This episode discusses the potential dangers of travelling not just off the beaten path, but really anywhere. We had spent the last few months travelling through West and Central Africa. We tried to immerse into each culture and were often invited to share meals, and refusing was considered an insult. When we came into East Africa, we had not changed the way we interacted with the locals and we had to learn quickly to bring our guard back. This was brought home when a friend of mine was drugged on an overnight bus from Kampala to Nairobi and her money and cards were stolen. There was three of us so she sat by herself. A man sat beside her, befriended her, they chatted for a long time and he eventually offered her a sweet. The sweet was drugged. We were oblivious to the event until we reached Nairobi and we could not wake her up. The man was long gone. We took her to Nairobi Hospital and she recovered there for a couple of days. This event made me more cautious. We were now in east Africa, where there were more tourists and more opportunities for thefts. Not every one could be trusted. I ended up staying six months in Kenya, mainly Nairobi, and I did not have another incident. However, I became more vigilant of who was around me. I let my own intuition decide on my actions. I still accepted offers of hospitality but only when it felt safe. My intuition never let me down. If I ignored it, I usually did to my detriment. Travelling solo really meant no night life as it was too risky. I made friends with the local boys, with friendly banter each time I passed,  and I think as a result, they looked out for me.  Travelling in any country can be dangerous but if you keep your wits about you (whether you are solo or in a group), trust your intuition, and be respectful and friendly to the locals without encouraging too much familiarity, you should be fine. I also avoid any areas that are current hotspots or any war zones. No point asking for trouble.......    --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/justine-murray0/message