Blog Archives

What To Expect At Israel’s Airport Security.

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 101 Comments

Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv is infamous amongst travellers for being seriously heavy with security. Horror stories of innocent travellers being detained for hours, missing flights and intrusive luggage checks are the norm, and the average traveller is often paranoid about strip searches and heavy interrogations, but is it really that bad? What is it really like entering and exiting one of the most security conscious countries on the planet?

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Posted in Destinations, Travel Advice, Travel Safety

Is Israel Safe To Travel To? Perception Versus Reality.

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 84 Comments

Is Israel safe to travel to? When people think of travelling to Israel the question of safety and security always comes up. Is it too dangerous to travel in Israel? Are tourists putting themselves at risk in Israel? The truth of the matter is that the reality is very different to what many people assume.

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Posted in Destinations, Travel Safety

How Not To Get Murdered, Killed Or Kidnapped On Your Gap Year.

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 28 Comments

The media is rife with tales of backpackers coming to a sticky and untimely end on their gap years, salivating over details of all the monsters that lurk in the shadows the second you get off that plane. Listen to these expert tips instead of the media hype and learn how not to get murdered, killed, kidnapped or even worse on your once in a lifetime backpacking trip.

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Posted in Travel Safety

The Importance Of An Exit Strategy On Your Gap Year.

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 16 Comments

Would you know what to do in a travel emergency? Or if something went horribly wrong on your gap year and you need to get out or go home in a hurry? If something terrible happens while you are travelling and you need to bail quickly, it is essential that you have an exit strategy that will get you out of that situation and to a place of safety as quickly as possible. Here are the top expert tips to keep you from getting stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Staying Safe Online When Travelling.

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 6 Comments

In a modern digital age gap year travellers are very rarely offline and often have at least one connected device on them at all times. The problem is those devices often have a wealth of personal information about us, our family, our finances, our entire lives, and many travellers do not think about the security or protection of those devices and can leave themselves open to online threats. Here is a quick and easy guide for backpackers to keep their online activities secure on their gap year.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Why I hate Money Belts (And Why You Shouldn’t Wear Them).

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 13 Comments

Money belts are an almost ubiquitous piece of travel equipment, but should you wear a money belt on your gap year? I can’t stand them, never wear one and think they do very little to decrease the risk of becoming a victim or losing your important documents. Here’s why.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Should You Learn Self Defence Before Your Gap Year?

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 12 Comments

s learning a martial art or a bit of self defence a good idea for your gap year? Will taking self defence classes really increase your chances of staying safe when you travel? Well the problem is the answer isn’t exactly clear cut. Staying safe on your gap year involves far more than learning just a few martial arts moves, so this article asks if learning self defence before travelling is really a good idea.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Top 10 Solo Female Travel Safety Tips.

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 152 Comments

Top 10 expert safety tips for solo female travellers.

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Posted in Solo Travel, Travel Lists, Travel Safety

Is Backpacking Around The World Safe?

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 13 Comments

ap year safe? These questions come up a lot among first time travellers, and there is often a lot of confusion between levels of personal fear and genuine danger, to the point the fear of travel becomes overblown. So given that it is such an important topic I just want to take a moment to discuss whether travelling the world or taking a gap year is safe or not.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Travel Safety Advice For Arriving At A New Destination.

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 18 Comments

For many travellers, arriving in a new city or country for the first time is often when they are at their most vulnerable, especially for those travelling solo. Here are some basic but expert travel safety tips that will decrease any risk to you and keep you safe.