Aelfgifu Travels

Worried about your safety abroad? See some brief top tips below to help.

1. Always have emergency cash. Whilst cash is not essential nowadays, especially if you are going to places like mainland Europe where the vast majority of places take card, I would always advise to have an emergency amount on you (I opt for $50 USD). a useful tip is to have this on you separately to your main wallet or purse. Having emergency cash is useful for if:
   • You lose your phone or wallet, which contains your payment cards. All countries will recognise USD$ so will be easy to convert at a currency exchange.
   • Bribe money. This is dependent on where you are going, but regardless I will always have this emergency amount hidden away in a bumbag under a jumper or separately to my main wallet.
2. Don’t be afraid to spend a little extra to get from A to B safely. Whilst you may be on a budget, your safety is invaluable. If you have a scenario where, for example, your flight is landing at midnight: the cheaper option would be to wait for a bus somewhere in the dark, but the smart option is to spend a bit more to get a taxi (from a designated taxi pickup-area or chain such as Uber).
   • If you are on a budget, one solution could be factoring in additional costs for when it’s dark or when you don’t feel comfortable. This may mean one less cocktail, but you will be less frustrated to spend it at the time if this has already been factored into your overall costs.
3. Learn a few phrases in the local language. Certain words always go a long way, such as hello, please and thank you. Even having them written down on a piece of paper in your pocket can be helpful – including the phonetic way to pronounce them (so it is clear to locals what you are saying). Further to this, the words ‘help’, ‘ambulance’, ‘police’ etc could all be useful and even numbers up to 10! This is up to your discretion of how many phrases or words learnt but definitely worth having a few in your arsenal.
4. Make an itinerary (even if brief) and give a copy to someone you know. As spoken about in the last post, make an itinerary (even if brief) and give a copy to someone you know. Giving someone you know and trust (a close friend, parent or sibling) is a good idea so that if anything were to happen, they would know roughly where you are.
   • A quick way to help create this is to utilise Chat GPT! As an example, try asking ‘please give me an itinerary for 2 weeks in Argentina. I would like to see X and Y during that time and not spend more than Z on travel’ and see what it gives you. It most likely won’t be perfect, but it will give you some idea and structure as to how to do it. I sometimes refine further asking ‘I am not interested in seeing X but I would like to go via Y’ for example. Sign up for free here: https://chatgpt.com/
5. Be mindful of how much you drink (if applicable). This point is not one I had considered but one that is crucial if you fall into the solo female traveller category who likes a drink – bear in mind, you cannot see the nightlife quite like you would as if you were on a trip with friends on a ‘lads holiday’. Remember, whilst you might meet someone you get on well with in the hostel, knowing someone for a couple of hours is not the same as knowing someone for years. The 2-hour long friend does not owe looking after you if you have one-too-many. Therefore, know your limits and if ever in doubt I follow one simple rule: always have one less than you want. 
   • It is difficult when you find yourself in a hostel which is putting on an all-you-can-drink event. Likely it will be unlimited drinks for a set amount of time (for a fee, of course). You want to get your money’s worth, but at the same time you must remember that you are alone and the drunken friends you have made will not definitely be there for you should you need them for whatever reason.
   • I have been in a few situations where I have had to look after solo travellers (both men and women) who drank too much – and whilst I was able to get them help or home, not everyone will be in a fit state to do this or want to help. Takeaway is just: be mindful! 

Live long and prosper,

Aelfgifu