Anytime that you plan on traveling someplace new, it’s extremely important to learn just a little bit about the culture. You want to make sure that you do some in-depth research about the areas that you’re going to be visiting, and plan your trip accordingly. Planning ahead is a fantastic way to stay within your budget, and to know that you’re not going to miss anything! But, even the best-laid plans can be ruined by a bad experience. This is one reason why it’s important to understand some of the common issues that can come up when traveling abroad. Every city has its problems, and this can come in the form of crime or dishonest companies that tend to overcharge tourists. Some people see foreigners as an easy target, and feel that they can take advantage of them. They will either utilize the language barrier, the changes in currency, or just a lack of information to commit any number of crimes. This is a sad reality of travel, but not one that you should ignore.
When you are deciding on a hotel, a car service, or even places to shop for your basic needs, you want to make sure that they offer prices that seem to be consistent with that area. One easy way to see if you’re being taken advantage of is to notice that your bill is much higher than other quoted prices. You can generally make these comparisons using the internet, and there are many websites that will do this for you. Being overcharged for local Services generally only happens when you are trying to make reservations or book something last minute. This makes you just a little bit more desperate, and less likely to research prices before handing over your hard-earned money. A good travel agent can also help you to navigate the ins-and-outs of international booking. It’s also a good idea to book as many services ahead of time as possible.
There are some charges that may end up feeling like highway robbery, but are commonly associated with international travel. One of these is the roaming charges that often accompany taking your cell phone on long trips. This problem can be alleviated by purchasing the best SIM card for Europe. A SIM card allows you to prepay for cellular services, and this way you aren’t facing any surprise charges on your monthly bill. These are just a few tips to help you stay safe while traveling:
Distraction Tactics
A pickpocket may use an accomplice to distract you by telling you that you’ve dropped something or asking you a question. While you are busy inspecting the thing that they told you that you’ve dropped, or trying to explain something to them- the pickpocket can be running away with something that you may have set down, or rifling through your pockets or purse. It’s important to keep your valuables close, and not to spend too much time with useless interaction.
Fake Goods
Street vendors may see you as an easy target, and they will try to market clothing, purses, watches, and even shoes as name brand products. They can be very convincing, and sometimes they may even try to give you an item for free, or for what seems to be an incredibly low price. If they give you an item for free they might ask you for a donation or some kind of monetary favor (gas money, money for food, etc). Later, you’re going to find out that this item was actually only worth a few dollars, and the money that you gave them almost doubled what they would’ve made selling it to a local.
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