About to head off on holiday? Are you as prepared as you could be?

I’m sure you have planned the trip meticulously; you have resilience in your plans, the travel arrangements and the accommodation yet it will always be the unexpected that will catch you out!

Here are a few scenarios that you may not have considered but can be easily managed with some forethought!

Your bag is stolen at the airport with your passport, wallet/purse with your cash and cards.

Solution to this would be to recognise that you cannot prevent being a victim of petty crime however by distributing your cash, cards and valuable documents on your person and not all together in one bag means you are only likely to lose a small percentage of your valuables.

You are involved in a road traffic collision and the other party is demanding money.

Solution to this would be to understand that statistically driving on a road would lead to some kind of incident. Knowing the culture and the rules of the road can assist with minor incidents however as a foreigner you will always be viewed as being in the wrong.

If the vehicle is a hire vehicle contact the hire company or follow the procedure outlined to you when hiring the vehicle. The hire company will have experience in dealing with these types of incidents and should assist you. If the police become involved then fully comply with the instructions from the police, but if they arrest you do not say anything or sign anything until you have spoken to someone from the Consulate, who can offer you advice.

If you are injured and require medical attention ensure your know your blood group, have ready access to you Ehic Card or copies of medical insurance documentation to prevent any delay in treatment.

Not all dealings with representatives of law enforcement are straightforward and some may involve on the spot fines or local taxes. Being aware of the local culture can assist you in preparation for any encounters with law enforcement and enable you to negotiate the minefield of the right action to take depending on the circumstances prevalent at the time. Being in possession of identification documents and a certain amount of cash in the right currency can help to smooth any encounter. In some circumstances the police have taken people to bank ATMs to withdraw sufficient cash to settle a local fine.

Ensure any medication that you have with you is in the original packaging and is not prohibited in any country you visit. Examples of this would be codeine, which is banned in UAE/Dubai and other Middle East countries. If the medication you need is not allowed in the country of your destination, or you are not sure, seek medical advice from your doctor for an alternative.

Try not to draw attention to yourself either as a tourist, or potential victim by the manner of dress, items that are carried, or general behaviour when away from your accommodation. Be aware and alert at all times. Ensure shoulder bags/handbags are secured under t-shirts and are tightly held to the body. Do not display cash or openly display wallets and purses when purchasing items.

If you are unfortunate enough to be targeted and are robbed either at knifepoint or gunpoint, comply with the demands, you should have nothing on your person that valuable to you that is worth your life. Recognise that the robber may be nervous, unstable through drink or drugs so your actions should be slow and compliant and hand over what is requested.

The same situation applies to car jacking, if you are unable to adopt another course of action give up the vehicle it is not worth your life.

Be aware of your surroundings, do not go to places your instincts are warning you to avoid and ensure someone at home always knows your travel plans.