Travelling abroad and travelling on your own

Gap years, exchange semesters and university holidays often mean your first trips without family. Good preparation is not about fear: it is about knowing that if something goes wrong, you already have a plan.

Research before you book

• Check official travel advice for your destination and sign up for updates. The FCDO says to check its country travel advice pages and sign up for email alerts.
• Read about local laws as well as risks. The FCDO checklist flags 'legal differences' between countries, and the Travel module (tr-08) covers respecting local laws and medicines.
• The FCDO's advice for women travelling abroad suggests researching local culture and how authorities treat crimes against women, and talking to people who have been there.
• NPSA, the UK's protective security authority, advises monitoring the news, travel reports and weather before and during your trip.

Register with your government

• UAE nationals can register for Twajudi through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or the UAEMOFA app, so the ministry and its missions can contact you in an emergency abroad and help you get home (UAE Government portal).
• US citizens can enrol in STEP, a free State Department service that sends embassy alerts and helps the embassy contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.
• British nationals can contact the FCDO 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on +44 (0)20 7008 5000, choosing the option for consular services for British nationals (FCDO consular assistance guidance).
• If you hold another nationality, find out now whether your country has a similar service, and save your embassy's address and number.

Arrival and accommodation

• Book your first night before you travel. The FCDO notes you are at your most vulnerable when you first arrive in a foreign country.
• Arrange airport transfers in advance and use only official, licensed taxis (FCDO).
• In your room, lock the door whenever you are inside, close windows on the ground floor or with balconies, and use the spy hole or chain before opening the door (FCDO).
• Never leave your key where someone can see your room number, and consider a door wedge (FCDO).
• Check for smoke alarms and fire exits. The FCDO also warns about carbon monoxide from badly fitted water heaters or cookers.

Sharing your plans

• Leave your itinerary with someone at home and agree how often you will check in (FCDO; NPSA).
• NPSA's rule is simple: at least one other person should know where you are when you are away from home.
• Store copies of your passport, insurance, flight and accommodation details securely online or with someone you trust, and print your health insurance documents (FCDO checklist).
• Make sure you can get money in an emergency, even if you lose your phone and cannot complete two-step verification (FCDO checklist).

Getting around and nights out

• On trains, use busy carriages, and avoid hitchhiking (FCDO).
• Keep your drinks with you. The FCDO's advice for women travelling abroad warns that drugs used in assaults also work in non-alcoholic drinks such as coffee and tea, and are normally colourless and tasteless.
• NPSA suggests using reputable carriers, limiting time spent waiting, and avoiding waiting in isolated areas.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive and turn off Bluetooth when you do not need it (NPSA).
• If you feel threatened, the FCDO says being safe is more important than being polite. Leave, go somewhere with people, and contact local police if you fear for your safety.