There is so much to remember while you are traveling – your toothbrush, when the buses run, where is your passport… So it’s easy to forget that you also must stay safe while you travel.
We’ve put together this quick list of seven travel hacks so that you can concentrate on just enjoying your destination. Stay safe and travel well!
- Keep a Decoy. This sounds like a cartoon, but keeping a decoy wallet with a few dollars inside and keep you safe. Pickpocketing is rife in tourist rich areas, so think about keeping a cheap wallet with a few notes inside while you are out and about. Usually pickpockets work together, so if they grab your decoy wallet, you’re no longer a target. Just be smart and don’t flash around your real wallet. Keep your real money in your neck wallet or in a hidden pocket kept close to your body.
- Don’t leave anything in an unattended car! This should be common sense. We usually don’t want to lug around any extras, and are loathe to leave anything at home “in case we need it”. Pack smart for the day, and leave extras at home. If you must keep your bags in the car, gather everything you need before you arrive at your destination. Leave the bags in the boot of the car, and use a cover if you have an open boot. Do not open the boot at your destination for everyone to see what’s inside!
- Do the hard work yourself and load the bus or taxi. This is especially true if you have multiple bags to load. Occasionally, a less than stellar driver will hand you back fewer bags than you came with or they will quickly rifle through pockets looking for loose items. Take the extra effort and load and unload bags yourself.
- Get attention. This seems counter-intuitive, but works well at airport security. Do not pack your valuables in your checked bags, but carry them on with you. Put your valuables in a small clear bag, and announce to security staff that you have done so. This means that they are made aware that you are watching, and want it to come through the other end. Its best put them in one of those plastic containers, and put it through only at the moment you are about to step through the scanner so you can meet it on the other side. You should also be a prepared traveler and make sure that you have removed all metal, belts, and phones (along with your shoes) before you hit the scanner, so you can walk through easily, and meet your bags straight away on the other side.
- Try not to sleep. Sure, it might be a long trip and you are exhausted, but being asleep puts you at a disadvantage. People can help themselves to your bag, especially on public transportation, or see what is in your pockets on a flight. If you can’t stay awake, keep your bag on your lap or use it as a pillow if you can. On buses or subways, wrap your arms through the handles. (Do not wrap around your feet, this can be dangerous in an emergency!)
- Take advantage of the hotel safe. Your room isn’t the safest place for valuables and documents, and neither is having them on you while you explore. Get a receipt documenting everything that you have put in the safe, and the name of the person who put them there, along with a date and time.
- Get an AirBolt. Our award-winning smart lock can only be locked and unlocked by pairing to your smart phone, and with crowd-sourced GPS, you can make sure that it’s still in the last place that you left it. You can put one on your main luggage that you leave in the hotel room to make sure that nothing inside is touched. You can also use one on the main compartments of your day bag, so no hands can get inside when you are in crowded places. This will give you peace of mind that your precious items are safe – leaving you to actually enjoy your travel experience!
The amazing AirBolt is now on sale until the end of June! We are celebrating our 2017 Good Design Award with a 20.17% discount for you to use. Enter the code 2017 at checkout to get your discount today.
