatic results came from the transportation sector, which posted a 14.7 percent decrease. It's impossible to tease out how much of that drop is from lost tourism versus business travel. And there is every expectation that as the pandemic loosens its grip, tourism will resume - likely with a vengeance.

Still, the pandemic helped push American emissions below 1990 levels for the first time. Globally, carbon dioxide emissions fell 7 percent, or 2.6 billion metric tons, according to new data from international climate researchers. In terms of output, that is about double the annual emissions of Japan.

"It's a lot and it's a little," said Jason Smerdon, a climate scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "Historically, it's a lot. It's the largest single reduction percent-wise over the last 100 years. But when you think about the 7 percent in the context of what we need to do to mitigate climate change, it's a little."

In late 2019, the United Nations Environment Program cautioned that global greenhouse gases would need to drop 7.6 percent every year between 2020 and 2030. That would keep the world on its trajectory of meeting the temperature goals set under the Paris Agreement, the 2016 accord signed by nearly 200 nations.

"The 7 percent drop last year is on par with what we would need to do year after year," Dr. Smerdon said. "Of course we wouldn't want to do it the same way. A global pandemic and locking ourselves in our apartments is not the way to go about this."

Interestingly, the drop in other types of air pollution during the pandemic muddied the climate picture. Industrial aerosols, made up of soot, sulfates, nitrates and mineral dust, reflect sunlight back into space, thus cooling the planet. While their reduction was good for respiratory health, it had the effect of offsetting some of the climate benefits of cascading carbon emissions.

For the climate activist Bill McKibben, one of the first to sound the alarm about global warming in his 1989 book, "The End of Nature," the pandemic underscored that the climate crisis won't be averted one plane ride or gallon of gas at a time.

"We've come through this pandemic year when our lives changed more than any of us imagined they ever would," Mr. McKibben said during a Zoom webinar hosted in February by the nonprofit Green Mountain Club of Vermont.

"Everybody stopped flying; everybody stopped commuting," he added. "Everybody just stayed at home. And emissions did go down, but they didn't go down that much, maybe 10 percent with that incredible shift in our lifestyles. It means that most of the damage is located in the guts of our systems and we need to reach in and rip out the coal and gas and oil and stick in the efficiency, conservation and sun and wind."

Just as the impact of the pandemic on air quality is peppered with caveats, so too is its influence on wildlife.

Animals slithered, crawled and stomped out of hiding across the globe, sometimes in farcical fashion. Last spring, a herd of Great Orme Kashmiri goats was spotted ambling through empty streets in Llandudno, a coastal town in northern Wales. And hundreds of monkeys - normally fed by tourists - were involved in a disturbing brawl outside of Bangkok, apparently fighting over food scraps.

In meaningful ways, however, the pandemic revealed that wildlife will regroup if given the chance. In Thailand, where tourism plummeted after authorities banned international flights, leatherback turtles laid their eggs on the usually mobbed Phuket Beach. It was the first time nests were seen there in years, as the endangered sea turtles, the largest in the world, prefer to nest in seclusion.

Similarly, in Koh Samui, Thailand's second largest island, hawksbill turtles took over beaches that in 2018 hosted nearly three million tourists. The hatchlings were documented emerging from their nests and furiously moving their flippers toward the sea.

For Petch Manopawitr, a marine conservation manager of the Wildlife Conservation Society Thailand, the sightings were proof that natural landscapes can recover quickly. "Both Ko Samui and Phuket have been overrun with tourists for so many years," he said in a phone interview. "Many people had written off the turtles and thought they would not return. After Covid, there is talk about sustainability and how it needs to be embedded in tourism, and not just a niche market but all kinds of tourism."

In addition to the sea turtles, elephants, leaf monkeys and dugongs (related to manatees) all made cameos in unlikely places in Thailand. "Dugongs are more visible because there is less boat traffic," Mr. Manopawitr said. "The area that we were surprised to see dugongs was the eastern province of Bangkok. We didn't know dugongs still existed there."

He and other conservationists believe that countries in the cross hairs of international tourism need to mitigate the myriad effects on the natural world, from plastic pollution to trampled parks.

That message apparently reached the top levels of the Thai government. In September, the nation's natural resources and environment minister, Varawut Silpa-archa, said he planned to shutter national parks in stages each year, from two to four months. The idea, he told Bloomberg News, is to set the stage so that "nature can rehabilitate itself."

In other parts of Asia and across Africa, the disappearance of tourists has had nearly the opposite result. With safari tours scuttled and enforcement budgets decimated, poachers have plied their nefarious trade with impunity. At the same time, hungry villagers have streamed into protected areas to hunt and fish.

There were reports of increased poaching of leopards and tigers in India, an uptick in the smuggling of falcons in Pakistan, and a surge in trafficking of rhino horns in South Africa and Botswana.

Jim Sano, the World Wildlife Fund's vice president for travel, tourism and conservation, said that in sub-Saharan Africa, the presence of tourists was a powerful deterrent. "It's not only the game guards," he said. "It's the travelers wandering around with the guides that are omnipresent in these game areas. If the guides see poachers with automatic weapons, they report it."

In the Republic of Congo, the Wildlife Conservation Society has noticed an increase in trapping and hunting in and around protected areas. Emma J. Stokes, regional director of the Central Africa program for the organization, said that in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, monkeys and forest antelopes were being targeted for bushmeat.

"It's more expensive and difficult to get food during the pandemic and there is a lot of wildlife up there," she said by phone. "We obviously want to deter people from hunting in the park, but we also have to understand what's driving that because it's more complex."

The Society and the Congolese government jointly manage the park, which spans 1,544 square miles of lowland rainforest - larger than Rhode Island. Because of the virus, the government imposed a national lockdown, halting public transportation. But the organization was able to arrange rides to markets since the park is considered an essential service. "We have also kept all 300 of our park staff employed," she added.

While animals around the world were subject to rifles and snares during the pandemic, one thing was missing: noise. The whir of helicopters diminished as some air tours were suspended. And cruise ships from the Adriatic Sea to the Gulf of Mexico were largely absent. That meant marine mammals and fish had a break from the rumble of engines and propellers.

So did research scientists. Michelle Fournet is a marine ecologist who uses hydrophones (essentially aquatic microphones) to listen in on whales. Although the total number of cruise ships (a few hundred) pales in comparison to the total number of cargo ships (tens of thousands), Dr. Fournet says they have an outsize role in creating underwater racket. That is especially true in Alaska, a magnet for tourists in search of natural splendor.

"Cargo ships are trying to make the most efficient run from point A to point B and they are going across open ocean where any animal they encounter, they encounter for a matter of hours," she said. "But when you think about the concentration of cruise ships along coastal areas, especially in southeast Alaska, you basically have five months of near-constant vessel noise. We have a population of whales listening to them all the time."

Man-made noise during the pandemic dissipated in the waters near the capital of Juneau, as well as in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Dr. Fournet, a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University, observed a threefold decrease in ambient noise in Glacier Bay between 2019 and 2020. "That's a really big drop in noise," she said, "and all of that is associated with the cessation of these cruise ships."

Covid-19 opened a window onto whale sounds in Juneau as well. Last July, Dr. Fournet, who also directs the Sound Science Research Collective, a marine conservation nonprofit, had her team lower a hydrophone in the North Pass, a popular whale-watching destination. "In previous years," she said, "you wouldn't have been able to hear anything - just boats. This year we heard whales producing feeding calls, whales producing contact calls. We heard sound types that I have never heard before."

Farther south in Puget Sound, near Seattle, whale-watching tours were down 75 percent last year. Tour operators like Jeff Friedman, owner of Maya's Legacy Whale Watching, insist that their presence on the water benefits whales since the captains make recreational boaters aware of whale activity and radio them to slow down. Whale-watching companies also donate to conservation groups and report sightings to researchers.

"During the pandemic, there was a huge increase in the number of recreational boats out there," said Mr. Friedman, who is also president of the Pacific Whale Watch Association. "It was similar to R.V.s. People decided to buy an R.V. or a boat. The majority of the time, boaters are not aware that the whales are present unless we let them know."

Two years ago, in a move to protect Puget Sound's tiny population of Southern Resident killer whales, which number just 75, Washington's Gov. Jay Inslee signed a law reducing boat speeds to 7 knots within a half nautical mile of the whales and increasing a buffer zone around them, among other things.

Many cheered the protections. But environmental activists like Catherine W. Kilduff, a senior attorney in the oceans program at the Center for Biological Diversity, believe they did not go far enough. She wants the respite from noise that whales enjoyed during the pandemic to continue.

"The best tourism is whale-watching from shore," she said.

Debates like this are likely to continue as the world emerges from the pandemic and leisure travel resumes. Already, conservationists and business leaders are sharing their visions for a more sustainable future.

Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines' chief executive, last year laid out a plan to become carbon neutral by spending $1 billion over 10 years on an assortment of strategies. Only 2.5 percent of global carbon emissions are traced to aviation, but a 2019 study suggested that could triple by midcentury.

In the meantime, climate change activists are calling on the flying public to use their carbon budgets judiciously.

Tom L. Green, a senior climate policy adviser with the David Suzuki Foundation, an environmental organization in Canada, said tourists might consider booking a flight only once every few years, saving their carbon footprint (and money) for a special journey. "Instead of taking many short trips, we could occasionally go away for a month or more and really get to know a place," he said.

For Mr. Walston of the Wildlife Conservation Society, tourists would be wise to put more effort into booking their next resort or cruise, looking at the operator's commitment to sustainability.

"My hope is not that we stop traveling to some of these wonderful places, because they will continue to inspire us to conserve nature globally," he said. "But I would encourage anyone to do their homework. Spend as much time choosing a tour group or guide as a restaurant. The important thing is to build back the kind of tourism that supports nature."

Lisa W. Foderaro is a former reporter for The New York Times whose work has also appeared in National Geographic and Audubon Magazine.
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For Planet Earth, No Tourism Is a Curse and a Blessing (Published 2021)

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From the rise in poaching to the waning of noise pollution, travel's shutdown is having profound effects. Which will remain, and which will vanish? Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.