Divide up the money

Take it from someone who got their wallet stolen in Nepal and who was stupid enough to have all of their cash and cards in one place :) Now I carry pad wallets with bundles of cash. They are easy to conceal and hide in your bag, and if one gets stolen, you have more cash or other cards elsewhere in your bag.

western union is your friend

As mentioned above, wallet stolen, expenses still needed to be paid, what did I do? Well I had to get a lot of cash out at a Western Union and I now have learned they are a God send for travelers. Have one ready to go just incase and research the country you are going to find the Western Unions near you for emergencies.

same country friends

Last time mentioning stolen wallet story. Did I mention it happened on the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek? Not too many Western Unions on the mountain. But luckily, I became friends with another American hiker who was able to pay for some of my things because I Venmoed her on the spot. As you learn traveling, not all countries use the same banking apps. Therefore when I asked my British friends to spot me and I’d just Venmo them real quick they just look confused. So if you can find someone with the same banking apps as you, and they trust you enough, pay it forward and send them a little extra for helping you out.

chill with the booze

I have drank heavily on some of my trips and have never had an issue. However, looking back on some of my international night outs, holy shit I am so lucky I am still alive today. Of course you should drink and mingle on your travels, but do you need to blackout harder than you ever had before? I wish someone told my younger self that I did not need to challenge every Irish and English person to a drinking game when I am at the bar to show them Americans are the best alcoholics out there (for some reason I thought that was a flex). Blacking out in a country where you don’t know the language, you don’t know the public transportation, you don’t know the reputation of the areas, and your trusted friends and family are not there to save you, is not safe for anyone. Watch your drink and watch how much you drink. I promise you, you will still have a good time without those few extra tequila shots…even if they were free.

documents on file

When in doubt, have your important documents printed out. That means embassy phone numbers, insurance information, emergency contacts, photocopy of passport, flight information, medical contacts, medical/vaccine information and addresses of your known accommodations. I always travel with a folder of my important documents. I have never used them but I know one day I will and I will be thankful I prepared.

phones kill

Once in a while, look up from your phone. Take in your surroundings. Know what the hell is going on around you. No matter where you are.

Air tags

I should be sponsored by Apple by how many AirTags I travel with nowadays. I put one in my wallet, in my purse, in my fanny pack, and in my luggage.

share location

Make sure numerous people have your location. That means your immediate iPhone location, Apple Watch location, and Snapchat location. You are always safer if people know where you are going to be.

this isn’t the time for chanel

Look, I know you want to look good, but read the room. If you are staying in a hostel or are backpacking around South East Asia or Europe, now is not the time to be flashy with your designer brands. Leave them at home. Do not attract unwanted attention or put a giant sign above your head that says, “I am foreign and wealthy, rob me please!”I typically will buy luxury dupes so I know I will not lose or get my nice things stolen. I am a big Amazon dupe girly. They have everything under the sun and don’t worry no one will be able to tell the difference. Fun fact: Kim Kardashian wears fake designer jewelry out in public since her robbing incident. If Kim can do it, you can do it.

two phones

Now this is a newer tip I learned in Africa. There is a real chance of having your phone hacked when you log in to unsecured wifi networks when you are traveling. Especially when you are accessing important apps like for your banking or credit cards. This was advice given me to me in Zimbabwe. Carry your usual phone so you have it, but then also carry a different one for your new SIM card. For example, I would shut off the cellular on my iPhone and just use it for pictures because the camera quality is so good. Then I would use a Samsung phone to hook up to my banking apps and WhatsApp with a new SIM card to use data. This is definitely not a mandatory safety tip, but if you are a seasoned traveler it is super helpful and cost efficient.

research

Know the place you are traveling to. I always watch a ton of TikTok’s and YouTube videos about a country before visiting. That way I can take advice from people who have been there or who currently live there. These videos can tell you what areas to avoid and what crimes to look out for to stay safe.

Notify embassy

In today’s world you can never be too safe. I now notify the U.S. embassies of every single one of my travels. It is super easy to do online and only takes 5 minutes. It does not hurt to have all of your bases covered if shit hits the fan. You can also sign up for news alerts so you can be emailed if there are any issues, riots, political unrest or disturbances going on in the country you are visiting.