6 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Sports Betting

Betting is seen as a bad habit and for some people it really is. However, others enjoy betting, especially sports betting, and manage to stay healthy. It’s like their hobby and they don’t do it for the money, but for the thrill of it and for the math. Yes, there is a lot of math involved in betting, as well as lots of take away business lessons.

Betting is a business for some, yet if you are careful, you can learn a lot about a successful business from sports betting.

1. Pick your bet carefully

The first thing one can learn from betting is to pick the right bet. Let me give you an example: my first and last bet happened in middle school. A friend of mine proposed to me a bet: I was to throw his bag of crackers towards the chalkboard for $2. I accepted, but our teacher was not really impressed by my abilities to throw crackers and I got suspended for a couple of days.

This is when I learned that not all bets are meant to be accepted.^[1] When you apply this to your business, you will notice how easy it is to pick those projects that are really going to pay off in the end. Because accepting all the bets is definitely not how you succeed in business. Nor life for that matter.

2. Appearances can be deceiving

When it comes to sports betting, you need to do your math^[2] and business is not different. When a bet looks too good to be true, it probably is. If someone comes to you with a great proposal, which is supposed to pay off big, it usually won’t. Or, it will only pay off that big only if the stars align and the sun smiles at you. Learn to do your math before jumping into an attractive bet and you will see your business grow slow and steady. By the way, the same is valid for your job; so if your boss proposes you an amazing promotion, check the small print. You might find out you have to move across the country.

3. You can always recover after a bad day

Sports betting often goes wrong, but those who love betting always get back on track after a bad day. If today you’ve lost all the bets and you’re in debt, tomorrow might bring you all the fortune you’ve needed, as well as the means to recover your losses. It’s never too late to bounce back after a bad day or a bad period – this is the test you need to pass if you want to thrive in any environment, be it business, love or betting.

4. Don’t get too confident

The worst thing you can do is become too confident. When this happens, you will get a quick and painful wake up call from someone. Each time when you get too confident^[3] in your abilities to hit the jackpot, your focus decreases and you start relaxing. This is the perfect time for someone to hit you in your soft spot, so never get too confident and never let your guard down.

5. No pain, no game

In betting, those who wake up early are successful and the same is valid for business life. If you are going to snooze until noon, someone else will get the most profitable deals. This rule is valid everywhere you look, from the fish market to the luxurious and eccentric celebrity management industry. Everywhere, the one who reaches the deal first is the one who wins it in the end, so stop procrastinating^[4] and push yourself and your company.

6. Get used to losing

No one can win each time! The sooner you realize this, the better you will perform in life and businesses. When you are used to sports betting, you realize really fast that there are ups and downs. Someone always has to be the winner, but there is always a loser. And sometimes it’s you. When this happens get up, analyze what made you lose and get back to business, working harder and harder. In the end it’s not the small battle you will remember, but the war – you got to win the war, not each small battle.

Featured photo credit: unsplash via unsplash.com

Reference

[1]	^	Inc.: How to Find and Recognize Good Business Opportunities
[2]	^	The Sports Geek: How To Win Money at Sports Betting
[3]	^	Business News Daily: Overconfident Leaders Are Bad for Business
[4]	^	CNBC: Is Procrastinating Killing You and Your Company?

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8 Tips To Consider When Buying a Hoverboard

A hoverboard is a fictional rising board utilized for an individual transportation – they said in 1967 when they were just a dream by the Back to the Future franchise. Hoverboards are known as resembling a skateboard without wheels. During the 1990s there were speculations, trigged by director Robert Zemeckis, that hoverboards were, in fact, real, but not commercialized because they are said to be too harmful by parents’ groups. These rumors have been conclusively revealed. Many authors have used the hoverboard concept in various forms of media.

Hoverboards are for sale on hundreds of websites today. They range from official brand websites to many online stores that deal with a variety of hoverboards. Among these websites are also sites that make promises but fail to fulfill their promises, like the Kiwano hoverboard.

What is vital is to part the best hoverboard dealers from those who are trying to hide a substandard hoverboard. The reason for selecting a high-quality hoverboard is essential because the wrong hoverboard can result in fire incidents which in turn result in injury and damage.

Look Out For The UL 2272 Certification

It is because of this that only UL 2272 is highly recommended. When planning to buy hoverboard, the first thing you need to look for is whether it has UL 2272 certification or not. Granted there are a few hoverboards are of high quality even though they have not yet finished the UL 2272 model, but when a hoverboard is UL 2272 recognized, you don’t need to worry when purchasing it.

Most hoverboards that are in the market today are produced in China, in fact, it wouldn’t be a wrong statement to say that all of these products are manufactured in China. The distinction is that some of them are made of high-quality components whereas some are made of low-quality parts. No matter how good the rate of a hoverboard looks, we firmly advise you that you shouldn’t go for unbranded cheap hoverboards.

As per CPSC the US Govt. Customer Products Safety Commission, hoverboards which are not UL 2272 approved can never be marketed in the US, so it may even be a charge to the court which is regarded as an offense to retail them in the United States.

What To Pay Attention To When Buying a Hoverboard

Here are some tips that you need to consider when buying a hoverboard now.

1. Try and buy a hoverboard that is UL 2272 licensed. If a hoverboard is UL 2272 approved, you can be rest assured that it is safe and will not have a fire related problems.
2. If you want the certainty of being able to return the hoverboard after days of purchase, it is good to get it from Amazon.com
3. Only if you choose a hoverboard brand that is licensed by the US Office, will you get some customer service, and be able to contact them in the case of a problem.
4. Make sure that the hoverboard you buy has an efficient manual mode if you are purchasing one for the first time.
5. If your goal of hoverboarding is going over grass and rough surfaces, then it will be best for you to select a hoverboard with larger than the regular 6.5-inch wheels, more like 10-inch wheels.
6. Look for an online description and review the specifications carefully there. A clear hoverboard review and instructions booklet goes a long way in properly and safely using your hoverboard.
7. Another good option is to consider the weight and height restrictions for the hoverboard; normally hoverboards support riders who weigh between 20 to 110 kgs.
8. Also, do not allow your kid to ride the hoverboard without proper guidance. It is recommended that a child be over 12 years old to ride without oversight and children between 8 years to 12 years should ride under proper guidelines.

I hope these tips will help you to choose a famous hoverboard to buy.

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6 Things You Learn From Winter Camping

When it’s cold outside most people choose to crawl on the sofa with a hot cup of something and watch a movie or read a book. However, there are some adventurous people who dare to go camping in the winter. Why would someone do such thing? Well, there are some reasons to go winter camping: to challenge themselves, to enjoy ice fishing and to enjoy pure silence.

While summer camping attracts lots of people and bugs, which usually deter wild animals. However, in the winter, there are no bugs, which is a big plus and there are no crowds to leave a mess all around. And then, there is the scenery: all white!

Winter camping is definitely not for everyone and it provides a lot of new experiences for those who dare to do this. It also provides a lot of life lessons, some funny, some more realistic.

1. You will see what a really bad morning looks like

If you thought mornings are bad, then you need to experience a morning during winter camping. While waking up in the nature is not bad at all, getting out of the warm sleeping bag and trying to function in the cold is definitely a challenge. However, after you manage to get the fire up and going and make your hot coffee, you will feel confident and proud of yourself.

2. You also learn your financial powers are limited

Winter camping asks for special cold weather camping gear, which is especially designed to keep you warm. But this also means all those sleeping bags, sleeping pads, extra warm clothes and the rest of the gear are more expensive than regular camping gear. Which reminds you that your financial power is limited.

3. You learn to appreciate food more

After a day spent playing in the cold, with snow, there is nothing better than a nourishing meal. Winter camping makes you appreciate food more and it also shows you why humans are meant to eat all types of foods.

4. You learn that cold really brings you closer

When you are winter camping you don’t need to be in love with someone in order to hug him or her: the simple thought of snuggling with someone becomes very attractive. Of course, you can also reap the benefits and snuggle for both romantic interest and warmth.

5. You learn that you’re not invincible

This is the most important thing you will learn while camping in the cold season. If camping in the summer is a breeze, winter camping is a challenge. Couple of mistakes can make the difference between a pleasurable experience and one ending in frostbites. As you try to make it through the day, overcoming the winter storm, you will see how fragile you are. Nature will show you how easy it is for humans to lose the ultimate battle, the battle for life. Because humans are not invincible!

6. You also see what people are really made of

Cold alters one’s personality and takes out the real individual. While your friends will look funny jumping around to warm up, you will soon find out what they are made of. When it’s cold and the conditions are tough, you might discover your friends are not that friendly as you thought they were. And this time it won’t be from what they say, but from what they do.

All in one, winter camping is not for everyone, as it tests your abilities. If you do take up the challenge, you will learn a lot of interesting and useful things, both about you and about people who join you in this adventure.

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Meet The Car Crash Prone Driver, According To Science

Do you have a friend who seems to be always causing an accident? In fact, to be politically correct, we must use the term crash, as accidents are supposed to happen regardless human action, whereas crashes happen due to human error.

So back to the problem: do you have a friend who is always the victim of an accident? I do and you probably have one also. This is because there are people who seem to attract misfortune with each step they take. Until now, science was looking at them with a raised eyebrow, but recent studies proved there is a personality type prone to accidents.

The connection between personality and crashes

Your personality can provide a deep insight into your behavior, which alters the way you drive, because your personality is what makes you act in a certain way in critical situations, when you have to make vital decisions.

When we think of a connection between personality and crashes we think of impulsive people, who speed up and text while driving. However, the studies contradict this image. While it’s true that non-conforming people are prone to breaking the driving rules, risk takers and adventure seekers are not the most prone to accidents.

This is because these people drive often and gain excitement from driving. This makes them drive more miles than others, which also makes them more experienced and skilled than people who are afraid of accidents. And this is not the only unexpected reveal of the studies, they reveal an over-cautiously, over-optimistic person is more prone to accidents than an adventurous impulsive one. There are more surprising characteristics of the accident prone person.

1. Poor time planning abilities

If you struggle to manage your time, you might be prone to accidents. This is one of the feature found to be linked with crash prone personalities by the new studies. The explanation is a simple one: people who have trouble managing their time are most likely to be sleep deprived and in a hurry. We all know that lack of sleep is a huge enemy of driving and when you pair it with the pressure to arrive on time somewhere, the risk of being involved in a car crash increases.

By comparison, people who have good time management skills are able to plan their time and get enough sleep. Also, they are less likely to be on the rush, as they know how to avoid being late on appointments. Very optimistic people were found to often assign too little time for their trips, which means they will often be in a rush. This pressure makes them prone to crashes, according to science.

2. Blaming others

A tendency to blame others is also dangerous behind the wheel. Studies found that people who fail to take responsibility in their own behavior and prefer to blame others are more likely to be involved in a car crash. Psychologists call this characteristic external, as these individuals put the blame on external factors. By comparison, internals, who always look for the fault for an accident in their own person, are more likely to avoid crashes. They are also more likely to wear seatbelts and learn from their own mistakes.

3. Living for the present

Probably the most unexpected revealing of these studies is the connection between how you see time and how likely you are to be involved in an accident. According to science there are three basic personality types depending on the individual’s relationship with time: past, present and future oriented.

Past oriented people dwelve in their memories and are nostalgic. They also look into their past to learn how to act in the future.

Present oriented people live for the moment and think little of the consequences of their actions. They are the most prone to indulge in dangerous behavior, such as drinking or texting while driving.

Future oriented people plan ahead their future and are very aware of the consequences of their present actions.

Psychologists found that present oriented people are most prone to crashes, while future-oriented ones are least likely to be involved in a crash. This also infirms the well known myth that women are more prone to car accidents than men: in reality, men are more present oriented, while women are future-oriented.

If you want to know how your personality impacts your driving you can take the driving personality test.

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The Ultimate Moving Guide For An Easy Move

There are people who love to stay in the same house and people who have to move from place to place rather frequently. Despite the fact kids love moving, us, adults usually hate it. Moving to a new place is wonderful, because you get a new home, new neighbors and new perspectives, but the actual moving part is always a hassle. I mean, we own so much stuff!

Even if you’ve lived in a small New York apartment where you can barely move around, when it’s time to move you have so much stuff! The only way to make moving out a little more comfortable is to plan it carefully and embrace the following tips and hacks.

1. Cook in advance

Before the move you should be preparing some meals in advance, because no one is going to have time to cook while moving, nor while unpacking in the new house. The best way to ensure you won’t be living on fast food for the next weeks is cooking crockpot meals in advance. To do this, just prepare bags with all the ingredients needed for a crockpot meal and freeze them. When you don’t have time to cook, let the crockpot do its job, after tossing everything inside.

2. Set up the utilities

No one wants to move into a new home without utilities. Unfortunately, many people end up doing just that. Don’t be one of them and call the utilities companies in advance, making the arrangements needed to set up everything in the new house. Also, print a file with all the utilities numbers, in case you will need to contact them during the move.

3. Save money on the move

Don’t settle for the first moving company you find; keep looking and, more important, keep playing with the moving dates. Moving services are expensive, but you can save a lot of money by paying attention to the deals. For example, most companies offer discounts for moving during weekdays. The time of the month is also important: most people move at the end/beginning of the month, so companies offer discounts for middle-month movers.

4. Keep all the receipts

Some moving costs are deductible, so keep all the receipts from the move.

5. Wear comfortable clothes

The best moving attire is made of sport shoes, loose and stretchy tops and bottoms with lots of pockets and a hair tie for those who have long hair.

6. Set an area for no-pack items

In the hassle of moving out it’s easy to forget that you want to have certain items with you, unpacked. To make sure you won’t be looking for your purse in the moving truck, set a special, no pack area, where you can leave the items you will be taking with you, inside the car, not the moving truck.

7. Protect the furniture with sheets

Sheets and pillowcases can provide protection from scratches during the move, so wrap your tables and other valuable furniture in them.

8. Protect the mattresses

To make sure your mattresses are going to arrive at the new home clean, cover them in two elastic sheets, one on each side.

9. Conduct a photoshoot in the new home

Before you put anything in the new house, take pictures of all the house. These pictures will allow you to be aware of any existing damages, which might be hard to spot once the furniture is in place.

10. Protect the carpet

Cover the carpet with plastic sheets or another disposable material, to protect it from all the moving in dirt and potential spills.

11. Have a schedule

It’s easy to become exhausted during a move, so make sure you plan food and water breaks. These breaks will also keep your helpers happy – who can resist pizza? It’s also a good idea to leave the radio on, as music can make the atmosphere more pleasurable.

Speaking of schedule, make sure you give yourself enough time to move when you schedule the moving truck. Especially because most moves take longer than expected.

12. Designate tasks

Instead of having everyone do everything, designate individual tasks. This way each person helping with the move will be able to work more efficient and you will all finish the task sooner. The only people you don’t want on the site are kids, especially small ones. Leave them with a relative or hire a nanny for the moving day.

When everything will be in place, it’s time to celebrate with more pizza and some beer. Cheers!

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5 Best Test Management and Bug Tracking Tools for 2017

Test management аnd bug trасking (а.k.а. defect tracking) is a сruсiаl step in software testing; without it, mаnу рrоgrаmѕ wоuld still соntаin ѕеvеrе errors whеn they rеасhеd еnd uѕеrѕ. Tоdау, defect trасking is the bеѕt-knоwn phase оf ѕоftwаrе tеѕting, as witnеѕѕеd by thе hundrеdѕ оf tracking tооlѕ available оnlinе.

Mоѕt ѕоftwаrе рrоjесtѕ involve tеѕting аnd bug tracking, but different рrоjесtѕ саn rеԛuirе different bug trасking tооlѕ. Chооѕing bug trасking tооlѕ thаt mееt thе bug trасking nееdѕ of a particular project iѕ сruсiаl tо rеlеаѕing ѕоftwаrе that ореrаtеѕ аѕ intеndеd.

Hеrе аrе ѕоmе оf thе best test management аnd bug trасking tооl аrоund:

1. Sрirаtеѕt

SpiraTest iѕ a web bаѕеd tеѕt management ѕуѕtеm. Accessible еithеr on-premise оr hosted in our ѕесurе сlоud, SpiraTest will let you mаnаgе уоur ѕоftwаrе requirements, test саѕеѕ, tеѕt ѕuitеѕ аnd bugs/defects in оnе intеgrаtеd ѕуѕtеm. With роwеrful dаѕhbоаrdѕ аnd customised reporting, SрirаTеѕt iѕ thе mоѕt роwеrful аnd аffоrdаblе tеѕt mаnаgеmеnt ѕуѕtеm and bug tracking tool on thе mаrkеt.

Kеу Fеаturеѕ оf SрirаTеѕt inсludе:

• Unlimitеd rеԛuirеmеntѕ, rеlеаѕеѕ, test саѕеѕ аnd incidents
• Clеаn аnd роwеrful user intеrfасе – highlу intuitivе
• Full Uniсоdе Extended Character Suрроrt
• Rеԛuirеmеntѕ Mаnаgеmеnt
• Test Cаѕе Mаnаgеmеnt
• Issue & Defect Trасking

2. HP ALM/Quality Cеntrе

HPE Quаlitу Cеntеr hеlрѕ tеаmѕ build аnd organize thе tеѕting еffоrt, trасk рrоgrеѕѕ thrоughоut thе application lifecycle, аnd iѕ architected аrоund tеѕting bеѕt practices, аѕѕеt fostering rе-uѕе. Tеаmѕ саn ԛuiсklу build оr imроrt rеԛuirеmеntѕ and tеѕtѕ, execute еnhаnсеd mаnuаl tеѕting, ѕсhеdulе аnd manage test-automation аnd manage dеfесtѕ throughout thе lifесусlе. Eliminаtе рооr ԛuаlitу rеlеаѕеѕ and rеduсе thе cost of rеwriting аррliсаtiоnѕ with HP Quality Cеntеr.

HPE Quаlitу Cеntеr саn keep your buѕinеѕѕ rеԛuirеmеntѕ, tеѕt cases & dеfесtѕ in QC ѕераrаtеd bу рrоjесtѕ. It саn upload data tо QC straight frоm еxсеl. It саn рull оut rероrts оf аll thе tеѕt саѕеѕ еxесutеd аlоng with thеir lаtеѕt status with nice grарhѕ аnd сhаrtѕ. It саn dо manual аѕ wеll аѕ automatic tеѕting. Multiрlе tеѕt runѕ can bе performed fоr thе same tеѕt case by multiple uѕеrѕ at the ѕаmе timе.

3. JIRA

JIRA is a рrоjесt mаnаgеmеnt ѕоftwаrе that iѕ ԛuitе рорulаr among many companies. JIRA iѕ dеѕignеd to hеlр users сарturе, аѕѕign, аnd set рriоritiеѕ tо thеir wоrk. It allows you tо mаnаgе the whоlе рrосеѕѕ оf аррliсаtiоn dеvеlорmеnt making ѕurе thаt аll things аrе covered, frоm concept to lаunсh. Its simple, intuitivе interface еnаblеѕ collaboration with tеаmmаtеѕ and allows you to get the jоb dоnе in аn effective manner. JIRA offers real-time, viѕuаl data reports tо boost tеаm реrfоrmаnсе.

JIRA iѕ a сrоѕѕ рlаtfоrm iѕѕuе аnd bug tracking ѕоftwаrе with advanced рrоjесt management capabilities аnd fеаturеѕ. JIRA iѕ ѕuitаblе fоr any соmраnу ѕizе аnd is еxtrеmеlу vаluаblе to аll collaborating teams, ѕtаkеhоldеrѕ аnd project mаnаgеrѕ.

JIRA hеlрѕ уоur tеаm share information аnd engage others ѕеаmlеѕѕlу, diѕрlау issues оn agile bоаrdѕ with сuѕtоm аgilе workflows, аnd check their еffiсiеnсу рlаnning аnd аѕѕign mеmbеrѕ with сеrtаin tаѕkѕ, wоrk tоgеthеr with соllеаguеѕ uѕing jоint-еditing tооlѕ аnd monitor the tеаm’ѕ рrоgrеѕѕ аnd uрdаtеѕ of еасh task. However JIRA will typically need a third party plug-in from its marketplace to do full-blown requirements management or test management.

4. Lеаn Testing

Lеаn Tеѕting is a web аррliсаtiоn whiсh allows уоu tо hаndlе аnу jоb related tо tеѕting frоm thе ѕаmе windоw. A nеw Prоjесt саn hаvе mаnу different sections likе Bug liѕt, rероrt a bug, рrоjесt mаnаgеmеnt, ѕеаrсh, еtс whiсh you can аdd/rеmоvе depending uроn уоur requirements.

Lеаn Tеѕting iѕ a robust bug trасking tool аnd the interface iѕ very clean withоut unnecessary fеаturеѕ, оnlу thе ones you nееd tо mаnаgе уоur tеѕting рrосеѕѕ еffiсiеntlу. Lean Testing proposes a ѕtаndаrdizеd bug rероrting tеmрlаtе that рrоmоtеѕ healthy bug reporting practices. Dеvеlореrѕ get сlеаr, соnсiѕе and illustrated bug dеѕсriрtiоnѕ, to fасilitаtе thеir debugging.

5. Kuоll

Kuoll is a bug reporting аutоmаtiоn software dеѕignеd tо diѕсоvеr аnd gеnеrаtе bug rероrtѕ on wеb applications. The ѕоftwаrе аutоmаtiсаllу rесоrdѕ uѕеr асtiоnѕ as wеll аѕ network rеԛuеѕtѕ, web page соdе, and сhаngеѕ intrоduсеd tо thаt соdе. Whеn an еnd uѕеr еxреriеnсеѕ an iѕѕuе аnd ѕеndѕ the рrоblеm tо support, Kuоll automatically rесоrdѕ thе lаѕt three minutеѕ of hiѕ асtiоnѕ аnd аttасhеѕ thаt record tо the еnd uѕеr ѕuрроrt request.

Thе dеvеlореr whо ассерtѕ thе support rеԛuеѕt will find the Kuоll rесоrdѕ оf uѕеr actions, inсluding complete соdе, changes оf thе соdе, еtс. With such information rеаdilу availale, thе dеvеlореr саn fix the issue faster than еvеr and with соnfidеnсе.

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Travel Hacks To Stay Safe While Backpacking

I spent last year traveling through Latin America, from Mexico right down to Patagonia. Judging from some of the reactions of my family and friends before I left (and throughout my travels), Latin America is a place where danger lurks around every corner. Let your guard down just once and you’ll pay the price.

Thankfully, however, I’m pleased to state this has not been the case. I was a lone female visiting some pretty dodgy places – I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t felt a little apprehensive on some occasions. But in terms of actual bad things happening? Nada. Nothing. Not one story to report. The worst thing that happened was being ripped off by a Cancun cab driver at 5 A.M. Not exactly the end of the world.

Pretending that backpacking, whether solo or with friends, doesn’t come with risks is silly. Muggings, thefts and accidents can and do occur; traffic jams and unanticipated delays will probably, at some point, disrupt your plans. But with some simple planning and research, it’s easier than you think to stay safe and secure while on the road. Here are my three most useful travel hacks to stay safe.

1. Keep a clear head

Beginning my tips by saying “Don’t get drunk” isn’t going to make me very popular. And I’m well aware that one of the main points of backpacking is to have fun, to experience new things and meet new people. And often those new experiences and new friends lead to drinking a lot. And I mean a LOT. While there is nothing wrong with a couple of drinks, getting wasted can lead to many problems.

I’ve stayed at many a hostel where guests are actively encouraged (read “pressured”) to keep drinking. No one wants to let the team down or appear boring, so most people oblige. Another shot or three can’t hurt, can it?

Yes, it absolutely can. Almost all incidents where I’ve heard about other backpackers getting into trouble, have been because they’ve been drinking. And drinking can lead to very poor decision making.

No one thinks it’s a good idea to wander along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro at night when they’re sober – but when you’re drunk, it seems romantic. I’ve lost count of the accidents I’ve heard about where people have done dumb things because they’ve been drunk – from driving motorbikes to going tubing while totally smashed… it leads to trouble.

I’m not saying don’t have a few drinks, if you want to. Do have a drink, but keep a clear head and pace yourself. This is particularly important if you are traveling alone, because there’s no one there who can pull you back when you’re about to do something really dumb.

2. Talk to locals about the risks

If you’re heading to a notoriously dangerous place, chances are you’ve done a fair bit of research yourself. Take Medellin in Colombia, for example. I’d read countless articles about the cocaine cartels and Pablo Escobar, and the gang violence that almost ripped Colombia apart… but it turns out that Medellin today is pretty safe. I spent a month there and didn’t feel uneasy once.

The thing you should be researching is the smaller things – like scams. You’re much more likely to be targeted by petty thieves after a quick penny than a big time crook, but these small scams often aren’t reported much. No one knows the risks of an area better than a local, so speak to employees at your accommodation about what to look out for.

When I was in Santiago, Chile, a local told me that a girl had been mugged the week before, and that I should carry a “dummy wallet” – a small purse with a few worthless cards and a small amount of cash in it. Then, if I was ever mugged, I could oblige and hand over my purse without losing everything. I never got mugged, but I sure felt a lot safer walking around the streets of Santiago.

3. Do the boring stuff

It’s a given that before you go to a new country, you want to research the fun stuff. Which restaurants will you eat at? Where are the most beautiful beaches? Which neighborhood has the coolest nightlife? I can spend hours looking at travel blogs, planning routes and making fun itineraries, but before you do all that, stop – and get the boring stuff out of the way first.

The boring stuff means things like getting insurance, then making sure it covers everything. Writing down the serial number of your electronic belongings. Backing up and photocopying your travel documents. Take it from me – this can be invaluable.

If anything happens, this stuff is vital. If you’re injured, or a flight is delayed and you miss your connection, you’ll need your insurance number and policy details. If your laptop or phone is stolen, having the serial number is more helpful than I can explain. I learnt that the hard way, when I lost my camera and nothing could be done.

Sorting this stuff is boring but it doesn’t have to take long. Do it all at once and get it over with; read one of the many travel safety guides around, make a list and tick it off. It really is so simple. Then, and only then, can you get stuck into all the fun stuff!

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