Travel Fears (1/2): When Your Stomach is a Butterfly Net

***NERD ALERT***

(refer to the Works Cited list at the bottom)

For many people, traveling to a faraway place is daunting. There’s a long list of potential problems from getting lost to being pick-pocketed, from earthquakes to Honey Badgers. It’s easy to feel anxious about traveling because, ultimately, travel involves risk. On the other hand, traveling is a great opportunity for personal growth and self-improvement, so rather than obsessing about throwing bathwater, just let that baby swim a little.

Though we hope for the best, we still need to “hedge our bets”, however. To that end, this essay has two aims. First, I would like to introduce some academic literature regarding the psychology of travel safety (nerd alert!). What the research shows is that turning a BAD’’titude into a RAD’’titude is the best way to ensure a safe trip. Though such lofty thinking may sound like hippy navel-gazing, there is a scientific way of walking the walk. For example, if we distinguish between different emotions, such as fear, anxiety, or panic, we can best make an appropriate response. Our personalities are as quirky as our Google search history folders, and no two are the same. In managing our emotions, therefore, we need to profile ourselves like forensic investigators analyzing an unknown criminal on an episode of CSI.

With that task in mind, this essay will propose various travel techniques and methods, which can be tailored to our own freaky-deaky personalities. Most of the advice will be framed in terms of pre-trip planning, as well as adjusting to a new environment. In addition to travel tips, however, this essay will emphasize principles over rules. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson,

“The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”

Principle #1:

Don’t Believe Everything You Think

When filling your suitcase, conventional wisdom says to pack light and minimize the weight on the airport scale. However, it is important to know that there is luggage that won’t appear on a scale. In other words, in addition to your passport, travel-visa, and so on, we also need to be aware of the emotional stuff we bring wherever we go. Everyone has invisible baggage —and it may be heavier than you suspect. When we are in the comfort zone of our home country, it is easy to ignore our emotional hangups and unresolved issues. As you may already know, traveling seems to have a way of revealing those skeletons.

Let’s consider a variety of risks. First, there is the financial risk (Will this trip be expensive?). There is also the time risk (Will the trip be worth taking time off work?). We should also consider the satisfaction risk (How important is the success of this trip?). Interestingly, there is also a psychological risk (Will the trip affect my self-image? ). There is also the social risk (What will my Instagram friends think?). Of course, we are all familiar with the physical risk (What if I get sick or hurt?).

Put simply, it is wise to do some inner inventory before you fasten that airplane seatbelt. Such risks may not have even appeared on your radar screen, but they may be festering under your awareness. So, in addition to our physical things, we must do some internal preparation —whether going to the United Emirates or an Ayahuasca ceremony. A prepared, stable mind will be your best resource when facing a challenge. Ultimate, your RAD’’titude will largely determine your safety —and fun! The first step, then, is to identify your anxieties. In other words, make the devils you don’t know, the devils you do.

Introducing the “Model of Travel Fear”

Confucius says The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. If different negative emotions require different antidotes, we must discriminate. Thankfully, a researcher named David A. Fennell has proposed a concept he calls the “Model of Travel Fear” (Fennell), which helps in this endeavor. Specifically related to travel, this model is a useful way to distinguish and address a variety of emotions, such as “anxiety” and “fear”, which can give an enormous amount of emotional clarity.  

To begin, let’s delve into the difference between anxiety and fear. The difference between these emotions is the difference between a corrosive chemical and someone tickling your armpits. According to Fennel, while anxiety is “future-focused” and “sustained” over time, fear is an immediate response to a “present threat”. In other words, a scaredy-cat is anxious, but if it is being chased by a coyote, it is fearful. Similar to the feeling of being tickled, fear is a “short-lived arousal” that “dissipates after the threat is avoided”. Though Fennel further divides fear into subcategories, including phobia, insecurity. uncertainty, threat, hate, loathing, and trauma (Fennell 141), we will specifically focus on fear in a subsequent article (INT Travel Fear Part II).

Despite the fundamental simplicity of anxiety, compared to fear, it is just as deadly. Anxiety is like a slow-burning chemical, eating away at our innards, like Walter White melting his enemies into acidic goo in Breaking Bad. Anxiety is like a fire fueled by unresolved questions, such as those raised by the variety of risks mentioned above. Fennel also mentions other common sources of anxiety, such as transportation issues, not knowing what to do when you arrive at your destination, and curiously: blood injections. If you are afraid of getting an injection, you are far from alone. As many as 40% of travelers share your anxiety!

Though we all have some level of anxiety, it is helpful to remember that it is anxiety we experience before getting on the plane —not fear. And though the impact of anxiety may be slow, it is cumulative. Therefore, once we identify as many sources of anxiety as we can, the next step is to mitigate those feelings. Again, this inner preparation should proceed before you leave home. After all, we don’t want those anxieties to surface when we are in an unfamiliar place.

Principle #2:

Preparing for the Worst IS Expecting the Best

We’ll call this the Alchemy of Uncertainty: transforming our anxiety into Om Shanti Peace Mama Gaia. According to Fennel, “reduced uncertainty leads to reduced anxiety” (Fennell 142). This will be our mantra, mission statement, as well as our second PLAT’titude in ensuring our BAD’’titude is constant RAD’’titude. To put it bluntly, the best way to curb our anxieties is to cultivate as much certainty about the things we can. The trick, however, is to avoid becoming paranoid. Growing a sense of certainty requires research, self-discipline, and a careful “measure-twice, cut once” approach. Here are quick tips, in the context of our second principle:

Consider the Personal Approach: booking through Airbnb

https://www.airbnb.com

One strategy to minimize pre-trip anxieties is to book your accommodations through a B&B (such as Airbnb), rather than a conventional hotel, as the B&B industry is uniquely “personal in nature” (Li-Chan 278). It may be assuring to establish a personal relationship with a B&B operator, before leaving your home country. Unlike many hotels, B&B operators will often go to considerable lengths to gain the loyalty of potential returning customers. This may include the acquisition of CPR certificates, fire precautions, food handling procedures, and enhanced hygiene methods in comparison to hotel chains who often have a revolving door of indifferent employees (Li-Chan 284). Websites, such as Airbnb, typically list items such as carbon monoxide detectors (or the lack thereof). With B&B websites, you can also scroll the reviews of previous customers to get a firmer grasp of the place, neighborhood, as well as the hosts themselves. Beware the AirBnb host who has scant reviews.

Establishing a personal relationship with a local contact is also an opportunity to ask about any concerns you may have. Knowing someone on the ground can immediately quell any uneasiness that may have been caused by the media, which is notorious for unnecessarily “heighten[ing] fear and the perception of risk” of travel destinations. One example is the discredited 2003 SARS panic, which B&B residents would have appropriately belittled —even as mainstream media outlets were almost announcing a zombie apocalypse (Fennell 144). Furthermore, because many B&B residences are the homes of the operators themselves, staying at a B&B ensures an authentically homey environment (Li-Chan 279). While there’s no place like home, the second-best may be someone else’s home.

When first contacting various B&B operators, you may be surprised at their eagerness to please, from picking you up at the airport, taking you on a personal tour, or assisting you with your day-to-day itinerary. On the other hand, some B&Bs are simply a rented mattress. Clearly not all B&B (or Airbnb) operators are created equal, so choose carefully.

Book a group tour

Although it may come with a price-tag and possible social-awkwardness, taking a group-tour might also provide a big piece of mind. Being in a group is a great way to be led around like a grazing sheep, so you can focus on taking pictures and smelling flowers (rather than catching butterflies in your stomach!). In my experience, however, if you are planning on taking an extensive tour across a long distance, over several days, I recommend you calculate the time you may spend traveling on a bus (or train, etc). You may not want to spend several hours each day commuting to various destinations. Still, being on a group-tour is often accompanied by a lot of security, and is a good opportunity to get your feet wet in a new country or culture.

The Ideal Season: Timing is Everything

Almost every country has a peak tourist season, often for a good reason. Obviously, if you want to avoid seasonal typhoons and hurricanes —or the times of year that wild animals may be aggressively protecting their nests, it is worthwhile to Google all the environmental dangers of your destination. Don’t be Survivor Man.

Diversity your finances: From Traveller’s Cheques to Bitcoin

Of all things most travelers worry about, money is near the top of the list. Money is not only a social-lubricant but the very means of survival and dignity. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial to minimize financial risks. In addition to having some cold cash in the local currency, I also recommend allocating your finances to several others safety-nests, including one (or two) credit cards, one (or two) debit cards, as well as having cash in other denominations (such as USD or RMB) that are commonly accepted in most places. You may even want to consider Traveller Cheques or Bitcoin (see photo: this is a Trezor “hard wallet”, enabling my Bitcoin money to be even more secure). It’s better to have a few eggs in several baskets, instead of the other way around —unless you’re making an omelet. Follow the Easter Bunny’s example and stash those eggs everywhere!

In regards to a debit card, make sure your card has the recognizable Cirrus symbol, which is often recognized from ATMs in other countries. When you arrive at your destination, perform some simple experiments, as a safety measure, such as withdrawing a small amount from an ATM, or pay for a meal, to ensure its reliability. The international fees may be negligent compared to your peace of mind. Also, if you travel extensively you may want to deliberately choose to open an account with an international bank such as HSBC, rather than a lesser recognizable bank or local credit union.

In regards to credit cards, remember to inform your credit card companies that you are traveling (lest they follow security protocols and cancel your card!). Also, make sure you have set-up four-digit passwords for each of your cards. In many countries, ATMs (and vendors) require a four-digit password, even if you never use one in your home country. It is a simple process if you simply ask your bank in-person.

As far as cash goes, it is always best to not only have an emergency billfold somewhere but to separate your cash into different bags (or pockets, at the very least!). Again, think of what the Easter Bunny would do. Depending on the country, I tend to keep a small amount of cash in a particular pocket which you could call my “mugging money”. If I ever get robbed, it’s better to lose something than insist I have no money. I suppose it’s a vulgar form of insurance. For more tips and context about traveling with money, consult our Money article.

Memorize your personal information

I’m a huge advocate of exercising one’s memory —through mental push-ups. Not only will it delay senility (or prevent it completely!), but it’s also damn convenient when filling out forms, applications, buying things online, and, of course, in the event of losing your wallet or cellphone.

It is an empowering habit to memorize all of your important information and it only requires a few minutes a day —preferably at night, immediately before you sleep (so your unconscious mind mulls over it). Start by memorizing your bank account numbers (with corresponding branch and institution numbers), and move on to phone numbers of friends and family. No doubt, you’ve probably left those digits in the 90s. On that note, I not only recommend having the Skype APP on all your devices, but purchasing some telephone credit to make international phone calls. The feature used to be free of cost, but nowadays many countries will not even allow customers to purchase telephone credit from inside their country, so it’s best to buy it beforehand. In some cities, it’s surprisingly difficult to make an outgoing phone call home. With wifi, Skype is a godsend.

Once you’ve mastered your bank details and phone numbers, memorize your Passport number, as well as some beneficial phrases in the language of your destination. Knowing some sentences will spare you from playing charades when you need to find an internet cafe (or toilet!).

I use the Anki APP for all such endeavors. It’s free and simple to download on your phone or laptop. You simply input the information you want to memorize, as if you are writing on the front and back sides of cue cards.

Download Translation Dictionaries  

While we are discussing some helpful APPs, you may also want to ensure that you have downloaded a bilingual dictionary. Google Translate may suffice, but you may want to divvy out a dollar (or $1.29) to purchase a good one. Just make sure the dictionary content is downloaded —or you will need a wifi connection to use it.

MAPS: Screenshot and printed

Another fantastic APP is called “Maps.Me”. Unlike Google Map, you don’t need a wifi connection to look up addresses and plan routes, provided you’ve already downloaded the city maps of your destination. To be extra cautious, I always take screenshots of the route between the airport to my first night’s accommodation on Maps.Me and Google Maps (sometimes they disagree). Going further, I make physical printouts of the route, which taxi-drivers tend to appreciate. Often, English APPs assign English names (or letters) for destinations and street names, which taxi-drivers may not recognize. It is prudent to also have directions in the local language.

That said, it is obviously good to print out your B&B’s (or hotel) contact information, with telephone and email, should the taxi-driver need to clarify anything. Again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record player, you can also memorize some street names, too.

To be clear, because we are minimizing as much uncertainty as possible, you want to include the whereabouts of local police stations, pharmacies, Starbucks, or McDonald’s restaurants on your maps, as well.

Get Wise to the Locals Scams

A quick Google search can expose the scams of many places. Some of them are worth admiring. Some are ingenious. Most scams, however, simply exploit those who are simply unaware of them. Take the infamous one in Thailand, for instance, whereupon a “Tuk-Tuk” taxi-driver will offer you a discount—on the condition you visit a particular jewelry store. Sometimes they just take you there (without asking you), and it may be potentially far from your intended route. As you probably suspect, the taxi-driver gains a commission from the shop for bringing potential customers. Ultimately, however, all the gold and jewelry is completely fake and, if you buy any of the worthless junk, you may find an empty store-front the next day.

To take another example, in Cape Town, some of the outside ATMs are fakes! Some of them are literally wearing an exact replica of an ATM cover, which has been popped-on like a plastic hubcap. After you deposit your card and punch in the password, the machine will inevitably “eat” your card. From there, the criminal operator will withdraw your cash and come retrieve it when you leave.

Such scams are everywhere —from the subtle to the obvious. In some countries with corrupt institutions, they involve a bribe to a police officer (which is illegal in some other countries), so it’s worth a quick Google search.

Get Wise to the Customs

Scams aside, many countries have customs that are equally detrimental. In western countries, for instance, a honk from a moving vehicle typically means “Get out of the way!”. In Asia, on the other hand, it is a friendly way of informing you that they are approaching. In other words, if you step aside, you may walk right into harm’s way.  

Another Asian custom, to be aware of, is the prevalence of squat toilets. Though many Asian cities often have western toilets (even if in “Handicap washrooms”), the thought of needing to squat can cause a lot of anxiety. If that’s the case for you, you may want to start stretching those calf muscles!

Obviously, the same can be said about food. If strange ingredients makes you queasy, you had better start researching the foods you can eat!

Krav maga

If you are worried about physical safety, you may want to gain some practical defense skills. Even if you only have a few weeks, I recommend taking some Krav Maga classes. This badass martial art, developed by the Israeli military and used by various police departments worldwide, is recommended for several reasons. First, there is no mumbo jumbo about energy, karma, or anything “spiritual”. Instead, it is a reality-based system that teaches students how to overcome real life scenarios. Krav Maga can be practiced by small women, big dudes, unfit folks, and even children. Through repetitive drilling and reenacted scenarios, you gain the benefit of muscle memory, which often involves slapping balls, gouging eyes, and chopping throats. It is also a realistic way of learning how to manage a violent adversary or a group of adversaries, as well as what to do if you are ever confronted with firearms, knives, or other weapons. I particularly like the way Krav Maga teaches people how to protect someone else, rather than just yourself. It’s one thing to run away, but quite another to defend a loved one.

Principle #3:

Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

(but be a good listener)

For some people, just the idea of physical conflict is enough to raise blood pressure. Ironically, though Krav Maga is extremely useful, in my opinion, the more prepared and confident you are, in terms of self-defense, the less likely physical conflict seems to be. After all, the majority of predators don’t want to tussle with someone who might scratch back. Instead, most bullies are cowards and prefer to find weak, insecure people as their victims.

I would like to make a reminder, however, that these steps towards mitigating anxieties are meant to alleviate anxieties. There’s a thin line between getting informed and becoming paranoid (as any regular listener of the Alex Jones Show can probably attest). Of course, there is no shortage of friends and family, who will line up to fill your ear with new things to worry about, which brings us to our third final principle: shielding yourself from new, unnecessary anxieties.

Of course, many anxieties will come from those who care about you the most. Because your friends and family care the most about you, they will inevitably brainstorm as many dangerous situations as they can possibly muster. The same can be said for the tourism business, who are in the business of selling products from travel insurance, vaccinations, to malaria medication. To that end, they may declare Airbnb as dangerous. Likewise, taxi-drivers may also bemoan the safety of Uber. Therefore, take such advice with a grain of salt. Every adventure a snowflake, and most guidance is speculative at best, let alone scientific or objective in nature.

Anxiety: In Closing

In managing anxiety, we must maximize as much uncertainty as possible. It’s crucial to do as much internal preparation as possible, but not to get too attached to any particular outcome or travel itinerary. Our goal is to have a good time (not always obsessing about safety!), so plan what you can —but leave some trap-doors open.

Works Cited

• Fennell, David A.. “Towards a Model of Travel Fear”. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Annals of Tourism Research 66: 140-150. 2017. Web. 18 July 2017.
• Hsu, Pao-Peng. “Examination of Taiwan’s travel and tourism market cycle through a two-period Markov regime-switching model”. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Tourism Management 63: 201-208, 2017. Web. 22 June 2017.
• Li-Chan Chen, Shang-Ping Lin, Chun-Min Kuo. “Rural tourism: Marketing strategies for the bed and breakfast industry in Taiwan”. Published by Elsevier Ltd. International Journal of Hospitality Management 32 (2013) 278-286. Print