Travel Tips

Solo Female European Travel Advice
Solo Female European Travel Advice 768 629 Greg Ellifritz

Those of you traveling to Europe should check out this article about best practices for female solo travel there.   Most of the advice is applicable to males as well. She also has a great perspective about people providing travel advice:

 

“Most women are nervous about visiting Europe because they’re not sure whether it’s safe. Many of these women have well-meaning relatives and friends who tell them that sure, Europe’s safe if you have a man with you, but it’s not safe for a woman on her own.

Those well-meaning relatives and friends are wrong. They’re coming from a place of love and concern, but they’re wrong.

I always tell travelers to consider the source. Who is giving you this advice? Ask yourself the following questions:

Does this person travel?

Does this person travel in my style of traveling (i.e. backpacking as opposed to resort travel)?

Has this person been to this destination?

Has this person been to this destination recently (in the past 3-5 years)?

If the answer is yes to all of these, chances are you have an accurate source and should listen to what he or she has to say. But if the answer to one or more of these questions is no, you should seek out opinions elsewhere.”

 

 

Solo Female Travel in Europe: Complete Travel and Safety Guide

 

 

New Podcast Interview
New Podcast Interview 1000 522 Greg Ellifritz

If you are interested in travel topics, check out my recent interview with Alex on his Forge of Freedom podcast.

 

Episode 87. Choose Adventure: Safe Travel in Dangerous Places by Greg Ellifritz

 

In the show we talk about my travel book Choose Adventure and discuss some travel recommendations you may not see in your Lonely Planet guidebook.

 

I stopped doing podcasts after I got my cancer diagnosis about four years ago.  Since I put my book out just a couple months after my diagnosis, I haven’t done any travel-related podcasts.  Now that I had surgery for my cancer and am no longer likely to die anytime soon, I’ve started doing podcasts again.  This is the first travel podcast I’ve done.

 

I’ve done a lot of other podcasts in the past.  I found Alex to be one of the best hosts I’ve experienced.  He had an in-depth outline for how he wanted the interview to go and was extremely well prepared.  I think you’ll enjoy the show.

 

 

Travel Lessons
Travel Lessons 600 450 Greg Ellifritz

If you’ve traveled a lot, you’ll understand this list on a visceral level.  If not, I hope after reading it, you’ll be inspired to see more of the world.  This is a good article and I think my readers will enjoy it.

 

20 Things I Learned From Traveling Around the World

How I Almost Got Arrested in Turkey
How I Almost Got Arrested in Turkey 1024 768 Greg Ellifritz

I got back a few days ago from a 10-day trip to Turkey.  I’ll have a full article about my trip posted next week, but until then I need to share some critical information for you shooters who travel by air.

 

On my flight home leaving Turkey, I had to go through Turkey’s dual airport security system.  Since the famous airport bombing and active killer attack in the ticketing area before security, Turkish airports have placed metal detectors and baggage x-ray systems just inside the each airport’s door.  In order to make it to the ticket counter, you must place your bags in an X-ray scanner and walk through a metal detector.

 

After getting your boarding passes and checking your luggage, you must again go through a traditional airport screening system.  On international flights, the Turkish equivalent of the TSA also hand searches each passengers carry-on bags and physically pats each passenger down before they get on the plane.  It’s quite a process.

 

The 2016 Istanbul attackers

 

I fly a lot.  I’ve taken a total of 53 flights already this calendar year.  I also flew two previous domestic flights in Turkey earlier in my trip, so I was familiar with their special  security procedures and had optimized my packing to get through smoothly.

 

I put my carry-on and checked bags on the screening machine’s conveyor belt.  I had no metal on my person, so I walked through the metal detector without an alarm.  I waited on the other side of the detector for my bags to come out the other side of the X-ray machine.  My carry-on came through with no problem, but my checked bag was flagged for extra screening.  Security asked me to open the suitcase.  When I did, the security guard removed my large medical kit and a bag of liquids, separating them from the rest of the suitcase contents.

 

That didn’t seem unusual and I patiently waited when they ran the med kit, the liquids, and the suitcase all through the X-ray machine separately.

 

The screener started yelling in Turkish and suddenly two Turkish National Police officers appeared and greeted me in a friendly manner.

 

The screeners seemed a bit excited but the cops seemed relaxed and were smiling.  The problem was that none of them spoke any English (maybe more accurately described as the problem was that I didn’t speak any Turkish).  They were all repeating a single word when talking to me.  I tried to explain that I didn’t understand what they were saying.

 

One of the cops removed the magazine from his pistol and pointed to a cartridge (Turkish cops carry ball ammo in their guns, by the way) and then pointed to my bag.  The other cop pulled up Google translate on his phone and typed a single word.  It was “bullet.”  Apparently they had seen a bullet in my checked bag on the X-ray image.

 

Shit.  That wasn’t good.

 

What the Turkish cop showed me.  He was pointing to the top round in the magazine and then at my bag.

 

I shook my head “no.”  I was absolutely certain that I didn’t have any ammunition in my bag.

 

As I wrote about in my book, I have a very specific procedure to ensure that I don’t take firearms or ammunition into other countries.  I use a separate set of luggage for traveling in foreign countries.  I NEVER use those bags for traveling domestically or for hauling guns/ammo to the range.  Additionally, before I pack for each trip, I start with completely empty bags so I know nothing could possibly be left over from any previous trips. I had followed my protocol meticulously when packing for this trip.

 

 

Besides, my luggage had already been screened on each of the three separate flights I took earlier in the trip and no one noticed anything alarming.  There was no way I had a bullet in my bag.

 

The screeners and cops ran my bag through the machine several more times.  They tore everything apart and couldn’t find what they were looking for.  The process was taking a long time.  They had been tearing my bag apart for about 15 minutes when the cop with Google translate on his phone started typing.

 

He typed: “Bullets are prohibited.”

 

I replied: “I don’t have any bullets.”

 

Trying to personalize the interaction and ensure that the cop knew he wasn’t dealing with a criminal, I typed: “I am a police officer in the United States.”

 

His reply was: “This isn’t America.  Bullets are prohibited, even for USA police.”

 

Ouch.  This interaction wasn’t going well at all.

 

The screeners continued going through my bags until they found what they were looking for.  In the pocket of a pair of shorts I hadn’t worn on the trip, they found a speed strip loaded with six rounds of .22 magnum ammo.

 

Similar to what I had in the pocket of a pair of shorts

 

A couple weeks previously, I had gone hiking and had carried my Smith and Wesson 351C .22 magnum revolver.  I tossed a speed strip full of extra ammo in my pocket.  I had forgotten to remove the speed strip.  It had been through the washer and dryer.  The ammo was so light that I packed the pair of shorts without noticing that there was a loaded speed strip in the pocket.  I didn’t wear the shorts on my trip and didn’t have a chance to notice the pocket contained ammunition.

 

The cop was looking at the strip and appearing very confused.  He clearly didn’t know what it was.  There probably aren’t many folks carrying spare rounds for a .22 magnum in Turkey.  I quickly started typing on my phone.

 

 

The cop nodded his head, trashed the speed strip and walked away without saying anything more.

 

I have no idea if I had received some international “professional courtesy” or if that was their normal response to idiot Americans who bring ammo into their country.  Either way, I’m grateful the cop chose not to make an arrest for what was clearly a criminal violation in his country.

 

I never thought to check my clothing for contraband before packing for an international trip.  I will be sure to check every piece of clothing I throw in the suitcase before my next vacation.  If you are a shooter who regularly carries spare ammo in clothing pockets, you should too.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the above links are affiliate links.  If you purchase these items, I get a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. 

 

 

 

Uber in Foreign Countries
Uber in Foreign Countries 1200 900 Greg Ellifritz

Uber has been a complete game changer for me when traveling in foreign countries. By not using a cab, I avoid the overcharging “gringo tax,” reduce my chance of robbery, and avoid fumbling around with cash trying to pay the driver in a sketchy neighborhood. These articles below give you some strategies that will make using Uber even cheaper.

 

How to Save Money with Uber (quick and easy)

 

10 Uber Tips That Will Totally Improve Your Next Experience

 

Airplane Confrontations
Airplane Confrontations 357 241 Greg Ellifritz

I am seeing more and more cases of drunk/high/crazy people causing disturbances on flights.  It’s useful to prepare for such an altercation.

 

Here is an informative discussion about how the author handled a drunk and belligerent passenger seated next to him on the plane.  I personally would have changed seats.  You can’t escape a plane in the air.  Moving as far away from the drunk guy as possible shows your attempt to deescalate the situation.  If he presses the confrontation, he will be more clearly seen as the aggressor.

 

Do your best not to engage with the drunk and high people on your flight.  It’s not worth the aggravation.  Remember that protecting others on the flight isn’t your responsibility.  Get yourself out of the hot seat and let the flight attendants deal with his obnoxious behavior.

 

“The Gentleman In 23 B Is Drunk And Wants To Fight Me.”

 

 

 

Fighting Police Corruption in Mexico
Fighting Police Corruption in Mexico 150 150 Greg Ellifritz

In the short YouTube clip below, you’ll find Paul’s approach to handling traffic stops in Mexico.  Download the document he linked to in his comments.  This might save you some big hassles if you live or drive in Mexico.

Tools to Combat Police Corruption in Mexico

 

 

 

International Travel with Guns
International Travel with Guns 600 450 Greg Ellifritz

I travel internationally quite a bit, but I’ve never traveled outside the country with a gun.  This article provides a good outline of the procedures you need to follow to stay out of jail.

 

Pay attention if you intend on traveling outside the USA with a firearm.

 

International Travel with Firearms

 

 

 

International Travel Safety
International Travel Safety 828 674 Greg Ellifritz

The article linked below contains generally good advice for international travel and is worthy of your read.

 

The only thing I don’t always agree with is the author’s advice to sit in a cab directly behind the driver.

 

It depends on the situation. In some neighborhoods, cab travel is too expensive for the locals. If they see an obvious passenger, they know that guy has money. In those neighborhoods, sitting up front with the driver makes the locals think he is driving a friend and not a customer with a bunch of cash. That may save you from a robbery attempt.

 

When sitting in the back, I like sitting opposite the driver. Any carjacking attempts are going to be coming from the driver’s side. Being able to exit with the cover of the car between you and the carjacker is a good thing.

 

Besides that, your most likely threat in most third world countries is the driver himself. Sitting opposite the driver makes it a lot harder for him to impede your exit should you have to bolt.

 

Want more info on taxi safety?  Read  my tactical training scenario about the topic.

Around the Globe: Tips to Make Your International Travel Safer

 

Grocery Baggers in the Developing World
Grocery Baggers in the Developing World 1280 1062 Greg Ellifritz

Have you ever thought about tipping the folks who bag your purchases at the grocery store?  If you are from the USA, probably not.  But things work differently in other countries.

 

When visiting these places, it’s important to notice and abide by the social mores in your host country.  Doing so will avoid any drama or ill will.  It also helps to destroy the “Ugly American” traveler stereotype.

 

Take a look at the photo below.  The people in the Santa hats are bagging groceries at the large supermarket near the condo where I am staying in Mexico.  Most of the baggers in the store are senior (or perhaps “señor”?) citizens.

 

Guess what?  They aren’t being paid by the grocery store.

 

They work entirely for the tips shoppers give them.

 

This type of “working for tips” gig isn’t universal in any country I’m aware of, but I’ve seen it a lot in Mexico, Colombia, and some of the more impoverished South American countries.  I’ve only seen it at the very large chain grocery stores.

 

Failing to tip these aging baggers is a social faux pas.  It’s the foreign equivalent of leaving your shopping cart in the middle of a store’s parking lot instead of in the cart corral.  People simply think you are an asshole.  That’s not cool when visiting a country where you have few local contacts.  If everyone thinks you are rude, you will not have a good travel experience.

 

How do you know whether or not to tip your baggers?  Watch the locals.  Pull your head out of your phone and observe what the people in line ahead of you do.  Follow suit.

 

You may also notice small stacks of coins near the bagger.  That’s another clue.

 

There are no set amounts for the tip.  Most people just give the bagger the coins they received in change after paying for the groceries.  If you are paying with a credit card, give up to a US dollar or so.

 

I always carry some small coins in my pocket when traveling.  They are handy in situations like this where you are expected to give a small tip.  You will also need those coins to pay for access to a public toilet in much of the developing world.