If you don't know the show Text Me When
You Get Home, I need you to look it up.
One episode in particular stuck with me. It's about an experienced traveler who vanished on her birthday trip to Costa Rica. She did everything right. Safe destination. Traveled with people she trusted. Stayed in a nice Airbnb with a security guard on site.
Despite all of those safeguards, something went wrong on her last night there. And when her friends and family went to welcome her home at the airport, she wasn't on the flight.
But even though the worst happened, the small safety habits she built throughout that trip are what helped police catch the person responsible. She stayed connected with loved ones that entire trip.
And on her last night, she texted her family exactly where she was and what she was about to do.
That one message gave authorities the timeline they needed to unravel the lies and make an arrest.
This story hit home for me. So I want to share four travel safety habits that every traveler should have in
place before their next trip.
1. Travel in a group. Even when you're alone.
You might not always have someone with you. But you can still create a sense of group awareness. Check in at
restaurants. Make small talk with hotel staff. Let people see your face.
When people around you know you're connected to others, you become a much harder target.
And if you are traveling solo, try to overlap your schedule with other travelers at your accommodation. Being visibly connected to others,
even loosely, adds a layer of protection.
2. Share your full trip plan with someone back home.
Before you leave, send at least one person your complete itinerary.
Flight numbers. Hotel addresses. Taxi arrangements. All of it.
In this case, the traveler had arranged a taxi to pick her up the next morning. That detail gave police a lead when the driver confirmed she never showed up. If nobody back home had known about her plans, that connection might have been missed entirely.
3. Stay connected to the internet beyond wifi.
This one is easy to overlook. When a storm knocked out the power at her accommodation, she lost wifi. But she was still able to message friends because she had cellular data.
Get a local SIM card or an international data plan before you travel. Do not rely on wifi alone. If something goes wrong and the power goes out, your phone is your lifeline.
4. Text your people what you're doing and
where you're going.
This is the big one.
Before she signed off that night, she told her family she was going to ask the security guard for a glass of water. That was her last message. And it was the single most important piece of evidence in the investigation.
The murderer lied and told police she left early the next morning. But because her family knew exactly what she was doing and who she was going to see, his story fell apart immediately.
You see, it doesn't have to be complicated. A quick text. "Heading to the market." "Taking a taxi to the beach." "Going downstairs
to grab water." These tiny updates create a trail that can't be erased.
Better yet, share your live location with someone you trust. It runs in the background. So you don't have to think about it. And it could be the most important travel habit you ever build.
The truth is, you can never be too safe
when traveling. Bad things happen even when you do everything right. But staying connected to the people who love you is one thing that's always in your control.
Text your people. Tell them where you are. It matters more than you think.
