Travelling alone? Be alert and cautious, you may be prey of duping.

Travelling alone? Reason can be any like personal, occupational, educational or leisure but one thong you have to make sure is your safety. If you are going to a place where you are not well aware of, you need to ensure some safety measure so that you reach, stay and return safely. Everyday we read news of people getting duped while travelling.

Manoj (name changed) was travelling from Amritsar to Lucknow to attend marriage of his college friend. Everything was going fine till he reached New Delhi. Train left from New Delhi and was moving ahead towards Lucknow. Some co passengers started talking to Manoj and few hours after Manoj had mixed into their group as if he was known to them for years. One of them opened packet of biscuit and stared eating and offered biscuits to Manoj as well. Friendly Manoj did not hesitate to have few biscuits. Train reached at Lucknow and his friend who had come to receive on railway station could not found Manoj on the platform. He searched all the coaches of the train and found Manoj in unconscious condition with all his belongings missing. Manoj lost his money and other important belongings but thanked God for his life was saved.

If you are travelling alone, you can also be another Manoj or face more fatal situations if you do not take some precautionary measures to prevent such situation. Railway stations and bus stands are hub of pickpockets and burglars who are in a watch to find opportunity to dupe people. You cannot notice them but they notice you if you can be their prey. Once noticed by them, you will be chased until their goal is met, i.e. you have been duped. Your safety is your responsibility and you have to make sure it by taking some before and during travel measures. Here are some safety measures you have to take care while travelling –

Make bookings ahead of time – Your plan to travel might be in your knowledge much before the travelling dates. Do not do last moment travel bookings as it might mess up your travel schedule. If you have done prior bookings of transport and accommodation, you can avoid situations like travelling in unreserved category of train and getting overcharged by hotels in case of fully packed hotels. Spend time on internet or other sources to know the best way to reach the destination and best and economical accommodation at the destination. You might be misguided by touts or agents if you have no sufficient knowledge. Sometimes there is sudden travel and we do not get sufficient time for advance bookings. Be cautious and verify the real situation before deciding something, do not pay any advance to hotel or touts.

Be alert – When you travel alone, you become more prone to be duped by fraudsters. Never trust anyone whom you do not know as these fraudsters look very gentle and helpful people. Never leave your luggage unattended and never accept any eatable from a stranger. The person who offers help to you might be a genuine one but why to take risk. If you are offered to eat something by any co passenger, gently say no and give excuse of that you do not eat or are allergic to that food. Do not sleep or if sleeping, keep your luggage with you and do not sleep in deep slumber. Never tell anyone that you are alone and the place you are going to visit is not very familiar to you. If you are travelling alone you can fabricate a story that your friends are boarded in the same train and make fake calls so that people could know that you are not alone.

Click photographs of taxis – You don’t need to get a camera as a good resolution camera is always with us as mobile phones. Before riding an auto or taxi, click the photos of number plates and let the driver know that you have clicked the photographs of the taxi. In lots of the duping cases of passengers, taxi drivers are involved who pass the information of a lonely passengers to his accomplices and plot is created to rob off that passenger.

Be aware – Don’t get involved in your phone or I pod all the time, have a close observation around you. Notice if someone is noticing or following you, cleverly click photo of that person. Let them know that you have noticed them and you are alert.

Don’t walk alone at night – Do not roam alone in the night at the place which you are not well aware of. You are not aware of geographical locations and in case of any emergency you do know where to ask help from.

Don’t get drunk – if you’re travelling alone, never let yourself get drunk. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not drink with unknown people. Yes you can party and have fun but do so with a group you know well. If you drink alone, have it a hotel where you are staying and do not reveal about it to hotel staff.

Hide some money – Don’t keep all your money together. Keep a small amount in your purse, some in your bag, and most of it in your back account. Take out smaller amounts at a time. Carry a debit card of a bank which offers unlimited free transactions at own or other bank’s ATM. Keep an emergency credit card with you.

Keep your friends and family updated – Share your itinerary with your family. If something happens to you, people need to know where you were last. Call home often and keep your mobile with sufficient mobile talk value and internet. Keep another phone which can be used in any emergency situation.

Before checking out from hotel – Carefully pack your luggage and have a detailed check of all wardrobes, draws and bathroom to make sure you have packed all your luggage. Sometimes, in haste people do forget mobile phone, wallet or any small object while checking out.

We cannot avoid travelling alone but if we keep ourselves alert and adhered to above guidelines, our travel with end up with smooth and pleasant experience. Follow these and share with others.