A few weeks before we set off on our trip to Poland and the Czech Republic, we recorded a podcast episode of the "Ready for Takeoff" podcast by Falck Global Assistance. Now you can listen to the episode, where we talk about our most adventurous trips and share our best tips for staying safe on holiday.
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Falck Global Assistance
Falck Global Assistance is an expert in Travel Risk Management and manages safety and security for business travel and expatriation. They have also started a podcast called Ready for Takeoff where they invite different guests to talk about things related to travelling, risks and safety. In the latest episode, we have had the honour of being guests, and this is how they write about the episode:
In the third episode of Ready for Takeoff, we meet Sweden's biggest travel bloggers, Helena and Peter Bergström from FREEDOMtravel to talk about travelling as a lifestyle, what they always pack in their bags and where to find a thrilling adventure - without compromising on safety. We discuss their views on 'chasing countries' and hear exciting stories from their many travels.
Fun to talk travel
Talking about travel is one of the most fun things we know! In other words, we had a lot of fun recording this podcast with Jonas Frid from Falck Global Assistance. We got to talk freely about how we view travelling and how we think about things related to risks and safety.
How do we think about security?
Risks are part of life and you can never completely eliminate them, whether you are at home or travelling. What's special about travelling is that you end up in places where you may not be aware of the potential risks, but you often bring things with you that you care about. Of course, you have to be careful not to expose yourself to unnecessary risks!
When we travel, we always make sure we have insurance and we also take certain precautions. For example, we make sure that we carry more than one credit card and keep them in different places so that we can block one of them if we lose it.
When was in Malta last thought we realised we had lost a credit card and blocked it. Fortunately, we found the card the next day in the taxi we had travelled in, but it's still nice to know what to do when it happens.
Most people are friendly!
We take some precautions when travelling, but we don't go around worrying all the time. Quite the contrary! We've travelled to over 45 countries on five continents and have been on the road for 365 consecutive days at the most. Our experience is that most people around the world are honest, helpful and friendly.
So, have we had any incidents? And do we have any more tips and thoughts on travelling and safety? Click here to listen to the podcast! (Update: The link has been removed as the podcast is no longer available).
How do you think about safety when travelling?
Travelling safety is an interesting topic, and if you want, you can read more about The world's most dangerous countries in 2018 on the food and travel blog. How do you think about safety when travelling? What precautions do you usually take? Have you had an incident while travelling and how did it go?
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Nils-Åke Hansson says:
Then you have to listen. Insurance of various kinds is a must when travelling. We take certain precautions when we stop and leave the car. If we are unsure, we don't stop and if we act, we stay in the car.
12 July 2017 - 7:36
Helena says:
There are some areas in southern Europe where there are reports of gangs outside supermarkets, and we've been extra careful there too. And insurance is a must!
12 July 2017 - 10:02
Kenneth Risberg says:
Having extra assistance insurance makes you feel more secure if something happens.
I can't fix a 3.5 tonne motorhome without a spare tyre on my own if there is a puncture on a busy road.
12 July 2017 - 8:17
Helena says:
I agree! Just assistance insurance feels very nice to have!
12 July 2017 - 11:45
Lennart says:
Assistance is security!
12 July 2017 - 8:53
Helena says:
Can only agree! Don't know what we would have done without it when the motorhome stopped working in Spain ...
12 July 2017 - 11:46
Ditte says:
Good insurance policies that cover as much as possible are preferable to those that are cheaper and cover less. In all my years of travelling, I have had a couple of incidents, including one in New York where a man tried to rob me on the subway, but I refused. He wanted my wallet and camera. Nothing came of it. And I was lucky I didn't get hurt because he had a psitol pointed at me, but I didn't see it because I was so angry.
In the early 1980s, when I was working for the UNHCR on the Thai-Cambodian border and Vietnam had just entered Cambodia, there was some fighting on the border and sometimes "live situations". But that was enough to cause some concern.
Normal caution as here in Stockholm usually works well.
Will listen to the podcast episode...
12 July 2017 - 9:26
Helena says:
Wow, what dramatic stories!!! Being threatened with a gun in New York sounds really scary! I guess you never know how to react until you're in that situation ...
12 July 2017 - 11:48
Steve says:
Just listened to the podcast episode. Nice, light-hearted and informative.
Roadside assistance insurance is also good for the average motorist. Not just for those travelling long distances in a motorhome.
12 July 2017 - 9:38
Helena says:
Glad you listened and enjoyed the episode Steve! And yes, assistance insurance can be useful even when travelling by regular car!
12 July 2017 - 11:50
Geddfish says:
We always had extra assistance insurance for both car and caravan.
I haven't had any incidents of theft, I'm a careful person, who refuses to give anything away 😉 you have to think beforehand 😀.
Have a nice trip! Hugs
12 July 2017 - 9:50
Helena says:
We also try to think about it. We know that it would be hard to lose your computer and camera, for example, so we try to minimise the risk ...
12 July 2017 - 11:52
Marina says:
Exciting, I'm going to listen to that 🙂 .
12 July 2017 - 14:20
Helena says:
Great if you want to listen Marina! Have a great time!
12 July 2017 - 19:13
Daniel@BringBlingToTraveling says:
Congratulations!!! We need to hear this.
12 July 2017 - 16:22
Helena says:
Thank you, it was fun! Great if you want to listen 🙂
12 July 2017 - 19:14
Solan says:
Enjoy the podcast, you make me want to travel. Greetings from the land of the Dala horses?
12 July 2017 - 18:12
Helena says:
Nice to hear Solan! Hope you and Dalahästarna are fine! 🙂
12 July 2017 - 19:15
Husisblogg says:
The programme was downloaded to my phone and I will probably listen to it this weekend.
As the male owner works as a security manager at a company in their city, this is always present. Sometimes the female owner thinks it goes too far. If the thieves want to get into my house, they probably will, but at least he has made it difficult in every possible way.
Of course they have me insured with assistance, but sometimes they don't know how good the insurance is until they have to use it. So far I haven't had any problems so they have just paid and looked happy, let's hope I stay in a good mood and thus whole all the time.
12 July 2017 - 20:28
Helena says:
Then I understand that you are thinking about my safety! I agree that you never know what's going on with an insurance policy until the heat is on. We have both good and bad experiences. When it comes to assistance insurance, we have only positive experiences actually.
12 July 2017 - 21:53
Matts Torebring says:
I may not have time to listen right now, work is encroaching on my free time at the moment. Anyway, I asked the question yesterday to Fiat roadside assistance. If you buy a new motorhome with a Fiat chassis, roadside assistance is included for two years. I had read somewhere online that Fiat roadside assistance only applies to vehicles under 3500kg. That was completely wrong, I was told. Honk, drive and be happy, but beware of a few countries such as Moldova. You see all countries in the book, she said.
12 July 2017 - 21:00
Helena says:
It's always good to check what's going on! When it comes to Europe, there is often a difference between the countries that are part of the EU and those that are not ...
12 July 2017 - 21:54
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Just had time to sit down and listen to the episode in the post. Nice, light-hearted and I think I agree with most things about travelling. It is the experiences among locals and what you can't read about in guidebooks that provide the lasting memories. And as you say, most people you meet are genuinely nice and curious about us who come from other countries and other cultures!
12 July 2017 - 21:17
Helena says:
Glad you listened and liked the podcast! Yes, afterwards it is almost always the personal meetings and those special gold grains that you remember! 🙂
12 July 2017 - 21:55
Kattas Betraktelser says:
Yes, I will listen to the poodle tomorrow on my way to work. Exciting! God, you are so talented and ambitious. I like your new style with the blog and the big pictures. Tasteful!
12 July 2017 - 22:45
Helena says:
Glad to hear that you like the design with the pictures Eva! 😉
12 July 2017 - 23:09
BP says:
Either I'm blind, stupid or cranky, but I didn't catch your interview. Didn't see a "very bright" arrow either. Too bad, would have liked to listen to the interview.
We don't have a motorhome, so we don't have the same insurance as you. But of course we have the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's EU card and if's international insurance.
You may remember that I lost my wallet in a lift (!!!) up to our apartment in Benidorm on 23 December 2014. In this context, I can only praise if and VISA. Absolutely fantastic! We got everything back. Oh for that I am happy to pay a "deductible" of 1,500 kronor.
12 July 2017 - 22:59
Helena says:
I also found it difficult to see where to click. Go to the link below.
readyfortakeofffga.libsyn.com/3-hur-reser-sweden's-biggest travel blogger
You click just below "3. How Sweden's biggest travel bloggers travel", just to the right of the "Ready for Takeoff" icon.
It's nice when you actually get help when you're in trouble!!!
12 July 2017 - 23:19
Lena - gott för själen says:
Great to hear the podcast with you! Inspiring!
Hug Lena
13 July 2017 - 21:26