Safety First

The world can be a scary place. I will never forget walking home from the London Eye through Piccadilly Circusat 2am-- London is not supposed to be a scary place. Well, we took a wrong turn and ended up on an unlit alley in a bad part of town when all the bars were letting out. It's a good thing I ran cross country in high school because we ran two miles back to where we were staying, drenched in sweat in 40 degree weather.

Even the nicest places have corners we just don't want to turn down, but does that mean we don't ever go anywhere new? No. It means we prepare ourselves for whatever might be down that creepy alley.

Just two weeks ago my own home town was terrorized. Something I never thought would happen in my own town did, lives were lost, families broken apart, and a peaceful community harmed out of hatred. My heart aches for our city but one thing was proved: love conquers all.

Fear should not stop your love of travel. Safety should be every travelers number one priority. Whether it be not drinking the water in some cities or avoiding a bad area of town or respecting cultural norms a traveler should always be prepared. It sounds crazy but you can actually spot a terrorist.

Remember Daddy Jay? We retraced his two tours in Vietnam with the Daddy Jay stories? Well he is a pretty cool guy who has helped compile a list of signs, character traits, and targets that are easy to spot if you just open your eyes.

1. Crowded places or well advertised events are considered to be “soft targets”. These places will have lax security and will be over populated with people, a.k.a. have a larger impact if a bomb were to go off. For example, music festivals, outdoor events and public monuments, ect.

2. A terrorist could be wearing an oversized coat or jacket to hide explosives. Especially in the summer time. This does not mean everyone in a jacket is hiding a bomb or a gun, but if the temperature outside does not require an over coat, pay close attention.

3. One hand in the pocket, particularly if it doesn’t have a watch on it. They do not wear watches because it may catch on the pocket when pulling out the detonator from their pocket.

4. Glassy eyes or the 1,000 meter stare. Remember, these are soldiers but they are also people who are about to die, they are afraid as well and it will show on their faces.

5. Lips moving. Final prayers must be said aloud before completing a suicide mission. Mumbling to themselves coupled with all of these traits is a good indicator.

6. Pale face where a beard has been. Along with saying the final prayers, they must be clean-shaven before heading into the afterlife so a tan line will be present from a recently shaved beard.

7. Unusual gait. They are caring a heavy explosive device on one shoulder if concealing it by a heavy coat so they will walk with a limp and much slower because of the weight. Backpacks or suitcases are also uses, one person does not need four suitcases for themselves.

8. Sweating. They are nervous, about to die, probably wearing a heavy jacket in an area where it might not be necessary and they will be sweating.

9. Two cell phones. One cell phone is to be given a queue the other can be used as a detonator.

10. (In airports) Look for personnel that appear to be from the Middle East but are dressed western, i.e. khaki pants, loafers, blue blazer. Do not assume every Muslim dressed western is a terrorist, however, be advised they are trying to blend in, you will be able to notice the major differences between a civilian and a terrorist, just pay attention.

11. (In airports) Pushing carts with bags or carrying luggage while wearing a leather glove on both or one had. This is to prevent static electricity from enter the explosive device. 

One time, I was on my way to the Worlds Fair in Milan--it is a fairly long train ride and we had been warned about possible riots or protests so we are already aware. To the right of me there was a man sitting on the subway. He looked Italian (remember not all terrorist are radical middle eastern men) with a very heavy duffel bag he struggled to carry on board. He pulled out an iPhone and made a call. A few minutes later he pulls out a Nokia from the 90s, put it in his left pocket of his jacket and there was no watch on his had. I got off the train. Was this man someone to be worried about? I didn't care. There is no harm in removing yourself from a situation you are not comfortable in or feel unsafe-- it's your life!

Technology is growing and so will this list. Do not assume every person is a terrorist but be aware of your surroundings. This is also not an exact science just a few tips to make sure you have a fun and safe adventure-- we want the only danger to be one too many sangrias in Spain.The buddy system was not invented for someone's amusement it was invented to protect you. This is not meant to scare or frighten anyone but our job is to make sure even the most experienced travelers are prepared. The world is your playground don't let a dark corner ruin your fun.