Stepping foot off the airplane onto new ground is very exciting. You’ve always wanted to visit this destination, and as your foot touches the ground you feel ecstatic. “This feels awesome”, you say to yourself.
Then you receive a call from your neighbour telling you that your house has just been robbed!
While you’re waiting for your luggage you try and keep calm….but then you see the last person pick up their bags, and yours is nowhere to be seen. You go to make a report to the authorities, and then go to an ATM to withdraw some cash. But your account has been maxed out!
While this is an extremely exaggerated example, it’s one that could happen if we didn’t plan our trip abroad carefully.
So here are some useful tips to prevent your trip turning out to be a nightmare.
Plan the trip
While everyone plans a trip to some extent, you need to be aware of the destination that you are travelling to. People get their last minute travel deals on www.flightnetwork.com and then head off without fully researching what to do and where to go once they reach there. This can end up costing them a lot of time and money when they arrive.
Luggage
We bring luggage with us for a reason, and not to have it go missing on the way. Do you remember to put your name and address clearly on it before you leave? This is only a good idea if you have someone staying in your house while you are away. Otherwise having the address on the outside of the bag is a bad idea, as someone could see your address and let an accomplice know that you are away. If this is a worry for you then put your name and address on the inside of the luggage.
It’s also wise to tie a brightly coloured scarf or other item of clothing around it, so that you can see it easily.
Pickpockets
Only carry valuables with you if you really have to. This is common sense at the end of the day, but not many people use sense while away on holidays. Always keep copies of important documents while you are travelling in case you lose them. Don’t carry large amounts of cash or even wear expensive jewelry, as it only attracts the wrong attention.
Bogus Scams
Be on the look out for fake taxi drivers, tour guides and other such scam artists, as they will bleed every last penny out of you.
Just by using common sense and being very careful while you are travelling will help prevent you from become a victim of a holiday scam or trick. It happens to many tourist day in day out, so take that extra bit of caution and you’ll be fine.