Women Travelling: Our tips on staying safe.

Whether you’re planning on going away in a group or solo, here are some handy hints to keep you safe while you’re discovering new places, faces and all that delicious food and drink!

Going Solo

If you're planning on a little solo trip, here's a few easy tips to make sure travelling alone isn't so daunting:

1. Travel during the day when you can - arriving in a new city during the day not only gives you more time to feel out the vibe of a new place, but also means you’re not trying to navigate your way around town at night, where you may naturally feel a bit more uneasy.

2. Resist the temptation to listen to music (or a podcast) with earbuds in while walking around in a city. It makes you less aware of your surroundings, and is also a signal that you have a smartphone in your pocket.

3. If you need to take a taxi, keep your stuff with you in the back seat, so you’re in charge of when you can get out. It can be useful if the cab takes a longer route, tries to overcharge you, or if things feel uneasy.

4. Women tend to look after women, which is so heartwarming! So if you spy another solo female traveller, strike up a conversation, she might be feeling a bit nervy, and if you’re more experienced, you can make a great local contact for a brief time.

Girls Trip

Soaking in those amazing sunsets with your besties and making some amazing memories are the best bits. Looking out for one another is always top of the list too:

1. Make sure you stick together - even if you're tempted to call it quits early on a night out, if your mate isn't feeling it, an early night is better than splitting up, plus it's an excuse to grab a little snack on the way home together!

2. Don't leave your drinks unaccompanied - we'd never want to assume the worst, but the risk just isn't worth it. 

3. Cheeky water breaks - we know, we know, delicious cocktails are tempting, but in the heat, keeping your hydration up and not overdoing it on the booze is not only safer, but will limit that awful several-nights-on-the-trot compound hangover that only ever makes your holiday blues worse!

Going Backpacking

If you're going with mates or joining a tour, there are some must-do's to make sure you're safe:

1. Do your research: If you're going as part of a tour, is all transit covered? Are there certain types of taxis you should avoid? What does the accommodation look like?

2. Keep your valuables separate: Don't put your important items like technology, your passport, credit cards into your main bag, and don't put this into the baggage hold on a bus or similar, keep them on you at all times!

3. Check in regularly: give friends and family a copy of your itinerary and plan how often you'll check in with them.

Finally, make sure you download One Scream. We’ll work abroad, so you can update your helpers to those away with you, or stick to friends and family at home - just be mindful of the time difference. x