How to stay safe in South Africa
On the second Wednesday of the month, Kristin Addis Be My Travel Muse a Guest Post writes tips with advice on Solo female travel. It is an important issue, I can not adequately cover, so I brought to share in an expert their advice. This month her column on security in South Africa.
The dining table in California back home, I asked my friends, the first thing to mention that came to mind when they thought about Africa. I expected them to say things like "elephant" and "The Lion King", but "Ebola", "football" and "crimes" were among the answers I got. , When I told them that I travel by myself, they were horrified at the thought of
This is for me the proof that much is misunderstood - or at least generalized and simplistic - that has this country a lot to offer as some misplaced Ebola rumors and a world Cup busier that for a few years availed locally. South Africa is huge and diverse, spanning 471,000 square miles, with a population of over 53 million and eleven official languages.
Why South Africa gets a bad rap
South Africa is the first country where the locals repeatedly told me that muggings and violent crime are a major problem, and according to most I have spoken on the rise. It seemed to me that the South Africans were among the first me about the dangers in the whole country.
warn Getting to this post by the BBC, the rate of violent crime is the ninth highest in the world, and the incidence of rape is the highest in the world. And in a 2012 study by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, South Africa had an annual murder of 30 deaths per 100,000 population.
likes While this may seem high, it is lower than Detroit (54), Honduras (92) and Belize (44). Moreover, the murder rate has declined since apartheid ended, and there were no murders have been in Cape Town five safest areas where tourists tend to flock. It is not a war zone - the most violent crime occurs between people who know each other in dangerous areas that tourists do not tend to visit. Tourists in South Africa are targets mainly petty crime
The history of the country -. Apartheid forced segregation followed by its removal and the subsequent movement toward reconciliation led by former President Nelson Mandela - gives a little understanding which the country is today. Although still full of political, economic and racial struggles, South Africa is not as scary and dangerous as it is often perceived.
Staying Safe
After nine weeks Solo travel through the country, I found that I had to take more precautions than I in Southeast Asia or in Germany do, but the dangers are not so different from the big cities back home in the United States or in other parts of Europe.
While much safe means to keep the safety rules following follow back home and to your intuition, the following are some tips to make your visit to South Africa to be more stress free to make.
know where not to go
Although crime rates are higher in the communities that settlements have been established for forced segregation during apartheid, stay safe does not mean totally to stay out of them. Some of my favorite memories as drinks divided by an unlicensed bar, swing small children from the arms and delicious street barbecue, all came expended in the communities of my time.
They are friendly places. They are simply better visited during daylight hours and with a local guide who lives there and knows the lay of the land. This can organize by your board, or information from the Tourism Board. Soweto in Johannesburg, for example, has everything from bike to bus tours and welcomes tourists thanks to the benefits of the money they bring in.
in the night do not go
people will tend to take targets in the cities on foot and not as a private or public transport. pickpocketing can also occur in a group, but it is much more likely to happen when walking alone. Avoid alone if possible, especially at night on foot.
Let
not to be striking the wearing of jewelry and designer clothes and take off your phone when out and about all the great ways an object. expensive jewelry is primarily not a good idea to bring in the holidays, but if you have such a camera to do expensive things they keep hidden. And never keep your passport on you.
, it is more likely seems that you are a foreigner who do not know the lay of the land, the more likely you are to be a target for petty theft. Put the phone away and take it out when safe at home or in a cafe.
Lock hides your car doors and keep valuables
Other common occurrence, especially in big cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, car burglaries and carjackings are
avoid them through this the keep doors locked while driving and absolutely everything to keep -. Sunglasses, cell phones, bags and wallets - from the eyes. Nothing of value or something that it seems, could possibly be valuable, including cheap sunglasses should be visible when the car is parked and unattended.
In the big cities, unlicensed parking attendants are always close to "see" your car for you, so they throw a tip so every now and then an eye for storage for your car, if you do not there are.
a dummy wallet
Although I think I was safe, especially because I was not around a lot of walking, there were a few times when I was tired to be afraid and went short distances instead of a taxi or take a bus. To protect my things, I wore a "dummy wallet", which had only a few canceled credit cards and some small change in it while I anything hidden in my shoe or, frankly, in my bra.
If someone came up to me, I have planned to freely pass my bag, so that the thief something while the rest had to take safely tucked was. It never occurred to this down, because I never know a crime firsthand, but I felt a thief approach should be ready.
be aware and listen to your instincts
It also helps to be hyper-aware. If you have to go look in your area, in each direction, a point from which each can, let them know that you are paying attention arrested by his head and looking alert. Never try to be alone on a sidewalk, and as close to families as possible obtain.
I went down once a quiet side street in the up-and-coming Woodstock area of Cape Town and no one had to be realized in order, immediately turned around and went back to the busy main road. It felt sketchy, and my alarm bells were ringing.
If anyone seemed to pay much attention, I would see that person in the eye and say inside with other people, "Hello" or step in a business.
Use universal common sense
I thought about my security in South Africa compared to what I would do at home. I certainly would not walk around most parts of Los Angeles or any other major American cities alone and it would not even take into the night to consider, especially not with my phone. I wake my bag like a hound in most major European cities because of the incredibly high rates pickpocketing. It was really not so different in South Africa.
It is very easy to travel safely in South Africa. You only need to take more precautions than you would in, say, Germany or Thailand.
It used to be that I was not the question, if I could answer asked for my favorite country it. Now I say "South Africa." Although statistics can be like a scary place to appear, in fact, I spent a lot more time to enjoy myself than ever to take care of it, robbed a victim of violent crime or be. While safety should always be in the head, especially to South Africa not feel scary, uncomfortable or dangerous.
Kristin Addis is a former investment banker sold all of her belongings and offer for California farewell solo by Asia travel while looking for off-the-beaten-path adventures. There is almost nothing that they will not try, and almost nowhere they will not discover. You can find more of her thoughts at MyTravel his muse or on Twitter and Facebook
Conquering mountains. The Guide for Solo Female Travel
0 Response to "How to stay safe in South Africa"
Posting Komentar