Almost everybody travels nowadays to a greater or lesser extent. The fact of not having suffered any incident so far can provide us with a false sense of security and mislead us into believing that a place or situation is safe when in reality it isn’t.

For that reason you should bear in mind the “six principles of personal security”:

THE ESSENCIAL…

• Write down your passport number and keep a scanned copy of your key documents in your mail including insurance policies, local service contracts that you may have arranged before departure and other relevant documents for your trip. In case of loss or theft of the original documents you will have access to the copies through your email account.

• At the airport do not leave your baggage unattended. Not only to avoid robbery but also to prevent someone trying to use it to smuggle illicit substances with the serious consequences that this could entail for you.

• Pay attention to your surroundings. Walk fully aware of the environment. Do not clash and do not behave as a tourist. Try to go unnoticed.

• Do not comment private or professional issues with strangers such as your travel program, work schedule or personal information. You can be innocently sharing the information that the criminals are looking for.

• As a general rule it is not advisable to make use of public transportation with the exception of air travel and official taxi companies.

• Do not expose your laptop, mobile or tablet in public, nor leave them inside a vehicle or on a restaurant table. Don't leave your devices charging out of your sight.