FOLLOW THESE SAFETY TIPS
FOR BACK PACKERS

For the first part of this year The Lucie Blackman Trust will be making safety awareness whilst travelling abroad one of its main campaign priorities.

For safety tips whilst travelling abroad i.e. during your gap year please visit www.safetytext.com also www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

• Plan your trip in advance, to ensure major incidences are kept to a minimum
• Visit the FCO web site for latest travel advice on your intended destination
• When you have your itinerary and contact details make sure you leave a copy with parents and friends, email a scanned copy of your travel documents to yourself so that if you lose the originals you always have a copy you can access
• Always try and travel with a friend and ensure they know where you are going, and with who, if you plan to explore somewhere without them. There is real truth in the old adage ‘Safety in numbers’
• Always tell a trusted someone where you are going to and when you intend to be back
• Make sure your mobile phone is set up for international calls (roaming) BEFORE you travel
• Consider using the registered version of Safetytext visit www.safetytext.com
• If travelling alone ensure you complete a log of your trip and email it to friends and family on a weekly basis, include details of anyone you have met and their contact details plus your plans for the following week
• Try and blend in with the locals when abroad and don’t draw too much attention to yourself, read up and respect local customs
• Arrive at foreign airports/ports at a reasonable time of the day
• Travel in well lit areas and don’t travel on local transport alone
• Be sure when using local taxis that the company is safe, check with local tourist boards and/or your local holiday provider, ask trusted friends
• Always make a note of where your local embassy is store on your phone, or in your wallet or with travel documents
• Be aware that being abroad is not an extension of being in the UK. The risk of something happening to you may be heightened by the lawless nature of some countries, you are also in unfamiliar surroundings which increases risks
• Watch your drinks! Alcoholic or not. Illegal substances are more easily obtainable in many foreign countries due to more relaxed attitudes in their law. Carry a Lucie Blackman Trust Drink Spike Detector Kit.
• Carry a Lucie Blackman Trust Trident Alarm
• When carrying money abroad don’t carry it all in one place, it’s a lot better to lose a little rather than a lot ie in the case of robbery
• Have fun but remember to be doubly aware of your safety abroad.

We welcome partners and information that will support work in this area.
To contact The Lucie Blackman Trust telephone 01983 566083 or
07887893951.

© Copyright 2005: Lucie Blackman Trust