Nomads of all kinds, will at some time or another find themselves venturing into the City. Indeed, there are many reasons to experience the delights that the urban environment has to offer from stocking up on supplies, to enjoy a little luxury now and then. Not to mention all the delicious food, music and culture you will find in the more built-up areas.
However, as well as all these wonderful things that Cities have to offer, there is also an issue of risk that cannot be ignored. The good news is that nomads can minimize this risk by following the advice laid out below. Safe travels people!
Company
The first way to reduce the level of risk you may be facing when exploring a city you are unfamiliar with is to stay in the company of others. There are several ways you can do this from traveling in a group with friends to booking yourself space on an organized tour. Indeed, with the latter, you are also very likely to stay within the safer places in the city, another factor that can help reduce any risk of theft, assault, or mugging.
Another option and one that is particularly useful for the more introverted or solo traveler is to make sure even when you are on your own, you are sitting among people. That is if you are waiting for a train, pick a platform that is bustling with families and commuters rather than standing alone in a less well-lit area. The same goes for when you are eating outside, and even when you are on a bus or train. The best idea being to always choose a carriage that is full of ‘regular-looking’ people. The reason being that with a large audience, the opportunities for anyone with criminal intent to strike are vastly reduced. While the chances of someone intervening to help you if you do get into distress are much higher.
Attitude
Attitude when exploring an unfamiliar city is also hugely important for staying safe. The idea here is that you want to look as confident and as comfortable as possible, something that can help you from being identified as a ‘visitor’ or ‘tourist’ and so as a mark for those with nefarious intentions.
One way to do this is to pass on the maps and tourism guides. Instead, program your itinerary into your phone and use the audio function with headphones to guide you to your next location. Some people choose to keep only one headphone in here, so they retain awareness of what is going on around them.
Additionally, you may want to look into these skills often known as adaptive urban self-integration in more detail before your trip. Luckily, you can visit sites like tradecraft to do so. There you will find expert advice on how to blend into urban locations as seamlessly as possible.
Awareness
Awareness is also hugely important when it comes to staying safe in an unfamiliar urban area. What this means is that you need to be aware that there could be some risks, and remember to be on guard for them.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy your trip, or have to be on edge all of the time. It’s just about remembering to not be so relaxed that you allow yourself to become a target.
Preparations
Finally, if you are exploring a city in Europe such as Barcelona, or Paris, or whether your travels take you a little further afield to far-flung places like Cancun, and Nairobi, one thing remains the same. That one thing is that if you want to stay safe you need to do your preparation and research beforehand.
In particular, choosing the routes you will take to get around the city before you leave your accommodation is vital. In fact, with all the information now available online you can check to see where the riskiest locations are and do your best to avoid them during the planning process.
Lastly, it’s pretty vital that you don’t set out without at least three things. The first of these is your smartphone, and the second is a power bank and cable for said phone. Then even if the worst does happen and you run out of juice you can charge up on the go.
The third and final item is the number or app of a taxi service that operates in the city you are using. After all, if you get lost, it can be as easy as calling an Uber to your location, which will then take you quickly and safely back to your accommodation.
We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.
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