Vlad the Impaler. Romania. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Ten Commandments To Avoid Trouble
1 Don't steal.
(Don't take anything without asking. Always ask first if toiletries, pens, posters, menus, anything which looks cheap or a fun souvenir can be taken for free.)
2 Check you are driving the correct side of the road.
3 Don't drive when drunk.
Plan a passenger who can drive if you are drinking and ensure they will stay with you.
Watch out for drunks, especially New Year's Eve.
Also countries with drunks, areas around pubs.
Built up areas with houses and shops are where you get speed cameras and 30 mph limits because children and animals and the elderly and drunks and pedestrians looking at phones are likely to cross your way.
Romanian road sign. Beware of drunks. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
4 PLAN Remember the saying: You don't plan to fail. You fail to plan.) Check routes and hazards.
5 KNOW EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Know the local emergency phone numbers.
Where are the nearest police stations, hospitals? Where is your insurance document. In some countries you cannot enter a private hospital until you have shown your insurance document which assures them that they will be paid. You don't want to lose time diverting to a state or free hospital.
6 LEARN LOCAL LANGUAGES
Learn the language of a country you are visiting a year in advance.
(If you can't, be aware of translation devices an print out emergency appeals, as well as warning to heed from police and passers-by.)
7 BE POSITIVE
Keep commands positive.
Climbers are taught on seeing rockfalls, don't say, "Don't look up!" Firstly, somebody will look up. Secondly they might miss the negative word. Thirdly you waste an extra second saying don't.
Keep up morale.
8 LOG TRAVELS & INFORM Family
Tell people where you are going and when you will be back.
9 COMMUNICATION & RELIABILITY
Don't keep running away and disappearing or nobody will know you are in trouble.
Do daily checks on the elderly, sick and family.
10 EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
Carry food and drink, maps, phones, first aid, something for all weathers.
Finally, no pranks. Don't pretend to jump off a cliff or hang yourself. Don't steal somebody else's food or drink for a joke. Don't wave a fake gun at somebody else, because they don't know you are joking and might fire back with a real gun.
No pranks. Firstly, you could endanger them. Secondly, the stress might make them angry. Remember the road safety rule: The life you save may be your own.
Photo of Ambulance in Romania. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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