Smart Travels: A Guide to Staying Safe
Exploring a new country is an exciting adventure, but it is important to prioritize your security. Here is a guide on how to stay safe while traveling.
Planning Your Trip
Before you leave, check if you need a visa to enter your destination. It is also essential to buy travel insurance to protect you if you get sick or lose your luggage. If you are traveling during a health crisis, remember to check the local quarantine rules. Always carry a copy of your passport and keep it separate from the original. This is very helpful if you need to go to your embassy because you lost your documents.
Planning Your Trip
Before you leave, check if you need a visa to enter your destination. It is also essential to buy travel insurance to protect you if you get sick or lose your luggage. If you are traveling during a health crisis, remember to check the local quarantine rules. Always carry a copy of your passport and keep it separate from the original. This is very helpful if you need to go to your embassy because you lost your documents.
At the Airport and Beyond
When you arrive, you will pass through customs where officers might inspect your bags. Once you are out of the airport, always use a licensed taxi rather than an unofficial driver. Before you start exploring, check the route on a map so you don't look lost.
Keeping Your Belongings Safe
To prevent theft, you should lock your bag and never leave items unattended, even for a minute. In a crowded area, a pickpocket can easily take things from your pockets. To stay safe, wear a money belt under your clothes and keep valuables out of sight. When you arrive at your hotel, put your passport and extra cash in the safety deposit box. It is much better to keep your valuables there than to carry them all day.
Staying Safe in the City
When walking around, stay alert and avoid unsafe neighbourhoods, especially at night. While meeting new people is fun, you should avoid sharing personal details like your hotel room number with strangers. Most importantly, trust your instincts. If a place or person feels dangerous, leave immediately.
Dealing with Emergencies
An emergency can happen at any time. When you enter a building, like a museum or a hotel, locate the emergency exit. It is also a good idea to carry a small first aid kit for minor injuries. If you are a victim of a crime, find the nearest police station to report a theft. Pro-tip: keep the local emergency phone numbers saved in your phone before you arrive!
Revise travel vocabulary related to airports, train stations and bus stations as well as types of holidays. You covered this in form 7: At the Airport, Train Station, and Bus Station, Types of Holidays
Key vocabulary:
emergency — [ɪˈmɜː.dʒən.si] — a serious situation requiring immediate action; avārija, neparedzēts gadījums
customs — [ˈkʌs·təmz] — where luggage is inspected on entering a country; muita
safety deposit box — [ˈseɪf.ti dɪˌpɒz.ɪt ˌbɒks] — a small locked box, usually in a hotel or a bank, where you can store valuable items safely, such as a passport, money, jewellery, or important documents. Only you (or authorised staff) can open it; seifs
unattended — [ˌʌn.əˈten.dɪd] — not being watched or taken care of; nepieskatīts, nepavadīts, bez pavadoņa
valuables — [ˈvæl.jə.bəlz] — small objects, especially jewellery, that might be sold for a lot of money; vērtslietas; dārglietas
visa — [ˈviː.zə] — official permission to enter a particular country and stay for a fixed length of time, sometimes for a particular purpose such as work or study. A visa usually takes the form of a document fixed in someone's passport, or a mark made in someone's passport; vīza
Personal Safety and Belongings
keep valuables out of sight — [kiːp ˈvæl.juə.bəlz aʊt əv saɪt] — to hide valuable items so they cannot be seen by others; turēt vērtslietas neredzamā vietā
leave items unattended — [liːv ˈaɪ.təmz ˌʌn.əˈten.dɪd] — to leave belongings without watching them, which can be unsafe; atstāt mantas bez uzraudzības
lock your bag — [lɒk jɔː bæɡ] — to close your bag with a lock to protect your belongings; turēt somu aizvērtu
money belt — [ˈmʌn.i belt] — a small pouch worn under clothes to safely carry money and documents; vidukļa soma
pickpocket — [ˈpɪkˌpɒk.ɪt] — a person who steals money or objects from people in crowded places; kabatzaglis
Revise types of crime you studied in form 8: Crimes
Health and Safety Vocabulary
embassy — [ˈem.bə.si] — foreign country office where citizens can get help; vēstniecība
emergency exit — [ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi ˈeksɪt] — a special door used to leave a building quickly in danger; rezerves izeja, papildus izeja
first aid kit (also: first-aid kit) — [ˌfɜːst ˈeɪd ˌkɪt] — medical supplies for emergencies; pirmās palīdzības aptieciņa
travel insurance — [ˈtræv.əl ɪnˈʃɔː.rəns] — insurance that protects you if something goes wrong during your trip; ceļojumu apdrošināšana
quarantine — [ˈkwɒr.ən.tiːn] — isolation period to prevent disease spread; karantīna
Safe Behaviour While Travelling
avoid unsafe neighbourhoods — [əˈvɔɪd ʌnˈseɪf ˈneɪ.bə.hʊdz] — to stay away from parts of a city where crime or danger is more common; izvairīties no nedrošiem rajoniem
avoid sharing personal details — [əˈvɔɪd ˈʃeərɪŋ ˈpɜːsənl ˈdiːteɪlz] — to not give private information such as addresses or document numbers; neizpaust personīgu informāciju
carry a copy — [ˈkæri ə ˈkɒpi] — to keep an extra printed or digital copy of an important document, such as a passport or ticket, in case the original is lost; nēsāt līdzi kopiju
check the route — [tʃek ðə ruːt] — to look at a map or navigation app to see where you are going; pārbaudīt maršrutu
crowded area — [ˈkraʊdɪd ˈeəriə] — a place where many people are close together; pārpildīta vieta (cilvēku pūlis)
licensed taxi — [ˈlaɪsənst ˈtæksi] — an official taxi that is legally allowed to carry passengers; licencēts taksometrs
report a theft — [rɪˈpɔːt ə θeft] — to inform the police or authorities that something has been stolen; ziņot par zādzību
stay alert — [steɪ əˈlɜːt] — to pay close attention to what is happening around you; uzmanīties, būt modram
trust your instincts — [trʌst jɔː ˈɪn.stɪŋkts] — to listen to your feelings when something does not seem safe; uzticēties savai intuīcijai
Revise personal safety vocabulary from form 8: Personal Safety and Rules in Society and the Digital World
Practice: now that you’ve mastered the new words, let’s put them to work! To help you provide longer, more thorough responses, try responding to these discussion questions. This is an excellent way to get ready for both real-world discussions and English tests. Use the answer prompts to get started if you run into trouble.
1. How do you usually prepare for a trip to a foreign country?
"Preparing for a trip takes a lot of time and organization. First, I always check the official government website to see if I need a visa, as this can take weeks to process. Secondly, I also make sure to buy comprehensive travel insurance; I believe this is essential because medical costs abroad can be very high if there is an emergency. Finally, I always carry a copy of my passport and hotel bookings in my backpack. I do this because if my original documents are lost, having a backup makes it much easier to get help at the embassy."
2. Some people say that preparing for problems is the most important part of a holiday. What is your opinion?
"In my view, preparation is the key to a stress-free trip. It is my belief that you should never leave for the airport without travel insurance, as it covers you during a medical emergency. Furthermore, I am fairly sure that everyone should carry a copy of their documents. From my perspective, it is also vital to check if you need a visa months in advance to avoid disappointment at customs. Ultimately, while you want to have fun, being prepared means you can stay alert without feeling constant stress."
3. Do you prefer to plan your travel route in detail, or do you prefer to be spontaneous?
"To be honest, I always prefer to check the route in detail before I leave my hotel. I personally feel that if you look confused on the street, you are more likely to be targeted by a pickpocket. Furthermore, knowing exactly where the emergency exits are in my accommodation and where the nearest licensed taxi stand is makes me feel much more relaxed. Ultimately, a good plan helps me avoid unsafe neighbourhoods so I can actually enjoy my holiday."
4. Talk about the most vital things a traveler should pack for their safety.
"It is my belief that safety starts with what you carry. First, a first aid kit is essential for any minor emergency that might happen. From my perspective, you should also never travel without a money belt; it allows you to keep valuables out of sight in a crowded area. I am fairly sure that it is also wise to carry a copy of your visa and passport. If you lose your original documents, having these copies will make your visit to the embassy much faster and less stressful. Finally, I always recommend travel insurance to cover any unexpected medical costs."
Revise how to show sequence of your ideas: Building Coherent Texts: Opinions, Facts, and Order