Tips on travelling safe.

After two years of the pandemic people’s hunger for freedom of travel is understandable. One of the industries, most negatively impacted by COVID, was tourism. More than 2.3 million people in the world working in the tourism business lost their jobs. Now that restrictions are eased throughout most of the world, and seems like people are finally able to visit their desired destinations, airline companies have to face a new challenge – lack of employees. From endless check-in lines and lost luggage to delayed or even cancelled flights – seems like travelers need to prepare for the worst while booking their vacation.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, and although you can’t control some parts of your travel, you can take some steps to make your trip as safe as possible and focus on the most important thing – having fun.

Before leaving the country you should let your bank know about your travel plans. Nothing worse than trying to get some cash out of the ATM and your bank locking all your cards to prevent fraud. Also consider having some emergency cash hidden on you or some safe place (secret pocket in your clothes).

The TSA advises to arrive at the airport 2 hours ahead of your planned domestic flight, and 3 hours ahead if you’re travelling internationally. I would add some 30 extra minutes to that for unforeseen circumstances (traffic, check-in delays, etc.)

Recently many travelers had to deal with lost luggage. To avoid nasty surprises, I would advice keeping your most important things on you and make sure to have photo copies of your passports in your carry-ons and in your phones. Some of the couples I have photographed here on the island of Santorini told me that AirTag has resolved their lost language problem. Last year Apple released the AirTag, a small coin shaped device that you can slip into your suitcase and track it anywhere in the world in case it gets lost. And $29 a piece or $99 for a pack of four is a small price to pay for some peace of mind.

If you want to take it to a new level, for (almost) complete peace of mind you could get travel insurance. According to Forbes, the average cost of travel insurance is about 5% to 6% of the cost of your trip. This should cover any lost or damaged items of luggage, cancelled or missed flights, any medical expenses and cover for getting you home if you’re injured or fall ill abroad.

Santorini Oia street with tourists walking. Blue domes.

Which brings me to my last point – don’t do crazy/dangerous things for photos! In the age of social media it seems like more and more people engage in dangerous activities just to get likes and views. Climbing down a cliff after sunset and twisting your ankle in the dark is not worth it.

Now that you have red these travel safety tips, it’s time to head out there and explore the world! :)