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A teenager traveling alone...for the first time...a nail-biting experience!!Dec 19 '00 Write an essay on this topic.I realize that this is not exactly a health RISK per se, but it is something that needs to be discussed. Tomorrow night, our daughter will be traveling on a bus to Denver. This is about 2 hours away from our house. Our daughter is 14 and I have had second thoughts about allowing her to go alone on a Greyhound bus. My past experiences with this company and the type of people I encountered while traveling have made me leary. Circumstances dictate that she travel by bus or she just doesn't get to go at all. Since it is for Christmas, I let my heart do the talking and convinced myself that she could handle herself with some rules and instructions. In preparing for the trip, I had to think like a 14 year old. That is not an easy task. I try to avoid thinking in incomplete sentences. Kidding folks. First, I had to address the safety issue. 1 Don't talk to strangers, no matter what their age. A teenager, near her age, could be someone a 'front' for someone else. They could be trying to get close in order to see where you are going, what your name or address might be or even to rob you. 2 Don't flash your cash! If you have money, make sure you keep it in a safe place (front pocket of pants) and don't put it all in the same pocket. If you have large bills, keep them separate from the small bills. If possible, travel with traveler's checks and only keep a small amount of cash on hand. If you must use cash, don't count it in public. Just use the amount required and leave the rest in your pocket. 3 Don't sit in the back of the bus if you are traveling alone. Sit in the front near the driver so he/she can keep an eye on you. They won't be able to 'babysit', but at least they can deter anyone from trying to hurt you when you are out of eyeshot. 4 Don't leave the bus terminal until you are in the custody of the person that is picking you up. There is safety in numbers! Stepping outside, in the dark, can lead to grave consequences. 5 Don't get off the bus until it is your final stop. If you are traveling a longer distance, make sure you board and unboard the bus with the driver. They will tell you what to do, where to go and when to be back. 6 Don't accept food, money, gifts, drinks or seats from strangers. Stay to yourself. It is better to appear unfriendly than risk getting hurt by someone. 7 Lock the bathroom door on the bus if you need to use it. Common sense for this one folks. 8 Don't sleep without making sure the driver knows you are resting. I know there are lots more things that could be said, but I think I covered all the worst possible scenarios. Now, for a list of things to take on the trip 1 A list of phone numbers of people that are at both points of travel. If for some reason, one person is unable to show up, you should have people on the list that can pick up where the other left off. If at all possible, include a calling card in the event of long distance. 2 Wear a watch so you can keep track of the time. Make sure you adjust for different time zones. Make sure you tell the child to check with the driver regarding time zones. 3 Carry quarters for phone calls and snacks. Make sure you have enough for both. 4 Try to carry a small carry-on bag instead of checking baggage. 5 Make sure all toiletries are in the carry-on bag. 6 Student ID or other form of ID. Tickets that are pre-paid cannot be picked up without this. Also, in the event of an accident, the ID will help when contacting relatives. 7 A whistle or other noise making device. If someone looks or acts suspicious, don't hesitate to blow it! 8 A good book, a deck of cards or a hand held game. Nothing stirs curiosity worse than boredom. 9 Snacks for the trip. 10 Love, kisses and plenty of hugs from the ones that can't wait to see you when you get back. That is about all she needs to know right now. It covers all the necessary things. Her baggage is another issue...one I will try to avoid. Yikes! Things NOT to take with you 1 Don't take a expensive video games or laptop computers. If you must travel with them, make sure they remain in the luggage. 2 Don't take food that can spoil easily. Juice in a box and chips will suffice. If the trip is longer, then perhaps peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or even fruit will do the trick. 3 Don't take an attitude. Leave only on the best of terms. If something happened on the way (Goodness forbid) then no one deserves to live with the regret of a mean good bye. All in all, I think that I am as paranoid as any mother would be in the same situation. I don't want to scare our daughter too much, but I also don't want her to think she doesn't need to be cautious. I am hoping and praying that she has a great trip and she learns some valuable lessons in travel. I know she is nervous because of all the things I have told her, but I think she will do just fine. If I have left anything out, please let me know. I would hate to think I didn't mention something that could possibly make the difference between a good and a horrible trip. Thanks for reading and please, don't hesitate to comment on anything that could possibly improve her trip and my fears.  |
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