Warnings about frightening dangers in holiday destinations are a regular occurrence. The latest: cube jellyfish in Thailand and sharks in Egypt. Scary, of course. But are we really focusing on the right risks?
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ShareIt is wise to take some precautions, but the risks and concerns should not take over. And if we are to protect ourselves, what should we be thinking about? Here are some of our thoughts. What do you think?
Table of contents
Dangerous animals
Poisonous snakes, scary sharks and deadly jellyfish make the headlines. But what is the risk of dangerous animals ... really? It can be wise to read up on the country you're going to so you know if there's anything to look out for, but often you're not even in the bush.
Diseases
In addition to all the common diseases, there are a lot of infectious mosquitoes, tropical fevers and parasites. Risks can be minimised by vaccination. If you do fall ill, there is good healthcare in many parts of the world. And by the way, you can get sick in Sweden too ...
Robbery, violence and assault
The risk of assault increases when travelling. This is partly because crime is more common in some countries, and partly because you have less local knowledge. Reading up on the destination, asking locals for advice, storing valuables wisely and copying important documents can go a long way, even if you can never protect yourself 100%.
Riots and disturbances
We ourselves were caught up in unrest when we were in Kenya during the 2007 elections, so we know it can happen. However, many times you can avoid elections, demonstrations and other risky situations.
Natural disasters
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. The word 'disaster' implies something very dramatic. It may happen rarely, but when it does, many people are affected at the same time. Some natural disasters have come without warning, but that is rare and hardly worth speculating about.
Traffic
Has anyone seen the traffic in Hanoi? For example... Personally, I think traffic is one of the biggest risks when travelling. In addition, safety is often neglected on holiday. Seat belts and helmets are not that important, are they?
You might also like:
Traveller safety - 10 things to consider
What is important to you on your holiday abroad?
Emergency help with money when travelling abroad - what to do?
Packing list for the trip - check this off when packing
Film and TV series shooting locations - 10 places to visit
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Karin says:
At first I thought, "Oh my God! You don't dare go anywhere with all those risks!"
But then I realised that anything can happen even at home...
Living is dangerous. - You can die...
But NOT living is completely pointless.
03 December 2010 - 21:02
ring says:
Sure, shit can happen abroad, but so can it here at home. Caution and common sense will take you a long way.
Except for snakes, of course...
03 December 2010 - 21:45
Leena says:
Sure, we sometimes think about dangers and risks when we're travelling, but should we stay at home and not experience everything we do when we're out and about, well, that's up to each of us.
Sure, we've had a few scary situations, but it has made us a little more observant. A robbery that didn't take place because the husband saw what was going on, at a rest stop outside Milan, or when the husband had an inguinal hernia that manifested itself far down in Italy, I felt small even though I'm a nurse.
Right now I have a lot of thoughts on everything that is written about jellyfish, saw the sign at the Mediterranean....Jellyfish are swimming with you today...didn't feel so funny.
Have fun in the snow;)
03 December 2010 - 23:01
Krister in Beijing says:
Of course, 'danger' varies across the world in many respects, but overall I think too many people get disproportionately scared and nervous just by being abroad.
Some kind of generalisation that there are "Safe Sweden" and "Dangerous Abroad" which is of course not true.
Trust common sense, both in Sweden and other countries, and you will do well overall.
Perhaps the most dangerous is when you are tired and hungover driving the car home from the airport after returning to Sweden 😉.
04 December 2010 - 3:44
figs says:
Thank you for this post!
The follow-up is coming, right?
I mean about how dangerous it is to live and stay in Sweden! 😉
We saw in Cape Town that Sweden is dangerous and that people are shooting wildly in the far north.
Others don't always look at us the way we think!
04 December 2010 - 8:34
Anders and Birgitta says:
We have travelled in Europe every year since 1982, there have been a few minor incidents but nothing serious that could not be fixed. I'm a bit of a worrier but have learnt the hard way that danger can strike any time you least expect it. We realised this when our girls were killed in a boat collision on the open sea, how likely is it that this will happen? So I try to tell myself not to worry so much because the worst can happen at any time. Of course, you have to be observant and try not to expose yourself to unnecessary risks.
04 December 2010 - 9:45
admin says:
Karin, so true!
Anne, I agree! So you don't like snakes? Neither do I... We're going to Marrakech for Christmas and I've heard that they sometimes throw snakes around the necks of tourists, to make you want to take a photo and give them money. .... Huh!!! (But the snakes are supposed to be harmless though...)
Leena, sometimes being observant can help. But what kind of life is it if you just sit at home and do not experience what you want? And by the way, things can happen at home too...
Veiken, a colleague of mine was visited by his supervisor from England. He had never been here before, and the first evening, when he took the metro, he was robbed...
Krister, the biggest risks can happen when you come home and relax! I held on to my money very tightly when I went on my first train journey. When we got home and the train stopped at Stockholm Central Station, I forgot the money in the compartment...
Instead, maybe it's worse sometimes to sit at home and worry too!
Anders and Birgitta, thank you for sharing this! I wish no one would have to experience something like this, but I really think you are right! The worst can happen when you least expect it, and you can't protect yourself from the world and life. We may be able to eliminate some unnecessary risks, but then things happen. Maybe we will feel better if we try not to worry so much.
04 December 2010 - 10:07
The Statue of Liberty says:
His son was caught up in the demonstrations while on a long holiday in Thailand. Bullets were flying around their hotel and he was staring death in the face as people were shot dead outside the hotel entrance. Guess his mum was sitting at home in Svea, wringing her hands nervously!
Dangers lurk everywhere and every day - you have to try to use your common sense 🙂 .
04 December 2010 - 9:15
Ama de casa says:
Sure, things can happen (and have) but as you say, anything can happen here too.
However, we usually check the "general situation" in the country before travelling and avoid countries where, for example, they "hunt tourists".
So far we've managed to avoid too many nasty surprises 🙂 ).
04 December 2010 - 18:07
Joanna says:
Did you forget the money on the train? I only remember holding on to the money (and keeping it close to my body) when we were in various accommodation centres. The most uncomfortable part of the journey was when one of the liquor and cigarette smugglers tried to hide various goods in your bunk on the train between Lithuania and Poland and I argued with him and tried to hold the fort until you came back from the toilet. But it went well, even though we legally smuggled in 250 grams too much coffee without either knowing it or drinking coffee...
05 December 2010 - 0:03
Pumita says:
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read about the best way to avoid shark attacks. Ever heard of a shark on dry land?
06 December 2010 - 21:49