England Vacation: Travel Safety
While you are less likely to become a victim of a violent crime in England than in U.S. cities, it doesn’t mean that you should care less about your personal safety. After all, you are in a foreign country and as a tourist, you should be mindful that it only takes one wrong move on your part to transform your excellent England vacation into a nightmare. Don’t be a victim of any crime. Follow these helpful tips:
Trust your gut
Wandering around the streets of England in the middle of the night is a common practice by both locals and tourists. This is because, the city streets of England bring a good atmosphere than and many Americans are far braver to walk alone in England than in the own neighborhood. But if the streets and surroundings do not make you feel comfortable, turn around. If it doesn’t feel right, go back. A noisy crowded street may seem to be safe but if you feel otherwise, there no shame in walking away. Trust your instinct, they seldom go wrong.
Don’t flaunt your wealth
This may sound too obvious but people have a tendency to show off their expensive jewelry so that others may notice. Reserve this on one of your formal dinners. Earrings, bracelets and wristwatches are the most common targets of thieves regardless of whether they are expensive or look expensive. If you can’t resist, just wear minimal jewelry but you have to take the risk. But my advice is clear: never wear jewelry if you are visiting any foreign place, period.
Watch out for pickpockets
Thieves come in different forms, shapes and sizes so if you do not watch your surroundings, you may become the next victim. Beware when you encounter women carrying overly-wrapped babies in the middle of a summer, a team boys riding scooters and a group of kids holding cardboards with gibberish words written on it. To be safe avoid carrying your wallet on your back packet. Or, quit the idea of carrying a purse while roaming around the city.
Spread your valuables
Your wallet, passport, ATM cards and credit cards should not be in the same pocket when you go out. If there is no need to carry all of them, place your valuables in a sealed bag and hand it over to the hotel clerk to be put in the hotel safe. Make sure that the clerk really does place it inside the safe before leaving.
Blend in
Do not wear clothes that can catch the eyes of every passerby. Wear clothes similar to the locals. Wear simple clothes. Do not expose your wealth by wearing the best wardrobe and the most expensive bag. Remember, you are in a vacation, not in a fashion show.
Don’t get into trouble
English cities have one of the best clubs and bars in the world and it is so tempting to spend the night in one of these clubs. If you plan to get drunk, make sure that you keep yourself together throughout the night. You are a visitor; so you need to avoid confrontations.
Again, cities in England are far safer than your usual U.S. neighborhood so do not think that every England vacation comes with a bad experience. Just be safe. Take precautions. Have fun.