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TRAVEL TIPS FOR WOMEN
Travel Safety Tips for Women: Staying Safe in your Hotel Room
By Leyla Ayse

Most of us travel because we love it - and whether we stay in tents, hostels or luxury hotels, the one thing we want to feel is
safe once we tuck in for the night.

Basic safety rules are just common sense, whatever the accommodation. You wouldn't let a stranger into your home, would
you? Nor should you let one into your hotel room. Same rules, different places.

These basic safety tips and hotel room precautions should keep you snug at night. I follow them, and I know I sleep more
soundly knowing I've taken care of things before bedtime.

Keeping Yourself Safe

- Get a room on a lower floor. In case of fire it's difficult for ladders to reach upper floors. Anything below the 7th floor is good.
- Try for a courtyard or back room - it will be less accessible from the street.
- Check your room before you close the door and settle in: the shower, the closets, and any other large spaces.
- Locate the fire exits and count your steps there. In a fire, you might not be able to see - you'll be grateful you did this. Keep a
flashlight next to your bed, just in case.
- Make sure your door locks. Carry a rubber doorstop and use it if the lock isn't as sturdy as it should be. And keep the door
locked at all times when you're in your room.
- Don't open the door unless you're certain of the person behind it: it's much easier to keep an ill-intentioned man out in the
first place than to try to get him out once he's inside.
- Always lock your windows if you have a balcony or if you're near the ground floor. Windows are a favorite point of entry. I only
leave mine open when I'm above the second floor. If it's too hot, ask for a fan. In a modern or upmarket hotel, you'll have air
conditioning and the windows may not open anyway.
- Don't let people see you coming and going on your own. Just walk out of the lobby with a group. Thieves waiting at hotel
entrances often aim for lone women.
- Keep a card with the hotel's phone number and address with you. It will help with taxis and buses, and if you plain get lost on
a side street - believe me, it happens more often than you think.

Protecting your Belongings

Most of us don't travel as light as we should. If we're backpacking, we tend to carry more clothes than we need. If we're
traveling for business, we're encumbered by laptops, cellphones, Blackberries, PDAs…

Yet if you can't afford to lose it, you shouldn't be bringing it along.

Travelers are often targets for thieves, but a few simple precautions will significantly diminish your risk.

- When you check in, keep an eye on your pack or suitcase. Crowded reception areas are good places for thieves to operate.
- Keep your valuables in the safe in your room. Carry a money belt or pouch or a neck wallet during the day. If your hotel is
reputable, keep things at the main reception safe.
- Keep things out of sight in your room. Even if it wasn't planned, the temptation to walk off with your jewelry or iPod might be
too strong.
- When you leave, leave a light on – or the radio or TV. A casual thief might think the room is occupied and move on.
- Don't flash your expensive gadgets around – it's best not to appear too rich.
- Don't carry a big, attractive bag or purse - that's way too tempting. Opt for a discreet daypack and don't keep anything of
value in it.
- Wear sensible shoes and ditch the heels when walking along unknown streets. At least you'll be able to either run or stand
your ground if you have to.

The Best Safety Gadgets

And if all that isn't enough and you feel safest with gadgets, there are plenty of easy-to-carry ones that'll help ease your mind.

-My favorite is one mentioned earlier: the rubber doorstop. But if you want something more hitec, try the metal doorstop with
an alarm – if someone opens the door, an alarm goes off. The doorknob alarm serves much the same purpose: its motion
sensor sets off an alarm if someone tries to sneak into your hotel room.

Another useful gadget is the wire lock: it lets you lock your computer to a pipe or radiator.

And finally - this is pushing it - if you're on a high floor, you could do worse than carry a lightweight smoke hood. Modern
buildings are usually sturdy and have concrete fire escapes – the danger often lies in inhaling smoke.

I've been traveling for years on my own, and the only times I've even come near any kind of danger has been when I've ignored
my own rules. Most travel is quite safe, and dealing with these sensible precautions just makes it that much safer.

Leyla Ayse is a travel writer, development professional, guitar player, kayaker and nomad. When she isn't working or
on the road, she manages www.women-on-the-road.com, a site for women who love to backpack on their own.

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