We are heading into Fourth of July Weekend! *happy dance* We at Gracie Barra Mansfield, Texas want you to have a safe and relaxing summer and we hope it is memorable for the right reasons. I’ve been blessed to do a LOT of traveling for fun and for work. Some trips were fantastic and others? Very close to being an episode of “Locked Up Abroad.”

I could tell some stories!

Not only am I going to give you just some general tips to make traveling easier, but then we will talk about ways to be SAFE.

Some General “Make-Life-Easier” Tips

Arrive 90 Minutes Early for Your Flight (TWO THREE HOURS for ANYTHING International)

Yes, I used to be one of those people running practically onto the tarmac yelling, “Don’t shut the door!” Those days are OVER. The airports now have a labyrinth of security we have to maneuver and on top of that the airlines have fewer planes in the air, which means almost all flights are overbooked and if we miss our flight?

Expect to get routed through Katmandu to get there (and that is if they can even GET you a connection). Missing a flight is a NIGHTMARE, so get there EARLY.

You need that extra time. Summertime is heavy for travel because not only do we have all those business people who already fly year-round, we also get the influx of those going on vacation. So, this means there are a lot of people.

Because this is the time of year that people who are not seasoned travelers fly, it slows things down. These are the people who have lived in a cave and don’t know that they need to pack all toiletries in ONE QUART-SIZED BAG. They also never heard of the shoe-bomber and probably wore something super-complicated with LACES…and buckles.

This means we have to give plenty of buffer for getting through security. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

You might not get stuck behind the large family who all wants to bring a Big Gulp on board and not take off their shoes, but?

You might. Just plan for it.

Carry-On is Our FRIEND

When I fly domestically I NEVER check luggage, EVER. It is too easy for it to get lost, especially if there is a connection involved. But, if you DO need more stuff than what can fit in a carry-on, that’s fine but pack a change of clothes, medications and toiletries (ESSENTIALS) in the carry-on. This way, if your luggage takes a separate vacation, you are okay until the airport wrangles it back to you.

You DO NOT want to be in a resort location and have to buy essentials. It might require a small business loan. And don’t you want to spend your money on something FUN like a monkey made of coconuts instead of shaving cream?

Our Backup Plan Needs a Backup Plan

Photocopy all IDs, car rental agreements and credit cards and then keep them in the safe at your hotel. I was once in LA and lost my wallet with all my ID and my credit cards, but because I had photocopies, it was easier to get the cards frozen and I could make my case to the TSA WHY I didn’t have my driver’s license. Yes, I had to go through a ton of additional security layers to prove I was ME, but having a photocopy of my license minimized the drama.

Now the SAFETY Part. Safety is what what we at Gracie Barra Mansfield DO.

There are the obvious things we can do to stay safe. When traveling in a crowded location, wear something BRIGHT to make it easier to keep up with one another. Have a rally point established in case the group gets separated. Don’t flash around a bunch of cash and carry valuables in a travel wallet that is close to your person.

Some of the less obvious tips.

ONLY Use Resort-Approved Transportation

This is advice that really applies to traveling abroad. Once we leave the US, we are NOT in the US anymore. And while that sounds laughable, the news is always full of stories of naive tourists who became victims. Places like Jamaica and Mexico are beautiful destinations, but they also have a very dark underworld and Americans are prime prey for extortion and abductions so it is our job to not be a target.

Resorts WANT to maintain a sound reputation. It is how they MAKE MONEY. I know it might cost more to use an approved taxi, but it is way cheaper than being ransomed out of Central America.

When I was in Jamaica, taxi drivers running cheap island tours would take unwitting tourists all the way to the other side of the island and then demand thousands of dollars to take them BACK to the ship. They ran these types of scams constantly and continued to MAKE MONEY DOING THIS because tourists would try to save some cash and ignore this advice.

BE CAREFUL OF PHOTO-OPS

There are some destinations where one might see people dressed in character wandering around to make for memorable photos. If you happen to be in Boston, Massachusetts I am not really worried about getting a picture with “Ben Franklin” just pay attention to your valuables.

But there are destinations like the Coliseum in Rome, Italy where you will encounter Roman Centurions roaming around for a photo op. What many tourists don’t realize (until it is too late) is that many of these folks are pickpockets or scam artists. So enjoy, but be careful. Whenever we let strangers in our personal space, we should be extra vigilant.

Situational Awareness

One of the reasons tourists make for excellent targets is they get so caught up in taking selfies and pictures and gaping at the sights that they aren’t being aware of their surroundings. Pay attention.

Stay in the Popular Tourist Areas and Stick to the TOUR

We all want to venture off the beaten path, but this can be very dangerous. In some places, we just don’t want to wander into that back alley where we are a good target to be robbed or abducted. Remember, we are not locals so we don’t know when we are meandering into a bad part of town.

Additionally, there is a reason that wildlife tours stick to a certain path and there is a REASON they have trained guides. We underestimate nature at our own peril.

There was a story of a couple from Dallas who took a tram ride up to the top of the San Jacinto Mountain and then decided to take a stroll away from the well-traveled area with a gift shop. Even though they saw hikers and climbers in full gear, they believed they could go hiking around “for fun.” What began as a quick jaunt off the path turned into being stranded alone in the desert with no food or water or wilderness training. And they nearly DIED.

Do NOT Volunteer That You Are An American

Whether we like it or not, this is a scary world in some scary times. Americans are premium targets. Most of the time, it is pretty clear we are an American, but we should try to keep things low-key. As a novelist, my books involve Mexican and South American drug cartels and that is some SCARY stuff. Cartels are known for preying on tourists and they have a special taste for “Americans”, so just be aware…and tell them you’re Canadian 😉 .

Seriously. Strangers don’t need to know THAT much about us.

I’d say I am sorry if any of this frightens you, but I’m not sorry. The world is fabulous and beautiful, but we need to respect it is also dangerous. Whenever we vacation we are in an unknown and we are vulnerable. Our job is to stay frosty and limit the opportunities for the bad guys to do us harm.

Enjoy your vacation. Get some R&R and then join us here at Gracie Barra to work off those frozen beverages from that all-inclusive resort 😀 .

Stay smart and stay safe!

~Dojo Diva