Traveling to new places is fun, but doesn’t go without it’s stresses. Often enough, the stresses aren’t enough to negate the desire to take a trip in the first place, but it’s important that all that is needed to be planned prior to ensure the trip goes off without a hitch is taken care of.
This includes transportation, lodging, food, expenses, and schedule are all at least somewhat researched, solidified and booked. So as exciting as it is to be in a new city, there are many dangers that come along with being there and not being familiar with the territory. Here are the biggest dangers to you as a traveler in a new city:
The Wrong Side of the Tracks
There is a very real chance that you could end up being on the wrong side of the tracks in a new city. Besides staying out of alley ways and sketchy convenience stores, you must take precautions to stay out of other unsafe areas.
Before you go on your trip, do some research on what the bad areas of town are. Gang violence and districts where prostitution is common are areas that you will want to stay far away from. You might not know where these areas are so the key is to stay alert at all times, bring some sort of protection with you like mace, and ask the locals what the safest areas of town are.
Traffic Nightmares
Going into a city, you probably know that the traffic is going to be insane. Chances are, however, you didn’t realize how bad it was going to be, especially at certain hours of the day. There are cars everywhere, pedestrians everywhere, the parking is limited, the stopping is more frequent than the going, and the drivers seem to have no care in the world about anyone’s safety.
When driving around in an unfamiliar city, have someone else do the navigating, pay attention to nothing but road and things going on around it, and be prepared to park somewhere and walk a lot. The walking will actually save you stress and danger in the unpredictable city streets.
Stuck in Your Phone
While it’s going to be tempting to spend a lot of time in your phone in an unfamiliar city, this could put you at greater risk than you want to be put in. Time spent immersed in your phone stops you from being cognisant of what is around you.
When you’re in the city, it’s okay to pull out your phone and snap some photos, but keep your head up, stay out of people’s ways, and limit having your nose in the technology. You never know when somebody could be following you, snatching your wallet from your pocket, or kidnapping your travel companion. It sounds absurd, but it’s just general safety precaution.