Travel can come with many dangers, and most of them can be avoided if you do your research and stay smart on your trip.
Travelling abroad can be an exciting prospect. There’re many new experiences to have; such as meeting new strangers, learning languages, experiencing culture and exciting cuisines. Often, adventurers focus greatly on the positives, which is understandable when exploring different parts of the world!
However, it’s important not to abandon a sense of rationality and caution too. After all, travel can come with many dangers, and most of them can be avoided if you do your research and stay smart on your trip.
Consequently, here’re 3 tips for staying out of trouble abroad.
Have the right documentation
It would be incredibly naïve to think you can just float about the world with no consequences. Of course, when you’re crossing borders and going through customs areas, you’ll need all your documentation to hand like passports and boarding passes to get through all the security checks. Remember, there’s no such thing as travelling off the grid and you’re always accountable!
If your visit is an extended one, you’ll need visas for either temporary or more permanent stays. These arrangements validate your entry and stay in foreign territories. Companies like Withers can greatly assist you here and will ensure that all the trouble that comes with a botched visit is avoided. Ultimately, you must follow all the relevant legal procedures to be viewed as a visitor and not a threat.
Be aware of laws around behaviour
Different countries have wildly different ideas as to what constitutes as transgressional behaviour or even a criminal offence. For example, in Dubai swearing, dancing and even holding hands can land you in hot water, so it’s important to be acutely aware of cultural and legal differences in such areas. Public drinking is also not accepted in most Islamic countries, for example. In the end, what’s normal in the UK may well land you in serious trouble elsewhere.
Therefore, it’s important to investigate what’s tolerated and accepted before you visit another country. A bit of foresight will ensure that each trip you take is a safe one, and that you don’t make any mistakes that could have been easily avoided. Try to draw from numerous sources, but also consult Gov.UK for a full rundown of all the laws and regulations in different places that you should be aware of when traveling.
Understand the prescription regulations
Other laws in certain countries also prohibit certain medicines crossing their border. If you’re someone who relies greatly on any kind of tablet, injection or inhaler, you’ll certainly need to look into which territories will have issues here. Some countries may permit the entry and use of certain medicines if you have a doctor’s note, others will refuse their entry regardless of reasoning.
If you try to smuggle in illegal drugs, even if they are to be used for medicinal purposes, you will still face fines or even jail depending on where you’re trying to go. Border control is very strict, and there’s not a lot of wiggle room for those caught flouting law. Therefore, it’s best to be certain of the rules and regulations surrounding the transportation of drugs and medicines.
