A volcanic horizon strains the sky on both aspect of this dusty grime street, spluttering lava into the clouds with each thunderous rumble. I’m about 4 hours into my 12 (ish)-hour bus journey east throughout Guatemala, snacking on some stale strawberry wafers I purchased in a just about vacant fuel station.
I’m en path to Semuc Champey, a pure limestone bridge underneath which the Cahabón River passes, dramatically cascading into stepped swimming pools that paint the jungle a turquoise blue.
I’ve spent the previous few weeks trekking volcanoes outdoors the colourful colonial metropolis of Antigua and meditating within the mountains encircling Lake Atitlan, an imploded volcano touted right now as a religious vitality area.
![Lake Atitlán, Guatemala](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lake-atitlan-800x602.jpg)
It’s been an exquisite journey. A journey that, after all, started with relentless reminders of the variety of armed robberies that happen on bus journeys like this one, usually by machete. These near me made certain I knew that the Guatemalan Nationwide Police acquired over 12,000 studies of property crime, together with roughly 1,200 studies of “theft and assault” in 2017.
Maybe that coupled with the actual fact that there have been roughly 4,400 homicides, 5,200 aggravated assaults and over 2,900 lacking individuals reported in 2017 is why the U.S. authorities ranks Guatemala a degree three—with the advisory warning to “rethink journey.”
However, actually, my much more urgent concern lies with whoever is farting up a storm on this bus—they love their beans in these components.
That, and the truth that we may fly off this craggy cliff at any given second.
![Hiking the Acatenango Volcano outside Antigua in Guatemala](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/acatenango-volcano-800x515.jpg)
The actual fact is, dangerous issues can occur anyplace to anybody. However ladies have been conditioned to really feel worry in a debilitating form of approach. And, in an age of endemic terrorist assaults, insurgency and a spate of pandemic illnesses, solo journey is seldom suggested.
For ladies, worry is just exacerbated by the objectification of our our bodies as weapons of battle, world gendercide, intercourse trafficking and extra. Girls are left to grapple with the thralldom of “what if”— what if one thing dangerous does occur if we journey alone?
This isn’t to negate or invalidate ladies’s very actual experiences with focused crime or assault whereas touring.
We will solely deal with what we are able to management.
1. At all times Be One Step Forward
Planning forward means a couple of issues. Earlier than I left for this journey, I appeared up precisely the place the USA’ embassies and consulates are situated. Within the occasion of an emergency, I knew the place to go or what quantity to contact for assist.
I first realized to jot down embassy data after I virtually bought caught in India final yr. I’d run out of passport pages and needed to pay a go to to the embassy to retrieve an emergency short-term passport. Then upon leaving the nation, I wanted the embassy’s assist once more as a result of the airline questioned the validity of my emergency passport.
Because it seems, passports made in India with photographs taken in an outdated girl’s yard and Photoshopped onto a white background don’t look too legit.
On the time, I used to be scared I’d be caught in India with no approach out. Luckily, I haven’t needed to go to the embassy for any precise hazard. However I really feel much more snug touring now that I do know the place to show.
The embassy may also find a way that will help you discover enough support companies, schedule transportation again residence or report crimes.
Should you really feel unsafe earlier than something truly even occurs—maybe you’ve discovered your self a stalker otherwise you’ve acquired threats—you may head to the embassy, too. They’ll be capable to give you extra data on the area.
They could additionally assist maintain a watch of you, or examine any leads if it involves that.
![Taj Mahal, India](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/taj-mahal-india-800x1000.jpg)
A duplicate of your passport will likely be useful for those who lose yours or, worse, for those who’re robbed. That’s since you’ll have to show your identification and citizenship to the U.S. authorities (for those who’re American).
You’ll nonetheless have to go to the embassy, reply a ton of questions, name family and friends again residence to vouch for you and full a ton of paperwork. However in case you have a replica, it’ll prevent a ton of time.
It is best to all the time have copies of your identification. Laminated copies are higher in order that they don’t get broken.
You may additionally need to let somebody again residence know any preliminary plans. If, for instance, you’ve booked flights and lodging, ship that flight data to a pal or member of the family.
That mentioned, in case you have no thought the place you’re sleeping at evening or the place you’ll find yourself in a couple of day’s time (you’re doing it proper), let others know as you determine. The purpose is to verify somebody at residence is aware of your normal whereabouts. Within the occasion of an emergency, they’ll have a greater thought of the place to seek out you. This might speed up getting you any provide help to would possibly want.
2. Encompass Your self With Different Vacationers
Put your self on the market by actually immersing your self within the traveler neighborhood. A technique to do that is by staying in social locations, akin to hostels. Doing this may be certain that you’re by no means actually alone, regardless that you’re technically touring solo.
If a dorm room isn’t essentially interesting to you, you may nonetheless go for a personal room in hostels that also boast social atmospheres.
You’ll meet different vacationers on the identical route as you or occupied with heading to the identical locations. Utilizing the buddy system is wise whereas touring—particularly on lengthy bus journeys or whenever you’re taking native transportation that may be fairly complicated to determine on one’s personal.
One in every of my most memorable experiences touring with different backpackers came about in Sri Lanka. I used to be aboard the “most scenic prepare trip on the planet” from Kandy to Ella. We journeyed by rolling rice fields and tea plantations, sprawling mountains, buffalo-peppered farms and indigenous villages.
![The Most Scenic Train Ride in the World, Ella, Sri Lanka](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ella-sri-lanka-train-800x801.jpg)
Sadly, the prepare broke down beside a malodorous sewage plant, and people of us packed inside bought to know one another very nicely…for 9 hours.
There weren’t sufficient seats for all of us, so I used to be already sweating on a stranger’s lap. However she and I, and two others we’d met inside, ended up touring collectively for weeks thereafter. We had been all headed in the identical route, so splitting journey and lodge prices made sense.
And, after all, it’s good to have a beer with somebody apart from your self typically.
I loved Sri Lanka that rather more as a result of I felt safer taking public transportation and strolling round at evening with buddies.
We had been all in it collectively.
Should you don’t meet different vacationers who’re headed in the identical route, you’ll doubtless meet others who’ve been to or have come from the place you’re going. You possibly can ask them for any journey ideas they may have that locals would possibly overlook.
3. Immerse Your self by Doing because the Locals Do
As a traveler, you don’t need to stand out a lot. Doing so makes you a neater goal. There’s a standard conception world wide that vacationers, notably in underdeveloped components of the world, are doubtless wealthier; so locals would possibly assume you’re carrying valuables on you. The extra you immerse your self within the tradition, the better a time you’ll have.
For instance, the extra you gown the half, the extra snug and protected you’ll really feel.
And for those who’re strolling round together with your shoulders uncovered in a rustic the place ladies cowl their shoulders, for instance, the probability of you dealing with undesirable sexual consideration is far greater. That doesn’t make it even remotely acceptable, nevertheless it does, sadly, make it possible.
Put on what is going to make you’re feeling snug, making an allowance for native norms.
DISCLAIMER: It’s by no means okay to inform a girl what to put on—or that what she wears warrants harassment or assault. However some underdeveloped (and even developed) international locations is not going to respect that.
On prime of carrying what locals put on, you may go the place the locals go. In any case, a part of touring fearlessly is understanding the place you’re going and the way you’re getting there. After all, that’s a rarity on the street. However for those who look misplaced, you’ll be a extra susceptible goal.
Chances are high that you just received’t have WiFi on a regular basis to Google the place you’re going. So obtain your Google Maps forward of time for offline use. Even for those who’re navigating as you go, you’ll have a greater lay of the land.
And for these instances you end up hitchhiking behind a pickup truck, you may comply with the map to at the least guarantee they’re taking you in the appropriate route.
You can even interact in the neighborhood by enrolling in common courses there (language, cooking, dance, and so on.) or partaking in weekly occasions like Monday evening trivia on the native watering gap.
Simply make sure to avoid sure areas of cities the place organized crime is extra frequent. For instance, there are zones in Guatemala Metropolis infamous for gang violence. That’s why I’m heading for the jungles outdoors of the town.
![Comuna 13, Medellín, Colombia](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/comuna-13-medellin-800x600.jpg)
4. Use Your Mind (Duh)
Use your mind in relation to touring. It’s clearly safer to journey through the daytime, and a few routes or strategies could also be clearly safer decisions.
Touring throughout daytime is all the time preferable, even when it does eat a day of your journey. Should you’re reserving flights, for instance, purpose to reach earlier than dusk. The airport and roads to wherever you’re going will likely be busier and, thus, safer within the day.
And it’ll simply be simpler to navigate when you may see what’s happening round you.
Should you do should take an in a single day bus, which might prevent money and time, comply with the following tips:
- Buddy up. Ask round if every other vacationers in your space are heading in the identical route and bus it collectively. I’ve performed this loads of instances with different ladies I’ve met in hostels. One time, I even swapped beds to sleep extra comfortably subsequent to a different girl as an alternative of beside the drunk man with whom I used to be initially paired.
- Make the most of ridesharing apps. Taxis are sometimes unmarked and drivers can get aggressive making an attempt to tear you off. When you have an choice to journey by Uber or different ridesharing apps as an alternative of by native taxis, do it. You’ll really feel extra snug understanding that the automotive you’re in is being tracked, and the motive force has rankings.
- Use apps like Rome2Rio to e-book journey. Rome2Rio suggests the entire routes to get from Level A to Level B, together with transportations choices together with airways, shuttles, ferries and extra. And since it’s such a preferred journey app, you may relaxation simple understanding that the businesses they advocate are vetted and protected.
Maps.me is one other app that you should use even whenever you don’t have WiFi, as long as you’ve downloaded that nation’s map (you may obtain offline maps with Google Maps, too).
Everytime you’re in a taxi or rideshare, comply with the map to be sure you’re on track and the motive force isn’t taking you someplace else.
5. Search Assist from different Girls
You’re in all probability extra fearless at residence than you’re on the street. That’s largely since you’ve bought acquainted faces round each nook, and each barista on the town is aware of you by identify (and your espresso order).
Should you’re touring alone, you’ll really feel extra fearless for those who encompass your self with different individuals, notably ladies. In my expertise, native ladies (particularly older, native ladies) are prepared to assist.
For instance, for those who need assistance with instructions to your house of lodging, however you don’t really feel snug letting an odd man know the place you’re staying, ask a girl to level you in the appropriate route. Whereas it’s not assured that you just’re safer asking a girl for assist, you’re doubtless safer.
![Queen of Carpets, Cappadocia](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cappadocia-rugs-800x599.jpg)
I’ve had great experiences with ladies serving to me alongside my travels. Whereas residing in Rabat, Morocco, I had a complete medina of mothers watching out for me. They had been all the time telling me who and what to look out for and, in the event that they noticed me strolling alone, they’d stroll beside me. All of them talked, too, so all of them knew my enterprise earlier than I even knew my enterprise; however I type of preferred it that approach.
To get to know extra ladies in the neighborhood personally, take into account doing the next:
- Take an area language lesson, and even enroll in a cooking or dance class. Do one thing enjoyable and fascinating.
- Certain you received’t have years of cultivating that homey really feel, however you may set up rapport with sufficient individuals within the neighborhood. Have interaction with locals all over the place you go—from the bus stops to the nook shops.
- Alternate numbers with locals who’re prepared so you might have contacts in case of an emergency. All you must do is ask.
6. Recognize the Lows and Embrace the Change
Once you journey, the lows are actually low, and the highs are actually excessive—and you’ll’t essentially have the latter with out the previous. You might want to take dangers in an effort to have life-changing experiences touring.
A part of touring fearlessly means having the ability to settle for no matter comes your approach. That will imply a delayed flight, a dose of mattress bugs or a sudden abdomen virus from that road meat you knew you shouldn’t have eaten.
I’ve had mattress bugs so many instances that, after I discover cockroach nymphs in my mattress, it thrills me. I’ve handled abdomen bugs (and potential parasites) for weeks with solely squat bathrooms.
As soon as following a hike, I pulled blood-sucking leeches out of my hair for days.
![Road-tripping through the Albanian mountains](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/albania-mountains-800x1003.jpg)
One other time after wiping out white-water rafting, I discovered tons of of black fly larvae in my bloody bathing go well with bottoms. Heck, I even bit into a chunk of dried fruit in a Thai market and spit out the pit together with my damaged tooth.
In some way, a way, the solar nonetheless rises each morning.
In case you are confronted with a low you didn’t anticipate, admire it. The change in your course might be a humbling expertise, even when it doesn’t really feel prefer it immediately.
7. Hold an Open Thoughts however Belief Your Intestine
Touring alone means incomes your personal belief. You’ll usually should be your personal pilot and copilot, and make selections for your self. Because of this, whilst you ought to by no means be too trusting of strangers, you’ll finally be taught to belief your personal instinct.
Hold the following tips in thoughts in relation to trusting your intestine:
- In case your intestine is telling you {that a} state of affairs appears off, take away your self from that state of affairs. If a salesman appears to have questionable motives, don’t purchase your tour from them. Store round.
- Perceive that some individuals who have poor experiences in a spot have gone with detrimental expectations. Should you search for the dangerous, the dangerous will manifest. When you will discover the nice in a spot and its individuals, you may comply with that good and really feel safer for it. No matter you do, don’t hearken to every little thing you learn on the web about a spot. And undoubtedly don’t hearken to the individuals who’ve by no means been themselves.
![](https://travelfreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/vlore-albania-800x1001.jpg)
8. Hope for the Finest, Put together for the Worst
There are a wealth of how you may put together for the worst-case situation, whereas retaining optimistic and nonetheless hoping for the most effective.
Should you’re touring long run, touring with money will prevent cash on worldwide and ATM charges. However touring with money additionally makes you a goal for thieves.
There are many methods to maintain your stuff protected whenever you journey. For one, you may carry a decoy pockets and stash money in numerous locations. Your decoy pockets ought to be the pockets you’re snug giving up. It holds only a bit of money and even perhaps a pretend bank card.
And, if somebody does certainly bombard your bus wielding a machete, you may fork it over. Hopefully, the entire thing will likely be over with loads sooner that approach.
In the meantime, maintain your different money rolled up in numerous locations. I maintain mine in my socks, tampon packing containers, my bra, my glasses case, and so on. Should you’re robbed, you’ll have backup money at the least to get your self to the closest police station.
You may additionally need to pack particular objects, akin to pepper spray (for those who’re touring by floor solely). Whilst you will be hopeful you received’t really want these, at the least you realize you’ve bought them simply in case.
Do your analysis by talking with different vacationers who’ve been there and performed that, and use your personal glorious judgment.
You’ve gotten this far.
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