As the sun peaked at us for one final moment across the foreign landscape, the train rocked and lurched away from us into the distance. The small group of Americans that had gotten off with us were a welcome beacon of comfort; until they got into their cars and scattered like leaves in an autumn breeze. We had left the touristy, slow living comfort of Siena, and found ourselves in a dank parking lot on the edge of a sleeping town. There was one light on. Only one.
Travel to a foreign country can be an incredibly rewarding experience— allowing us to bridge the gap between the cultures that define us and divide us. Very few experiences can lead to us learning more about the world and our place in it quite like going across the ocean and submerging yourself in another part of the world. But, travel can also be as dangerous as it is rewarding.
Regrettably, writing this I realize that I sound just like my mother. However, after my experiences I realize that some of that maternal wisdom is infallible (as frustrating as it always seems to be). I never mean to paint travel as this horrible danger; nor the world outside of the United States as this red zone of pickpockets, skinheads, and terrorists. It’s not. Of course it isn’t. And so my hope with this article is not to scare you so much that the thought of even leaving your porch has you shaking in your Uggs.
Instead, I want to give you the tools and the knowledge so that your travel experiences, no matter where you go, will be as enjoyable as possible. Nothing is more stress inducing than the feeling of danger in a place very, very far from home. Trust me. Never have I ever been so scared in my life as I was in the moment I described above.
This is what I wish I had done differently.
- Pay Attention to the Details
I’m not a big details guy. I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants and go where the wind takes me. I have a very bad habit of booking tours, hotels, and trains the day of the excursion. However, it is not the best strategy for reducing anxiety, nor the best way to stay safe.
The night I found myself stuck in that parking lot, I had not checked the hotels distance from Florence (the city I was visiting on the excursion). The hotel had been recommended to me by a friend, and so without more thought, I went ahead and booked it the day of the trip. To my surprise during dinner, I realized the hotel was an hour away by car.
Damn.
Not only did this lead to a horrible situation in the future, but also another set of train tickets. Furthermore, as a general rule, trips that involve a lot of walking— whether it be hiking through a hilly countryside in Spain or an ancient city in Tuscany— having a home base to return to and relax in is paramount. Being conscientious of the details regarding your home base is incredibly important. If you wanna be extra safe, I would advise planning your trips in terms of the distances from the hotel or hostel you are staying in. Doing this will stop you from over-extending yourself, acting as a tether to a place of security. Because, there is only one thing worse than getting stuck out to dry in an unfamiliar land.
2. Travel During the Day.
And that is getting stuck out to dry in an unfamiliar land at night. It’s hard enough to get your bearings in a country with a totally different set of road signs and street naming criteria. Adding darkness to that equation is a recipe for panic. When the sun goes down, everything gets harder.
As we stepped off the train in the parking lot of this town, I watched the sun go down with the strongest longing that I could have one more hour of bright light to figure out this situation. As it dipped below the rolling hills, the parking lot immediately took a more ominous tone. The little dots of cigarette butts lighting up the lot like lightning bugs were simply the promises of the presence of the type of people that hangout in parking lots at night. They felt more like shark fins poking out of the water, and my raft had just sped away at 60 miles per hour (thats 300 pasta’s per mamma Mia’s for you native Italians reading this).
When traveling, always give yourself a boundary of security that you know what you are doing and where you will be an hour or two before the sun goes down. If you need to travel to a new area, do it before that two hours comes around. This way, you can enjoy magic hour and snag the perfect photos or romantic kiss as the sun dips down below the horizon. And speaking of a romantic kiss—
3. Bring a Buddy, or Even Better, Take a Few.
Sometimes, just being able to express how bad the situation feels out-loud is enough to make you feel better. I consider myself very lucky that my friend Rainy traveled with me during this excursion. Although he wasn’t happy that I had gotten us into this mess, I was relieved to have someone else with me in the moment.
Traveling with a buddy or two is one of the best ways to stay safe abroad. Not only can you share amazing moments with them, but you can also look after one another, run ideas past them, and generally pick up on the shortcomings of each other. Nobody is perfect, and everybody has some skills that are better than others. For example, Rainy had gotten our entire train schedule on his smart phone, and knew exactly what stops we needed to use and which trains to get on. I would never have thought to do that.
And he had the same smart phone ready to dial emergency services as we got into the car of the owner of the only shop open in town— which leads me to my next point.
4.Take the Time to Learn the Language
No need to be fluent, but a simple understanding is priceless. With my limited knowledge of Italian, we were able to communicate enough to get the help of the store owner of the only place open in town. The Man did not speak a lick of English, and miming “We need a taxi to the top of this mountain to get to the hotel with a name I can’t pronounce” would have been a little difficult.
There is no need to be fluent, but there are a few terms you should be able to pull out at any moment. I want, I need, and I can and their question forms are by far the most important words to know in the language, and most likely you wont pick them up just by listening to conversations on the street. Learning those small but important bits of the language are invaluable pieces of insurance that can give you the edge you need to get out of a tough bind. They can turn a horrible night into a good story about a near miss.
5. Danger is the Price of a Great Trip
Maybe a bit of a cop-out, but my last piece of advice is to have a healthy mindset regarding the dangers of travel. Danger and risk are all a part of the adventure of traveling abroad. Novel experiences, places and people are all challenging to adjust to— if it wasn’t so demanding (and costly) everyone would do it. It takes a good bit of bravery to take on the challenge, and I applaud anyone who does.
When we finally reached the hotel, I thanked the Man and asked him how much I owed him.
“Whatever you want,” he answered.
He saved our skin, taking the time out of his night and the gas to drive two complete strangers up this mountain. He didn’t ask for anything in return. (Spoiler alert, I still paid the Man.)
Oddly enough, that same night I met Elena Estavez, a professional guide who has toured all throughout Europe for more than a decade. Practicing my Italian with her, I told her what had happened and how we had squeaked our way out of a bad situation. Her advice:
“There are good people everywhere, and no matter how bleak a situation may seem, if you are kind, you will likely find help. Don’t be afraid to ask.”
Therefore, I think it is important to travel abroad with a mindset primarily driven by curiosity and supported by cautionary common sense. Fear is an emotion that will only hinder your experience, and it will only hurt your chances of getting out of a tough situation if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in one. Again, these moments are rare, but they are real. Preparation using these tips is the best way to allow yourself to explore and experience the new land to the fullest of your potential. Enjoy!
Just a Moment 