Tag Archives: anti-theft

Do you sleep with peace of mind knowing your hotel room door is really locked?  Are you doing all to stop burglars from opening hotel room door? You may think it is hard to get into a hotel room without a key, but given the right tool, a little bit of time, and depending on the lock it can be done and done quickly. If the burglar or intruder has a passkey or passcode it is even easier and faster.

The Best Way to Stop Burglars From Opening Your Hotel Door

Pack a portable door lock to augment the hotel room door lock even before you start packing your clothes. It’s actually best to travel with two devices for your safety and the security of your possessions. The first device will help keep intruders out of your hotel room, and the second recommended item will secure your valuables.

See for yourself.
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#1 Must-Have Security Device is a Portable Door Lock for Personal Safety

When you are in the hotel room always use a secondary portable lock. Below are some suggestions to secure your hotel door for peace of mind. Lightweight and small the portable travel door locks secure hotel rooms, dorm rooms, and homes by preventing entry even if someone has a key. Fortunately, there are various styles of secondary door locks you can use for additional security. Here’s a quick review of a few of our favorites. Not all door designs are the same or you may consider two different types of secondary locks to travel with to stop burglars from opening your hotel room door.

The Door Jammer – Portable Door Lock

The Door Jammer is placed at the foot of the door. Should the door be opened the horizontal force of the door swinging open is transferred to the floor stopping the door from swinging open.

Door Jammer portable door lock, to stop burglars from opening your hotel door

The Portable Door Lock

The portable door lock is placed in the strike place of the door lock in the frame. It offers resistance if the door is opened even with a key it works on lever style and knob style handles.

New portable door lock

Door Stop with Alarm

This travel door stop is the only one with a built-in alarm. It’s a doorstop you use to stop the door from swinging open. Should an entry be attempted the door will swing onto the plate pressing it down triggering an alarm. The alarm is 120 db which is loud enough to scare an intruder away and to wake you from sleep. The device has an on/off switch so it won’t accidentally go off in your luggage.Door Stop and Alarm portable door lock, , to stop burglars from opening your hotel door

 

#2 Must-Have Travel Security Device is a Hotel Safe Lock or Portable Safe to Secure Your Gear

Is your gear safe when you leave your hotel room? Secure your values while you’re away from your hotel room by using a tamper-evident hotel safe lock for securing your valuables. Use a tamper-evident secondary lock such as the Milockie Hotel Safe Lock on the safe. Hotels have passkeys or passcodes to enter safes for guests who forget their code. The passcode or passkey could be used on your room safe while you are out of the room and you’d never know that someone had been in your room and opened the safe.

If your room doesn’t have a safe, or the gear you need to safeguard doesn’t fit inside the safe, then plan on traveling with a portable travel safe. If you prefer, use a portable travel safe to secure your valuables. The safes store flat in your luggage and can be used in cars, dorms, outside, at home, and in offices too, long after your trip is over. A couple of smaller and lightweight portable safes we like are:

Anti-Theft Portable Beach Chair Vault and Travel Safe. Packable, Lightweight & Slash Resistant. Use at the Beach, Pool, Waterpark, Cruise Ship, Portable Safe, Flexsafe for Smaller Valuables for Use at the Pool

Final Thoughts on Keeping Burglars From Opening Your Hotel Room

Be prepared to protect yourself and your valuables. Keep burglars out of your hotel room by planning to use travel safety devices designed for safety and security while traveling. The bonus is you can use any of these items at home too.

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tip the right amount when traveling,How Safe Are Hotel Room Safes, keep burglars out

 

Westerners visiting developing countries can often have life-changing experiences. Unfortunately, tourists can also find themselves as targets of crime or scams. These travel safety tips for visiting developing or third-world countries can help you have a safer experience.

Locals know that you have more money and valuables than they do. They also know you have less recourse if you are victimized. Consider these travel safety tips when visiting developing countries and investigate your destination before you travel.

Common Scams in Developing Countries

  • Fake police. People who own a police badge and even a uniform may be crooks in disguise. Be suspicious of anybody who asks you to show them your money or passport. Ask to be taken to the nearest police station before they search you or your belongings.
  • Drugged food/drinks. Don’t accept food or drinks offered to you on a bus/train/etc. They may drug you and leave you vulnerable to robbery.
  • Money changers. In most countries of the world, you don’t need to look for black market rates. Sometimes you are approached by people who volunteer to change dollars at very good rates. They will show you a roll of banknotes, then switch it with another roll of worthless notes while they take your dollars.

Advice for Avoiding Scams Against Tourists

  • Avoid crowds where you have to slow down. Every time you slow down while walking in a street you become an easier target.
  • Be suspicious if somebody slows you down (eg, falls in front of you, his clothes get stuck in something, etc): it may be a pretext to facilitate an accomplice who is behind you.
  • Be aware of who is behind you. If the same person is behind you for a few minutes, be suspicious.
  • A decoy wallet may help distract the thief. The thief will target your very visible wallet, while your money is somewhere else (eg, in another pocket). Carry your passport and money in a hidden waist wallet.
  • Avoid traveling with big luggage. The bigger the luggage, the more visible you are, and the harder it is for you to defend yourself, chase a thief, etc. Backpacks can be easily opened even while you are walking. Travel with an Anti-theft backpack or bag.
  • Always ask for receipts at hotels when they make you pay in advance.
  • Always bargain the price of a taxi before entering it, even if it has a meter.  Always use taxis that are recommended and referred by the hotel you are staying in.  Always be wary of taxis you hail on the street.
  • In most countries of the world, it is inappropriate to approach strangers (especially women). Anybody who approaches you (no matter how big his smile) should make you a little suspicious.  Keep your guard up and be careful when talking to strangers.
  • Anybody who speaks English well and approaches you is suspicious by definition. I am aware of many occasions that person will turn out to be somebody who wants to make money out of you, either by being your guide or by selling you souvenirs or worse. If you refuse, they will turn nasty.
  • Again, be cautious of strangers. Once they force you to behave friendly, they have the upper hand psychologically. They know that you were raised to be nice to people who are nice to you.
  • In most countries of the world women never respond to strangers, not even if they like the stranger. For a foreign woman, it is never a good idea to respond to men who approach her. The appropriate behavior is cold silence and indifference. Even a “no” is viewed as beginning a conversation. A smile is the worse course of action (in some cultures means “I am saying no but I mean yes”).

Advice for Reducing Your Victim Potential

  • Walk fast all the time. Every time you stop (to browse in a shop, to write a postcard, to take a picture), you become an easy target.
  • Don’t wear expensive clothes/watch.  Your watch might be someone’s 6-month salary.
  • Try to dress as much as the natives (give the impression you “live” in the country, or at least try to blend in).
  • Dress as humbly as possible.

If Robbed

  • If you were robbed of something unusual happened in front or around you, don’t chase the thief, follow the person who generated the commotion: s/he is probably an accomplice. Don’t try to stop her/him until there is police nearby. If s/he is an accomplice, police will probably recognize her/him right away. Accomplices are often women and children.

If Attacked

  • Use violence only if the attacker is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Otherwise, you may be risking your life: he has obviously more experience than you.
  • In most countries, theft is an accident of life and police will not even make an effort to investigate, but murder, especially of a foreigner, is a major event. From the point of view of a thief, that means that he has no interest in hurting you: if he doesn’t hurt you, he’s likely to get away with his crime, but if he hurts you the entire police force of the nation will be after him. Unless you do something really weird, most of the time a thief who is after your wallet or luggage has no interest in hurting you, they want your money or valuables.

When Driving

The below does not apply solely to Third World countries but also here domestically.

  • Make sure your luggage does not show from the trunk.
  • If you are lost in an unsafe neighborhood, do not show that you are lost. Do not stop, keep driving and look at the map while driving.
  • Don’t rely on public telephones: if you are in a bad neighborhood, they are unlikely to be working.
  • The best protection is prevention: make familiar with the topography of the city before you start driving. If you get lost, you should at least be able to guess (without asking) in which direction you have to steer.
  • Get a map app on your phone.
  • Have an emergency number (can be a friend or local hotel) to call for help or advice.
  • Just don’t look like a tourist who is lost, helpless, and desperate. Look like somebody who lives around there and is about his business.

Additional Advice for Visiting Developing Countries

    1. Get Medical Insurance
      Medical care in developing countries is not up to the standards of care you will find here in the US. If you are injured or fall ill you need an insurance policy that will evacuate you out of the country.
    2. Do Cultural Research
      Before visiting developing countries do some research about customs, traditions, and language. Include religious beliefs and if they impact women traveling alone.
    3. Understand Personal Earning Levels
      Be aware of what locals earn. Err on the side of generosity if tipping or bargaining. The money means more to them than it does to you.
    4. Visit US Government Advisory Websites
      Travel safety tips for visiting developing countries keep evolving, so start your trip by doing your research before you travel.
      Visit US travel advisory website.
      Enroll in the Smart traveler program
    5. Visit a doctor specializing in travel medicine

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Simple Safety and Security Advice When Making Hotel Reservatiomaking hotel reservations 2 Must-Dos When Booking Hotel Roomsns

After you pick the location for your next hotel stay, savvy travelers recommend you do two things when making hotel reservations to ensure a more relaxing stay.

First, you need to give security some thought, even if you’re staying at a top resort. Next, you should make your personal requests known in advance. Here’s why.

Security Priorities  

Request a hotel room in the “safest room zone”
That’s defined as a room on the second floor or higher,  but below the 6th in case there is a fire and the fire department needs to reach you.  A room on the ground floor that has doors or windows that open to the outside is riskier especially in the case of motels, rooms off parking lots, or if you like to sleep with an open window.

Who else can access your room?
Pack a portable travel door lock. You never know if there are extra keys, key cards or pass keys out there that can open your hotel room while you are inside.  You’ll sleep more soundly knowing your room is truly locked.

Identity theft happens most frequently in hotels
According to Experian, identity theft crimes took place most commonly in hotels (24 percent), restaurants (18 percent)  and followed by airports (12 percent). Guard your credit cards, ID, and passport when you travel. Do not give out your credit card number to someone calling your room, even if they say they are calling from the front desk. Do not use the open WiFi connection or business center computers to conduct personal business or anything requiring a password protecting personal data.

How safe is the room safe?
A common place you leave items with your personal information while you are away from the room is the room safe. All hotel safes have a bypass code or way to open them in case a guest forgets their passcode or if the safe’s electronics fail. Theft from a room safe is virtually unprovable.  Consider a safe lock that works to discourage and stop would-be thieves. There’s a lot of peace of mind right there.

Personal Request for Comfort and Convenience 

Room location
Do you want to be close to the pool, lobby, or elevator? Have the hotel reservations agent mark your preference in your reservation at the time of booking (try to get that room between the 2nd and 6th floor.)

Room amenities
Do you want more pillows or special hypo-allergenic pillows? Ask for them at the time of booking so that housekeeping can place them in your room before your arrival or as soon as you arrive.  The same goes for extra towels or a bathrobe. Make sure your preferences are noted in your booking record and then confirm at the check-in desk even before going to your room. This prevents you from having to open the door to someone else.

Be hands-free and worry-free at the pool or gym

If you plan on lounging by the hotel pool or beach, bring a portable pool or beach safe to secure valuables you leave behind when swimming or walking around. Knowing your valuables are close and secure will let you enjoy your activities more without carrying your phone, room key, etc., with you or taking turns guarding the “stuff.”

Most importantly, confirm that your security and comfort preferences are noted in your hotel reservation 24 hours before you arrive by speaking to someone at the front desk, not the reservation center.  While asking for special accommodations does not guarantee that you’ll always get them, but by speaking to a person on the property does up your chances. If they do accommodate you be sure to thank them in person for their effort, and they may continue to help you out throughout your stay.

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I’m sure you’ve wondered what is the best way to keep valuables safe at the beach or pool. Have you ever gone to the beach and wondered what should I do with my phone, camera, keys or other valuables while I’m in the water? You’re not alone and thefts are common, especially at popular and crowded beaches favored by tourists. beach tourists how to keep valuables safe at the beach

Keeping Valuables Safe While at the Beach

1. The only way not to lose something to theft is not to bring it in the first place. Well, that is not always possible.

2. The next step is to try to thwart the efforts of would-be thieves by keeping your valuables on your person (in a waterproof gear) while you swim or stroll along the shore.

3. The next option is to secure your gear in bags you can lock down to a stationary item like a lounge chair or umbrella. Be sure to see the videos below that capture how thieves operate and get inspired to protect your valuables too before you pack your sunscreen and towel.

(VIDEOS ARE AT THE BOTTOM KEEP SCROLLING DOWN)

Guarding Your Possessions at the Beach or Pool

  • The first thing you can do to protect your valuables is never to leave them unattended.  Especially when you go into the water or doze off to catch a few winks.
  • Store small, necessary items like your car key, spare cash and credit cards and even your phone or tablet inside a waterproof pouch you can carry on your person. Yes, you can go into the water with your phone on your person. Make sure your waterproof pouch is secured to your body as closely as possible so that a wave doesn’t pull it off.

waterproof waistpack guard valuables at the beach and pool

Check Prices keep phone safe at the beach

  • Waterproof waist pouches are better than waterproof neck pouches in the ocean as neck pouches are more apt to float off your body especially if you get hit by a wave.
  • Use a portable locking safe. Certain bags can be secured to a stationary item like a chair or umbrella, or another immovable object. The Pacsafe Travelsafe X15 Anti-Theft Portable Safe secures essentials in many environments including the beach or pool. You just need something to lock it to like a lounge chair or beach umbrella.

Alternatives To Keeping Gear Safe at the Beach or Pool

  • Don’t have the right anti-theft gear with you? Here are a few alternative measures to take.
  • Try to go into the ocean in shifts so someone is always watching the valuables.  If you can’t do this, read on for various suggestions to protect unattended valuables.
  • Set your towel down in front of a lifeguard tower when possible. The hope is that thieves won’t want to operate near someone who might catch them in the act of stealing while you are in the water.
  • Don’t leave your valuables exposed – if you must leave your valuables, at least, tuck them under a beach towel.  If the item is larger, dig down a little in the sand so the towel remains flat when placed over it. If you have electronics place them in a large zip-lock style bag and bury it, then cover with a beach towel.  The bag protects the electronics from the sand. If you do this, make sure the bag is completely sealed. We like weather and water-proof cases specially designed for 100%  protection against water and sand. These bags are stronger than plastic food storage bags.
  • Strike up a conversation with a family near you. Make sure the people remember you and don’t be shy about asking them to keep an eye on your stuff for short periods of time. If you’re generous about sharing things like cold drinks, you can generate enough goodwill to ensure your possessions are watched over even when you’re not there.  If you ask another beachgoer to watch your property, remember, you don’t know who they are, nor that they would watch your property as much as you would so make sure you think this idea through – but it is an option if you had no other choice and at least you are selected the person.  Most people really don’t mind, and they might even ask you to return the favor.
  • Take or rent a beach chair and use it to attach a portable safe to or place your beach bag directly underneath it, making it more difficult for a thief to grab it and run. The added cost of renting a chair or umbrella is better than having to replace valuables.

Great Packable Security Safes

The following two beach or pool safes lock to a stationary item (like a beach chair or umbrella) and they also lock closed to keep valuables safe while at the beach.
The beach towel with built-in sand resistant and water-resistant pocket is a less secure alternative, but ideal if you don’t have a chair or umbrella to lock a portable safe to.

SafeGo Portable Lock Box

beach safe Secures to umbrella or chair,keep valuables safe while at the beach

•  Durable plus water and sand resistant
•  Lock box has 3 digit combo + key access
•  Heavy-duty 17″ steel cable wraps around a fixed object
•  Rust-resistant, nickel-plated lock
•  Lightweight ABS plastic, easy to pack
Check price , keep valuables safe while at the beach

 

 

Flexsafe Portable Safe

Flexasafe pool safe on chair protects valuables, keep valuables safe while at the beach

•  Ultra slash-resistant portable travel safe
•  Water-resistant design
•  RFID  blocking
•  Re-programmable 3 digit combination lock
•  Light-Weight & easily packable
Check price for travel safe,keep valuables safe while at the beach

Travel Towel with Hidden Water/Sand Resistant Pocket

Beach towel with pocket to protect your possessions while at the beach

•  Towel with built-in water-resistant pocket
•  Conceals valuables while you’re sleeping  or swimming
•  XL size, 60″x 30″ weighs 8oz.
•  Made of quick-drying and ultra-soft microfiber
•  Light-Weight & easily packable
Check price for travel safe, keep valuables safe while at the beach

These Videos Show How Thieves Work at the Beach

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You really need to plan ahead and think about how to keep valuables safe while at the beach or pool before you leave on your trip. That way you can invest in a waterproof body pouch or a larger portable lockdown safe. While more expensive than a body pouch the flexibility of a safe is that you’ll be able to use it in a hotel room, car, vacation rental property, camping, etc. for years to come.

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Every “how to” article about keeping your valuables secure in a hotel recommends placing them in the in-room safe. So how safe are hotel room safes? Your hotel safe is a very good place to keep valuables out of view and it is a much better solution than trying to hide them in your room. So how safe are hotel room safes?  The answer is no hotel room safe is 100% secure, here’s why.

Hotel Room Safes Have a “Backdoor” to Gain Entry

All hotel room safes have a backdoor or “special way” to access room safes so the staff can get into the safe in case a guest forgets the code, or loses the key to the safe, or electronics fail. Some safes may use a master key or card while others may have a special override code to open the door. Either way, when a safe has a way for someone other than you to get in it, your valuables are never 100% safe.

If a dishonest hotel employee does take something from your hotel safe, it is always going to be hard to prove who exactly stole from the safe during your stay, and hotel management may not always be willing to cooperate, especially in foreign countries.  Worst of all, without any evidence, your travel insurance usually won’t cover your loss.

Here is a video of a dishonest hotel employee who gains access to a hotel room safe and removes only a portion of the money inside so as not to raise suspicion.  It takes place at a hotel in Spain/Canary Islands.

What You Can Do To Help Stop Theft From Your Hotel Safe

Employees know that many people set very simple access code—like 1234 or 0000.  A dishonest hotel employee may be likely to try out these codes, making a passkey or override code unnecessary to facilitate the break-in, so the first piece of advice is to make your code a random series of numbers like a birthday or house number that only you would know. The next thing you can do is use a theft deterrent device designed just for hotel safes.

Hotel Safe Theft Deterrent Device

One unique way to secure your valuables inside your hotel room safe is with a device called the Milockie Hotel Safe Lock. The Milockie is a special lock and strap device. It allows you to secure the safe with your own padlock, preventing anyone else from gaining access to your safe. The Milockie Lock fits most hotel safes. It is a deterrent and a layer of additional security that only you have the key or combination to remove the device. Tip: The lock included with the Milockie is not robust. We highly recommend that you use a stronger padlock.

The Milockie Hotel Safe Lock helps protect your valuables and provides peace of mind as it is a visual deterrent to hotel personnel or anyone else who enters your room. The bottom line is not to become completely paranoid about your hotel room, but to use your common sense. Don’t leave large amounts of cash or irreplaceable jewelry in your room. Always lock valuables away out of sight in the hotel room safe and use a secondary lock like the Milockie on the hotel safe to stop the safe door from opening.

A Portable Travel Safe is something you take with you to lock up your valuables. Designed to fit flat into your travel bag it is made with a cut-proof material and locks closed with a steel cable. The cable has an important second function as you can wrap the cable around a stationary item like a bed frame, exposed plumbing, or a clothing rod so no one can just carry off the safe with your valuables inside. This is a useful item for the office, a vehicle, or a dorm too.

Should You Be a Victim of Theft From Your Hotel Room Safe

Hotel liability is a confusing issue made even more so by the fact that it varies from country to country, from state to state, and from hotel to hotel. Unless you can prove that a property was negligent, you virtually have no recourse, even if the hotel cooperates and entertains the claim, following up on it—especially if the hotel is in another country—can entail an insufferable wait. That said if you feel that you have a legitimate claim and that the property was negligent, be persistent. And always file a police report as evidence of the crime.

Since hotels routinely refuse claims, explore an alternative source of relief: homeowner’s insurance. It usually covers thefts that occur while policyholders are on vacation, although you may have to pay a deductible leaving you out of pocket in the end. The solution is to do whatever you can to mitigate loss by using a secondary hotel safe lock, or by packing a portable safe.

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e best bet here is to never assume that your hotel door lock is secure. All sorts of people have access to your room, starting with cleaning staff. There are also lots of other ways to defeat hotel door locks including traditional lock-picking and key card magstripe locks. This is why they give you a hotel safe in your closet. Oh wait, people can trick hotel staff into opening the safes or just use a paper clip. The bottom line is not to become completely paranoid about your hotel room, but to use your common sense. Don’t leave large amounts of cash or irreplaceable jewelry in your room and make sure that you carry copies of your passports with you.

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A solo female traveler has so much to think about.  Here are a few good tips or at the very least some good advice to consider before you go out on your adventure.

What Solo Female Travelers Should Do Before They Go

  • Pack so you can carry all your belongings yourself. Use wheeled luggage, and get a bag bungee to secure your tote or another smaller bag even a backpack to the wheeled bag. Combining your bags as one makes moving with them so much easier. The bag bungee device helps you keep one hand free and not at the mercy of others when it comes to managing your bags.

    Bags stay together and move as one with a Bag bungee for solo female travelers

    Bags stay together and move as one with a bag bungee, shop

  •  When flying, pack a carry-on bag with enough clothes and toiletries that you can go a day or so without your checked luggage, should your checked luggage be delayed by the airline. Be sure you triple-tag all luggage pieces both inside and out with your contact information and destination.
  • Outside bag tag should have your name no home address, and destination, plus your cell phone number.
  • Use a covered luggage tag that can’t be easily separated from your bag. A metal attachment loop is the best style of bag attachment.  If your bag is lost it can be forwarded to you at your next destination. A cell phone number is critical too.

  • Inside your bag place contact information with full name and travel schedule with hotels, dates, and instructions to call a cell phone number.
  • Airline destination tags are put on when you check-in. Be sure the destination on the airline tag is correct. With computer-generated tags these days, it’s rare to find a mistake.
  • Leave a copy of your itinerary with a trusted family member or friend.

What Solo Female Travelers Should Do En Route

  • Pick the clothes to wear on the flight. You want something loose and comfortable, plus comfortable shoes. Given a choice, try to go with natural fibers which are safer in the case of fire than synthetics. Your chances of being in a fire are very, very, very small, but all else being equal, pick the cotton outfit over the polyester one.
  • Do not wear spiked high heeled shoes on the plane. Besides the fact that they are dreadfully uncomfortable, they are rough in the case of evacuating the plane with an inflated plastic evacuation slide.  You are well-advised to wear flat shoes when flying.
  • Be sure to take something interesting to read or watch on the plane (book, tablet or phone loaded with entertainment and earbuds). If an unpleasant traveler sits next to you, bury your nose in your book or movie and keep your earbuds in.
  • If you’re flying in coach be prepared and pack a travel pillow. An inflatable pillow takes up less room and is lighter to carry than a memory foam pillow.

Hotel Safety Tips for Solo Women Travelers 

  • Whether or not you are married, wear a wedding ring, It cuts down on unwanted attention from men. If you get into a tight spot, then you can casually mention that you are “waiting for your husband,” etc. You can find a simple gold band for not too big of an investment. If you’re married consider leaving an expensive diamond ring at home and travel with a simple gold band.
  • Resist posting on social media that you are gone, it makes your home vulnerable to a break-in.
  • When you arrive and need a taxi, it is safer to go to the taxi queue and take the first taxi in line, rather than accepting the offer of someone who approaches you at the airport. In other words, you choose the taxi. Don’t let them choose you. Sometimes in places where there are a few taxis, that isn’t possible, but try to make the taxi your choice. Phone apps like Uber and Lyft are helpful on-demand services. They also provide the security of having each driver thoroughly background checked.
  • At the hotel: Don’t let the reception “announce” your room number out loud. Here you have to have some common sense. Hotel personnel are (should be) trained NOT to say “Here is your key for Room 306.” Instead, they should say “Here is your key. The number is on the key envelope.” If the room number is announced out loud, and there are other people in the lobby who might have overheard, just hand the key back and ask for another room. Be very polite, friendly, and say you are nervous about others knowing your room number. On the other hand, if the lobby is totally unoccupied, except for you and the desk clerk, no big deal.
  • Sign the register as “Mrs.” when you get to your room, have the bellman wait while you do a thorough room check. If you are alone, prop the door open with your luggage while you do the room check. Check anywhere else a man could hide – behind drapes, in the shower, behind the shower curtain under the bed, etc. After the room check, thank and tip the bellman, or close the room door.
  • At night, use a portable door lock that prevents intruders who might have a passkey, and might have tampered with the door chain from gaining entrance.  Hotels with electronic key-cards change the access code for the hotel room with each guest. Yet they too have pass keys.
  • If someone knocks on your door, and you didn’t order anything like room service, call the front desk to verify that a hotel employee was sent to your room. The obvious exception to this is in the late morning when the housekeeping crew is around. No intruder in his/her right mind is going to break into your room with all kinds of hotel employees in the halls.
  •  When you get to your room, check out the emergency exit route.  Figure out how you will get from your room to the stairs.  Get in the habit of always putting your hotel room key on your bedside table next to your phone. That way, you always know where it is. In the case of fire, you will have the hotel room key right next to your bed. If you decide to leave the room, take the key with you. The door will probably lock behind you as you leave. If the situation is worse outside your room, you will need the key to get back in.  Never stay on the 7th floor or higher as ladders of the fire department don’t reach beyond that.

Safety Tips for When Out and About

  • When you are out and about, walk with some purpose. If you are lost, it is better to stop and ask for directions and head in the proper direction, than to wander around hopelessly. Take a magazine or tablet to read in the restaurants. Someone said once it is difficult for a woman to dine alone without looking like she is afraid she had been stood up. True. I try to beat that by walking in with a magazine or a small book to make it look like I am there by myself on purpose.
  • On the other hand, don’t be afraid to get into conversations with strangers. It can be fun to meet new and interesting people. The deal is to recognize the con artist types from the genuinely friendly types. The “OK” person will engage in light conversation only and not try to get you to do anything or go anywhere. Avoid the type who wants you to leave the public area, restaurant, park, etc., and go somewhere not public for some other reason.
  • Do not get into a car with a stranger, take public transportation, or agree to split a cab.
  • It’s not wise to carry a lot of cash. ATMs are everywhere so you can replenish it. Use the normal common sense around the ATM as you would do at home. ATMs located inside banks are a safer choice than at a free-standing kiosk.
  • Hotels have safe deposit boxes at the front desk. If you are going to be in one place for more than just a night, you might leave your airline ticket in the safe box. International travelers should leave their airline tickets and passports in the room safe deposit box. Place both in a sealed envelope with your signature written across it, and walk around town with a photocopy of your passport for your official ID. Additionally, you should keep a copy of your tickets and passport on your phone.
  • Carry a small personal alarm, it can help emergency personnel find you as well as scare aware any unsavory characters. Don’t feel silly about using it. Do you really care what people you do not know in a foreign country will think of you if you use it during a perceived threat?

As a solo female traveler, it’s smart to take a few precautions so you can relax and enjoy the sightseeing, the museums, the hiking, the scenery, the people, the restaurants, the food, the smells, the ambiance, and all the wonderful reasons you left home in the first place.

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For first-time flyers trip planning can be exciting. However, the journey through the airport can be a challenge and stressful. Here’s what to do before your next flight and time at the airport as organized and stress-free as possible.  Follow these rules for packing and getting through airport security with ease to cut down on travel delays and make your trip through the airport a breeze.

Best Tips for First-Time Flyers

If you’re boarding a plane for the first time or if you haven’t flown on a plane lately; here’s what you need to know now regarding packing, checking your luggage, and navigating airport security as a first-time flyer.

Before You Leave Home

  1. Place “Stop” Orders when applicable. Once your travel is booked, you should look into placing “stop or hold” orders on any regularly occurring deliveries or services. These may include postal mail, newspapers, house cleaners, and the like. If you want particular services to continue (such as landscaping), consider paying in advance if this is not your usual arrangement. Many service providers allow you to place stop orders online; this is particularly the case for mail delivery and most newspapers. As most stop orders require one or two business days advance notice, make sure you take care of this, at least, three days before you travel.  Read more ideas to ready your home for travel to lessen your chances of burglary. 

2. Call your bank. Let the bank know where and when you will be traveling so they do not think your credit card has been compromised. Use only an RFID blocking wallet or bag with an RFID blocking compartment to protect your identity. Credit card companies look at irregularity in your credit card usage, so if you have not used your credit card outside of your area in some time, and suddenly charges start showing up abroad, or out of your area, the card issuer may shut down your card until the out of normal usage is explained.

Just Before You Fly

  1. Reconfirm your flight or check-in directly with the airline 24 to 48 hours before departure. Usually, you can do this online. Print a copy of your boarding pass and keep a screenshot on your phone, even if you have your boarding pass in the airline’s app on your phone, if you end up with internet problems, you will still be able to access your screenshot.

Smart Packing Tips

  1. Pack Smart. To minimize items you pack, pack outfits and limit your colors to three to mix and match items. Use packing cubes to organize clothes and maximize space.
  1. Place medicine and expensive items only in your carry-on luggage, never in your checked bags which could get delayed or lost.
  2.  Keep a pencil or pen handy in your carry-on to note gate, departure time, and connecting flight information. This can also help with customs forms for international travelers.
  3. Know the TSA rules about carry-on items and packing your luggage. Go to the TSA website.
  4. Identify your baggage bag tags or colorful tape on the exterior to make it easy to spot on the luggage carousel.
  5. Use a baggage tag with your name, and cell number on the outside of your bag. Make sure you only use a covered bag tag to shield your privacy. Inside your baggage, put your name, home information plus your destination address and telephone number.
  1. Use a Bluetooth tracker like an apple air tag or a tile for your android phone.
  1. Bring only two items on board to speed boarding. Typically airlines only allow one carry-on bag plus a personal item such as a purse or backpack, check your airline’s guidelines for the carry-on bags and their sizes before you pack.
  2. Know your baggage restrictions. Check the airline’s website for bag weight and size restrictions. This is very important to avoid overweight fees or oversized luggage fees for checked bags.
  3. Only use TSA-accepted luggage locks. You need to lock your checked bags to keep others out and your gear secure. Only use luggage locks that allow the TSA to open them with a special override key in case they want to inspect your luggage. If you don’t, they can cut off your lock to gain access to your bag.

Arriving at the Airport

  1. Leave early for the airport! Arrive at the airport up to two hours before departure for domestic flights and up to three hours before departure for international flights. Anticipate slow-downs during the holidays and the peak summer months. Traffic may be heavier, airport parking lots may be fuller, and lines may be longer.

Check In Early

  1. Check-in at the airline ticket counter if you don’t have a seat assignment. Go directly to the gate for check-in if you have a boarding pass and aren’t checking luggage. At a minimum, check in one hour before departure on domestic flights and two hours before international departures. Extra time waiting is better than rushing and running through the terminal.
  2. Check baggage routing for your checked baggage. Ensure that the agent or skycap attaches the correct tags for your destination city. If you don’t recognize the city code – for example, ORD is Chicago O’Hare airport — ask, particularly if you have connecting flights. Ask if your luggage is checked through to your destination or if you will have to claim it and re-check it during a connection.
  3. Know your departure gate. Ask the agent or skycap to write your departure gate number on your ticket envelope or boarding card. Know your boarding time and boarding group. Boarding typically starts 30 minutes prior to departure.

Identification

  1. Carry at least one form of photo ID at all times. A second photo ID might be required at some airports. If you’re using your driver’s license make sure it is a Real ID.
  2. Digital copies. Keep photos of your driver’s license and passport on your phone too in case of loss.
  3. Wearable security document organizer. Wear the organizer while in the airport to be hands-free and later under your shirt while sightseeing to foil pickpockets.

Security Check Points

  1.  TSA screening. Once at the airport, be prepared to have your belongings searched by security personnel at the TSA checkpoints. You must pass through TSA to get into the terminals where the gates are. Only ticketed passengers can go to the terminals. You will need to show your ID and your boarding pass.
  2.  Dress checkpoint friendly. Don’t wear large metal buckles, belts, or jewelry that will activate the metal detector’s alarm.
  3. Laptop computers and other electric devices might need to be removed and put in a separate bin for passing through the x-ray machine.
  4. Wear shoes that are easy to remove and put back on. Most of the time your shoes will need to be removed and go through x-ray.
  5. Know the 3-1-1 rule for toiletries or liquids you pack in your carry-on.

Gate Area

  1. Never leave luggage unattended or under the watch of a stranger. If traveling alone take it with you into the bathroom and use the larger handicap stall
  2. Do not accept any item from strangers or carry any package with unknown contents.

Boarding

  1. Stay close to the departure gate to hear the latest announcements.
  2. There you will receive boarding instructions and any last-minute information you need for the flight.
  3. Board when asked.
  4. Be sure to board when your row number or boarding group is called. Empty seats will be counted and given to standby passengers.

When the Plane Lands

Upon arrival at your destination, go immediately to the baggage claim area to pick up your luggage. Have the claim stubs available and if you’re using a tracking device like an air tag or tile turn on your phone to help find your bag.

When in Doubt

Ask questions. Airline employees are generally friendly and helpful. No question is too simple particularly if you’re a first-time flyer.

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How to Pickpocket Proof Your Purse or Shoulder Bag

Try to pickpocket proof your purse or shoulder bag if you don’t want to purchase a pickpocket-proof purse or shoulder bag. You may want to modify your own purse or handbag to make it pickpocket-proof if you absolutely love the style and/or don’t want to spend money on a new travel bag. While it may not look as sleek as those anti-theft purses and shoulder bags that were designed specifically to stop pickpockets, this simple modification should do the trick.

The two items shown here may be found at your local hardware store. It’s a DIY hack that may take some thinking on how to best lock your entire bag zipper or just a pocket inside your bag as not all bags have the same design or features to work with.

Locking Your Zipper Pull to Your Bag Helps Keep Thieves Out

Ideally, your purse should always be in your hand, over your arm, over your shoulder, or across your body at all times. Across your body with your bag resting in front of you and not on your rear hip is the safest way to carry it. But even carried in this manner your bag could be targeted by a pickpocket who can slip a hand into your purse and remove your wallet without you noticing it. Try this hack using a swivel clip and split ring you can buy at a home improvement store to keep their hands out. This hack works for purses with zipper pulls and in particular, zipper pulls that have a hole in them.

Follow these steps.

Pickpocket proof your bag with this DIY lock Pickpocket Proof Your Purse or Shoulder Bag

  1.  Buy Split Ring and Swivel Clip –  You may need one or two split rings depending on the design of your bag and zipper pull. Split rings are like those in key rings, and one swivel snap bolt or swivel clip is all you need.
  2.  Feed swivel end of a snap bolt into a split ring.  Inside your purse, choose a compartment that closes with a zipper where you will keep your wallet and other valuables.  Feed the slip ring through the hole in the zipper tab. Note the zipper pull must have a hole in it for this hack to work.
  3.  Strap Attachment Ring When the zipper is closed, snap the bolt onto the ring that attaches the strap to your purse.  If too short to reach, feed the second split ring onto the ring that attaches the strap, and snap the bolt onto that. If the strap does not attach with a ring but is sewn to the purse, buy a large size split ring and feed the entire strap into the ring. Either snap the bolt onto this large ring or feed another small split ring onto the larger ring and snap the bolt onto that.

Travel Bags with Built-in Anti Theft Features

We think the best anti-theft travel bags are shoulder bags you wear crossbody style in front of you. Features to look for in this type of bag are an adjustable strap for comfort and a way to lock the main compartment to keep out thieving hands.

Secondary features are RFID blocking pockets, slash-proof material, and a strap that you can detach from the bag one end so that you can loop the strap to a stationary item like a chair back and then back onto the bag so it becomes snatch proof.

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