What do you do when your search for food takes you to dangerous places? A few tips on staying safe in dangerous countries.
Rarely does good food come to you. A fish usually won't jump onto a nearby plate and commit suicide with parsley and a lemon wedge. You have to go to the food. Finding good restaurants, fresh ingredients, new recipes is a journey.
At times, this is a bit of a painful process: poor service, occasional knife nicks and burns, and illnesses.
There are ways to protect ourselves from some of these problems, like taking care with knives or street food, but what about when your search for food takes you to dangerous places?
Here are a couple of tips I've put together to help keep you alive on your quest.
Basically,
- Don´t carry what you´re not willing to lose. A photocopy of your passport works in most places.
- Only take photos with other people. Cameras are easy to snag and our pastey legs give us away as tourists immediately.
- Meet people through people you trust and build friends and networks that way (unfortunately, that cute girl in the bar is probably working for someone).
- Eat enough street food and get sick enough that you can eventually eat anything (not a fun process but terrific for the waistline!).
- Let your favorite embassy, friends, and family know where you are and how frequently you will be in contact.
- Never, EVER go out drinking without friends.
- After dark call a taxi service for a cab (the million dollar cab ride is a pretty pricey fare...)
- Don't get brave. Things seem normal after a while, but always keep your wits about you.
- Have fun! If people know who you are and understand your intentions, they are more likely to watch your back.
