[NN6] Staying safe while traveling

ByAnastasia Finch Updated on

Originally sent to newsletter subscribers on October 29, 2024. If you’d like to get these issues a week before they’re posted here, be sure to sign up! New issues come out every Tuesday.

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Hey, Wanderers!

This weekend Da Nang was in the path of Tropical Storm Trami.

Photo from ​Zoom Earth​

Luckily I think the worst of it blew off before it made land, but it was so windy that the airports closed all day Sunday and into early Monday morning. My neighborhood was basically all shut down, with most people staying inside during the worst of the windy (and rain). Our power flickered a few times, but the building has a generator and it managed to keep going.

By the afternoon it was mostly clear, and I started to see locals going by on their scooters again (in rain gear!) though the shops still stayed closed. As far as I can tell, the most damage was from the wind and was worse on the beach side– I’m staying on the riverside, so it wasn’t as bad here.

This sort of thing is why it’s so important to have a plan in case of emergencies. The people who were scheduled to fly out on Sunday had to get new flights– and some of them overstayed their visas because of the shut down!– and some airlines weren’t even DOING new flights until today, anyway.

I always recommend travelers have at least two types of insurance: health insurance and travelers insurance. The former is good for if you have a medical emergency, and the latter is good for when your travel plans get canceled or changed!

Some travel insurance packages include health insurance, at least enough to get you back home if needed, but it really depends on what you buy. I recommend checking on ​Visitors Coverage​ for what’s available and how it’ll meet your needs.

It’s also important to register your trip with the ​Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)​ if you’re from the US. They send emails and notices about what’s going on in your local area, in English, which is very useful.

And finally, it’s important to stay in contact with friends/family back home AND the local expat community. ​WhatsApp​ is a very easy way to message people using data and not SMS, so it works with whatever SIM card you have. And there’s ​tons of WhatsApp groups​ for every major tourist location you can think of, and it’s worth joining a few as people DO post info about weather and local events that might affect travelers.

Happy Wandering, and stay safe!

Anastasia Finch

​JustGoneWandering.com​

P.S. The ​travel planner spreadsheet​ I made has a section for keeping contact info, including for family and local people/embassies/etc. I recommend filling it out because tbh most people don’t memorize any phone numbers nowadays, and your phone could get lost or stolen. Having that info in a tab in your planner than you can access from anywhere is key!

New Adventures on the Blog

Here’s what’s new and updated on Just Gone Wandering this week!

Wanderlust Finds from Around the Web

Looking for more wanderlust inspiration? Check out these awesome reads from fellow travelers:

Business Finds for Business Folks

For those who are digital nomads/entrepreneurs, or who want to be, some links and resources relating to running a business.

  • ​Goodbye 9-to-5​ is a very self-paced program designed to teach you how to make a full-time income with your business so you can quit your day job (and maybe go traveling? Yes!). I haven’t taken this specific class (because I already have a business) BUT I’ve done a few workshops with Sage Grayson before and they’re very well-structured and informative. I liked her ​Back From the Dead workshop​ about reviving “dead” products– very useful when I started working on ​my other blog​ this month.
  • ​BuiltWith​ breaks down what a specific website is, well, built with! This is super useful for figuring out what plugins and add-ons people use on their websites without having to dig into the code yourself.

Podcast of the Week

I’m still deep into Season 1 of ​Not Another D&D Podcast​ and it’s getting REALLY good. I’m more than halfway done now and according to my podcast tracker spreadsheet I’ve gone through nearly 6 full days worth of audio just this month. 🤭

If you’re looking for travel podcast recs, I do have a list of ​some of my favorites available here​!

Something to Watch This Week

Nora Dunn (The Professional Hobo) has been building up her Youtube channel the past few years, and she’s done some great interviews with other travelers and travel professionals. One of my favorites is this interview with Janice Waugh, creator of ​Solo Traveler​, a wonderful website about, well, solo travel!

Quote of the Week

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” – Mary Anne Radmacher

(​More quotes.​)

Best Travel Resources

I'm Anastasia Finch, a former librarian turned slow traveler, sharing stories and tips to help you explore hidden gems around the world on a budget. After two years of solo travel across 16 countries, I'm here to offer practical advice for meaningful, off-the-beaten-path adventures. Want more travel tips? Sign up for my newsletter and stay inspired!

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