Preparing for the adventure of your life.
Taking a gap year and travelling abroad is now more popular than ever. Every year approximately 250,000 18-25 year olds from the UK take some form of gap year.
It is seen increasingly as a good thing to do. In fact, did you know?
- 60% said a gap year helped them decide what subject to study at university.
- 40% of students do not apply to university before embarking on their gap year.
- 90% of gap year students who originally intended to go university on their return, do so.
- 80% of people thought that their gap year added to their longer term employability.
- 30% of students set off to travel alone.
- 80% of British gap year students work in Britain at some point during their gap year to help fund it.
So, if you currently intending to set off at the start of 2020, you will probably be immersed in your planning right now.
You have undoubtedly got one thousand and one things to think about: your itinerary, visas, passport, flights, weather in country, and currency to name just a few.
If you can, pause for a few moments and consider these five safety precautions which will help to keep you safe wherever you are.
Find out about the local culture
You are travelling because you want to see and experience new places. You want them to be different, so don’t be caught out by not being prepared.
Before you travel find out about the local culture and expectations, including the law. You may get away with a joint in the UK but numbers of countries have a zero tolerance approach and extremely tough penalties. Likewise alcohol.
Does how you dress at home meet the expectations in the country you are visiting? Must you cover your shoulders, wear a head scarf, cover tattoos and wear longer shorts.
Will what you intend to carry make you stick out as a target for robbery. Your watch or phone may be common at home but worth a mugging in your new place.
Do people stop for prayers or other acts during the day. How will you be expected to behave at those times.
Have a communication plan
Your journey may take you through numbers of different places where your ability to get in touch with others is severely hampered.
Work out how you intend to keep others, family, friends or colleagues, informed of your movements. Try to agree in advance a way that you will communicate and how often.
Should people expect something daily, weekly, by phone,by email or letter? Having a consistent pattern for communicating means that others will keep an eye, or ear, open for you should you fail to get in touch as agreed.
That doesn’t necessarily mean always with your parents in Dundee, but can mean the controllers of a cattle station every day, or few hours depending upon what you are doing.
It could mean as you travel to an airport, check in, board and land at the other end.
If your mobile phone is one of your primary planned means of communication, make sure you carry a power bank and know whether you will be able to get coverage in country without emptying all your finances.
Seek local advice
You will want to do things you don’t get the chance to do at home and with that comes risk.
In countries like Australia and South Africa, locals will understand when it is safe to swim at the beach and when a shark attack is more likely, for example.
Locals will provide you with information about the conditions you are likely to meet on an expedition and what essential preparations must be made. As I write this there are massive bush fires in Australia threatening lives and property. Knowing what to do, from locals, is a good example of seeking local advice.
They will also be able to describe any local crime threats. Places which seem very friendly in daylight may take on an entirely different feel at night.
The one proviso in seeking local advice is that you must choose who to trust when asking. Not everybody, even appointed officials in some countries, is necessarily on your side. As a sense check always remember that the UK FCO website provides advice on countries, travel, security and crime.
Carry a First Aid Kit
At some stage you will need a first aid kit, and you want to be able to trust the contents.
You will be travelling for some time in different areas. Hopefully the worst you will suffer is an upset stomach and everyday minor cuts and bruises, but if you are in a bigger accident or need to help others then you want to have a first aid kit which has what you need in it.
Your kit should have a mix of everyday plasters and antiseptic wipes with at least:
- CPR Mask
- Splint roll
- Good quality dressings – we recommend Israeli Bandages
- A tourniquet
- Survival blanket
- Trauma scissors
- Eye wash
You will probably need to buy a good base first aid kit and then add top up items.
Two additional thoughts about your first aid kit:
It is yours. If you let everybody else plunder it, it will be empty when you need it. Be prepared to be a bit selfish.
If you aren’t confident with first aid, then do a short course before you go. there are plenty of cheep courses available around the UK.
Carry basic safety tools
This really depends upon where you are and what you are planning to do. A basic safety kit for working in remote rural areas will be very different to one in a heavily populated city.
Some items you should consider carrying are:
- Whistle – to alert people that you need help.
- Map – it may be a physical map or on your smartphone, but it is best to know where you are going.
- Personal attack alarm – to alert people that you need help/are being physically threatened.
- A wooden door wedge – a simple wedge to put under your door to make it harder for people to get in. Great in a hostel or hotel.
- Pen knife – just a must have tool if you are working outdoors.
- Phone – or other means of communications. Essentially something which means you can call others for help.
- Possibly not carried with you, but have the means of downloading images of key documents such as passports, and driving licences.
Think about an appropriate bag to carry them in. Obviously you need to blend in so your bag is not the cause of any unwanted attention. Your bag should, however, be something which you can comfortably wear and have with you at all times such as in a taxi, bus or crowded room.
For more ideas about how to stay safe in a dangerous world please subscribe to our website. www.streetsafethinking.com
