Managing Fear while Traveling

To travel is to leave your comfort zone -- to go to a new place, with new customs, new sights, perhaps new languages. Expanding your world is one of the great parts of travel, but it can bring with it new concerns and fears, whether real or perceived. 

How do we deal with such concerns when traveling? Every situation is different, of course, but it is vital to be ready to respond to unexpected, or even tragic, events. A few years ago, we were leading a group in Amsterdam, a day or two from heading to Munich, when a mass shooting occurred in Munich, outside the Olympia Shopping Mall, in which nine people were killed. Members of our group hastily contacted their loved ones back home to let them know they were safe, and that in fact we had not yet left Amsterdam. We re-reviewed our emergency plans and procedures with our group, monitored the ongoing situation closely, and kept our group updated. With no indication of further violence being likely, and with no additional government-instituted travel restrictions, we decided to proceed to Munich as scheduled when our stay in Amsterdam was over, and our group enjoyed several days there, without incident.

Right now talk of the coronavirus is everywhere. Some of our dearest friends are currently vacationing in Italy, where there have been outbreaks. Though reports suggest that risk is significantly reduced just by washing your hands thoroughly and not touching your face, and that the mortality risk is low if you aren’t already in poor health, it can still be scary to consider. 

This seemed like a good time, then, to share with you how we at Leaping Hound Travel try to manage the risks of travel--how we find balance, enjoying the world and our lives, without being ignorant or reckless of potential dangers.

• Rely on information from reputable sources. In the current atmosphere of concern over the coronavirus, for example, that means the counsel of an organization such as the CDC or WHO, not social media posts by self-proclaimed “experts.”
• Consider the odds. Although issues such as terrorism are often more centrally on people’s minds than other fears, statistically the most dangerous part of a trip is the drive to the airport. Assessing what degree or level of risk might be defined as "normal" or "reasonable" is an important element of any traveler's judgment.  
• Reduce risk where we can. This can range from awareness of unattended baggage in public places in an area under heightened security measures, to hygienic steps such as more frequent hand-washing in a place with an advisory regarding contagious illness.
• Plan ahead. Do the homework beforehand, and decide in advance what will be done if the worst happens. This also means…
• Communicate. All group members should have the same information, be kept up-to-date, and know what to do if something were to happen.
  
  

Adam said it best, when asked once if he worried about danger while traveling. He said that, to him, the far worse possibility would be to live a life unexplored, to let fear stop him from doing the things he wanted to do. Naturally, this doesn't mean being reckless or uninformed about legitimate concerns or dangers. Instead, by taking the steps listed above, we attempt to find an effective balance in which we have a firm awareness of risks, which is crucial, but without allowing fear to control or dictate what we do.

As the co-founders of Leaping Hound Travel, this means that we keep ourselves informed, make educated decisions for our groups, and always communicate regarding concerns and contingency plans. We know that you put your trust in us as tour leaders, and we take that responsibility seriously. If you ever want to talk more about dangers or fears one may encounter as part of travel, just email us and we’ll get right back to you. 

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