When I would read about natural disasters I would always think, that’s terrible but it’s never going to happen to me — the same thought when you hear about a plane crash — for some unfathomable reason, you always feel that it’s never going to happen to you so you don’t think about preparing for it.

The hard reality that it could totally happen to me only resonated when I went to Thailand in 2005 and there was a Tsunami alert the day we were taking a boat to Phi Phi Island. Napping at the airport as we waited for our boat, we had no idea of the news until it was time to go. Our boat operator told us not to worry so we didn’t pay any attention to it. I only realized how serious the scare was when I saw 10 missed-calls from my parents who couldn’t get through to me until I was on the island. I called them immediately to see what was up when they told me about the alert being flashed continuously on the international news. Luckily nothing happened, the island was as tranquil as possible and it was more media hype than anything else.

But after this incident I couldn’t help wonder, what if there would have been another Tsunami? The thought was unnerving. I would have just relied on my instincts. What else could I have done?

There are a few things you can do to make sure you are minimizing the possibility of getting lost or being unreachable should a natural disaster hit the place you are visiting; freelance travel-writer Carly Blatt has written a comprehensive piece on how you can prepare yourself for a disaster — have a read of it here.

The preparation suggested in the article may seem paranoid but honestly, never take your safety (especially from natural disasters) for granted.