Travel Tips and Safety Snipets

Safety can definitely be a major concern for some travelling abroad. The most important tip I think would be to use common sense. If you think an area looks dangerous, it most likely is. Also, be sure to keep your bag or wallet close to your person, especially in crowded areas. Pickpockets do happen. Also, use the buddy system. If you don’t know the area and don’t know the language, it really isn’t a good idea to wander by yourself. You should explore with someone else. If for whatever reason you must be alone, at the very least tell someone where you are going, just in case.

My biggest travel tip is when it comes to exchanging money. Make sure you get the money from Banks whenever possible, including before you go on your trip, and while you are there. Never use the money exchange as it has drastically high fees. I can’t speak for other currencies, but this was definitely a huge and very costly mistake I made when obtaining euros.

Another travel tip to note in Italy is that you need to call over your waiter if you wish to get the check. It is common for people to sit and chat for hours, so if you are in a rush, know that you can flag down a waiter. Additionally, there is no tipping, but service charges of 1-2 euro per person are common and water at a restaurant is never free.  Lastly, in grocery stores, you need to either bring your own bag, or they will charge you for a plastic bag to hold your stuff. These are small things, but definitely things we sometimes take for granted.