Off the beat: an interview with a travelling policewoman
AUSTRALIA | Friday, 23 January 2009 | Views [867] | Comments [2]
If it was your job to look for bad guys, be acutely aware of your surroundings and always keep your wits about you, would it change the way you travel?
We talked to Jade, a detective with the Australian Police Force about her upcoming trip and how she successfully travels alone.
Who are you?
My name is Jade and I'm a solo traveller taking a year off from my career as a detective in the NSW Police to undertake an epic adventure backpacking in style around the globe.
Where are you going?
A little bit of everywhere really. I'm starting off with a few months in South East Asia then India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, a little USA then a few months in South America until my money runs out.
What kind of luggage do you take?
I always travel with a sturdy backpack, with lots of compartments, and a day pack. At the moment I have a 55L pack from Kathmandu. Backpacks are great; they're lightweight, sturdy, easy to manouever, easy to shove in small spaces or hoist on the top of a chicken bus. And a padlock on each zipper is essential!
What stuff do you consider to be essential on your trip?
A good book, patience and a sense of humor!
I'm a bit of a flashpacker really, so I travel with things like a Notebook, hard drive, memory card reader, indestructible Olympus camera, iPod and a mobile phone. Essentially any gadget will do.
I try to travel as light as possible so I love lightweight versatile clothes and now that Crocs make fashionable shoes I can't get enough of them.
A well stocked first aid/medicine kit is really important too.
Have you ever felt insecure when travelling? What did you do about it?
A couple of years ago in Thailand I traveled up into the mountains to go on an overnight rafting trip. Once I got there I realised that I was the only overnight guest with 8 increasingly drunk Thai men, and as it was a last minute trip no one knew I was in Thailand let alone in a lonely mountain hut.
As their behaviour became more...umm, amorous... I decided that the best place for me was back in my bungalow, stone cold sober. My door had no lock so, despite feeling stupid, I dragged my bed behind the door so no one could enter.
Sure enough, about half an hour after I turned out the lights I heard foot-steps heading towards my room and someone try to open the door. I called out and my would be suitor hightailed it back down the stairs.
So now I try to always go with my gut instinct; if it feels a bit dodgy then it probably is and I need to get out of there!
Do you travel differently as a solo-woman?
When I travel on my own I do find I have to be more alert and aware of what's going on around me more. Being employed as a detective for an extended period has made this quite natural.
My number one tip is when going out to remember to get the business card of where you are staying before you head out to show to the cab driver/tuk tuk driver/donkey to get home again.
I make sure now that someone knows where I am and when they are next likely to hear from me again just in case something goes wrong in between. I take a mobile with me for emergencies when I'm on my own too.
Its just about trying to maintain a balance between having a great time and keeping myself safe.
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Check out Jade's blog "Taking the Long Way" over here
Travelling policewoman Jade is frisked by a monkey. Read more about her adventures on her blog "Taking the Long Way"
http://journals.worldnomads.com/jadepeters
Tags: police, detective, solo travel, interview, travel safety
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