Like every child, I was brought up being told “don’t talk to strangers”. The minute I began traveling, I completely ignored this rule. When I travel, I trust everyone until I have reason not to. Unless my instincts shout otherwise, I give everyone I meet, local or not, the benefit of the doubt for which I have often been ridiculed and considered foolish.

In my defense, I generally believe that people are not out there to hurt you. If they offer help — especially whilst you are traveling — it’s normally because they want to, not because they want something from you. You may ask: what’s in it for them? Call me an idealist, but I think people you meet whilst traveling want to meet cool people and have unique experiences as much as you do.

Of course, I use my head when I decide to let a stranger help me, and other than the odd (harmless) weirdos I’ve encountered whilst traveling, I’ve never had problems. I’ve hitchhiked, knocked on doors and slept in houses, and followed locals on a whim to some of the coolest places in their cities; these have been some of my best experiences. Organizations such as Couch Surfing wouldn’t have such a high success rate if we didn’t allow ourselves to trust strangers.

Having said that, you have to be careful. Here are some of the things I keep in mind before I decide to trust a stranger’s information or company when I travel:

• If something looks or feels dodgy, it probably is.

• Follow your instincts, they are more often right than not.
• Think about how you got talking to the stranger before you decide to go some place with him/her. Did you call his attention because you are dressed in a certain way, or is he/she the receptionist at the hostel you are staying at?
• Don’t show signs of being nervous or afraid when you speak to a stranger.
• Always keep a low-profile when you travel to foreign lands, especially if you are a woman.
• Don’t flirt with the strangers you meet, it can cause unnecessary problems.
• Avoid making plans or go with them to unfamiliar places after sun down.

I think, trusting strangers is as much of a risk as crossing the road; as long as you look both ways before you cross, you should be fine.

Do you trust people when you travel?