Abby Connolly
While traveling is one of the best ways to see the world, gain new experiences, and grow as a person, it certainly comes with risks, especially if you’re traveling alone.
Often, people have excellent experiences when traveling, and you can do a lot of research into which countries and cities are safer than others to visit. However, every place comes with its own set of risks, and you have to be mindful of your safety wherever you go.
Sometimes, you may get approached by strangers during your travels. While not all strangers are dangerous people with bad intentions, you can never be sure right off the bat. Therefore, when talking to someone on a vacation, sometimes it’s best to lie than share specific details about yourself or your trip.
Thankfully, TikTok creator Cathy (@cathypedrayes), who makes lots of great content related to safety and security tips, has given her viewers a list of scenarios when it’s best to lie while traveling.
In her viral video, Cathy shows her viewers how to answer certain questions someone may ask you while traveling to keep you safe and not reveal any information that would make you vulnerable.
For instance, if someone asks you if it’s your first time visiting whatever city, state, or country you’re in, Cathy says to tell them, “No, I used to live here.”
When travelers reveal that they’re tourists or don’t know their way around, as if it wasn’t obvious already, they make themselves vulnerable to people trying to take advantage of them.
What hotel you’re staying in is something else you want to avoid revealing to a stranger on your trip. If someone approaches you outside your hotel or in your hotel lobby and asks if you’re staying there, Cathy says to tell them no and that you’re waiting for a friend.
Additionally, if someone asks you where you’re staying, Cathy recommends telling them you’re staying at “The Marriott,'” since there are a ton all over the world, and in many major cities, there are several, making it harder to pinpoint which one you’d be staying in.
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