[One of the major concerns while traveling is petty theft. I published an article about Single Parent Safety for Parents Without Partners. That article which contains suggestions on how to avoid being a victim of theft, can be found by clicking here.]

Given the events of September 11 in our country, safety has now taken on a new meaning. It is no longer merely a concern about petty theft. Readers have written me asking advice about what to do or not do when they travel overseas and whether or not it is "safe" to go. Some Americans have cancelled vacation plans in the weeks after September 11. Others, in spite of their apprehensions, feel compelled to travel, to attend a wedding or enjoy a much anticipated family vacation, be it within the U.S. or overseas. The decision to travel is a personal one and America is a nation of travelers. So if you are planning to go overseas, here are a few suggestions:

* To get the facts, not the media hype, and develop an informed opinion, go to the government Web sites. Start with the U.S., then try a few other English speaking government Web sites. You will find the U.S. tends to be the most cautious in its assessments.

Some Web sites are:
U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs: travel.state.gov
Britain: www.fco.gov.uk/travel
Canada: http://voyage.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Australia: www.dfat.gov.au/consular/advice/

• Try to avoid dressing like an American. Avoid bright colors, English slogans on shirts, American Sports jerseys and college sweatshirts. Wear walking shoes instead of sneakers, which usually proclaim your status as an American. In many parts of the world the locals tend to dress more conservatively and more formally, especially in the cities. Rather than jeans you will see slacks or skirts; rather than tank tops you will see short-sleeved shirts or blouses.
• Speak quietly when out in public. Americans are often marked by their "loud" demeanor.
• If people ask your nationality, tell them you are Canadian. My daughter was studying in France at the time of the Gulf War. The day it broke out, the "American" population suddenly became a "Canadian" one.
• If you hear firecrackers or a car backfiring, fall to the ground immediately and lay there until you know it is safe to get up.

During our second trip to Syria in 2000, I was sitting on the front porch of our hotel waiting for my son to join me for breakfast. I heard what I thought was someone setting off a firecracker and I stood up to see what it was. At the same time my son was in our hotel room. When he heard the noise, he immediately dropped to the floor. I had never heard live gunfire before and he had. By the time he reached me, we had determined the sound came from a misfired gun held by one of the nearby bank security guards. He was upset and angry with me when I told him of my immediate reaction. Before the trip we had agreed we would drop to the ground at the first sound of danger and if my creaky knees couldn't get me there fast enough, he was prepared to yank me down. I guess I needed some practice sessions.

These measures may sound draconian but these were the procedures we followed when we traveled in countries where there was a possibility of unrest.

For those of you concerned about safety while flying and the possibility of a hijacking, there was an article circulating on email just after September 11, which reprinted a speech by a commercial pilot to his passengers. He thanked them for flying so soon after September 11th and told them what to do if they ever felt they were being hijacked. "Take control of the situation," he said. "There are only a few of them but many of us. Throw everything you can at the hijacker and his associates - pillows, shoes, books, food, anything. Get him unfocused and off balance and then throw a blanket on him and wrestle him to the ground. We'll take care of the rest and fly you safely to the nearest airport." Not long after that speech there was what passengers thought was an attempted hijacking on another plane by a mentally unbalanced man. The passengers subdued him.

If you liked what you read, please support The Single Parent Travel Network by buying The Single Parent Travel Handbook. Read about how you can buy a book, by clicking here. Or you can join other single parents who take trips with Single Parent Tours, click here to see where Single Parent Tours is going