A “gangsta in the hood” drama came alive for me when I was holidaying in Los Angeles with my family a long time ago. Late one night, we were comfortably holed up in our motel room when we heard people shouting aggressively (the voices were distinctly Afro-American) and motorbikes revving loudly. I’ve watched such episodes often enough on TV and in movies, but to actually encounter such an experience up close was most unnerving indeed!

Such experiences make good travel tales, but should best be avoided, especially if you are travelling alone or with children. Always put safety first, especially if you are visiting big cities where crime is rampant.

Check with travel/tourism agencies if there’s any “unsavoury neighbourhood” that you should avoid, and safety precautions you should take.

How to stay safe:

• Select a hotel/motel/hostel in a safe location, or better yet, one that takes extra measures to ensure your security. For instance, many backpackers’ hostels impose a curfew hour, and only allow guests with an encoded password to gain entry into their premises after that.

Your place of accommodation should be one that uses an established check-in procedure and provides safety lockers.


• Make arrangements to arrive before dark whenever possible. If you are arriving late, ensure your hotel reservations are guaranteed and only take rides in taxis belonging to licenced companies.


• Make sure your contacts at home know your travel schedule and how they can reach you, and pre-arrange to contact them when you have arrived safely at your destination.