When you travel it is a great idea to make sure that someone knows where you are going and when you’ll be back. Who you tell depends on the nature of your travel and where you are in the world… if you are going out on a day trip near your home base you could leave a note with your friends or family, or if you are traveling in a foreign country then registering your movements with your country’s consular registration service, if they offer one, is a great idea.
Another option is to use an online Sarwatch service which, while originally being an idea from the world of aviation in which pilots advise Air Traffic Control of their route and expected arrival time… if they do not arrive then the Search and Rescue authorities are notified and put into action. Such systems have been adapted to provide a similar service to travelers of all kinds, from globetrotting backpackers to hikers, fishermen and, yes, pilots too.
So how do these Sarwatch systems work? You simply leave details of your upcoming trip on their websites, and specify your latest return time. After your trip simply login again and cancel trip monitoring (disarming the Sarwatch system). That’s then end of it.
If, however, you fail to return from your trip (for whatever reason… perhaps a bear ate your boots, delaying your return, or perhaps you are lying in a ditch with a broken leg after chasing the critter that stole your dinner) these Sarwatch systems send an alert message to people you know and trust. These people are then automatically made aware of where you were planning to go and that you have not returned, providing valuable information to assist them, or the Search and Rescue authorities, in finding you. Aren’t you glad you told someone now?
There are, of course, other ways of leaving messages about where you are going, such as a simple email to a friend with your plans. A nice advantage of the Sarwatch systems over a regular email contact is the timely reminder when your return time expires. Also, should your trusted contact people need to involve the authorities in a search the information provided by these Sarwatch systems gives you a level of credibility and “take me seriously” that might otherwise be lacking.
Some of these systems even allow you to leave your travel details, and arm and disarm the monitoring function with your mobile phone or cellphone, simply by sending SMSs. This allows use of those systems without the requirement of finding an Internet Cafe after your trip, when you’d probably really just be looking for a hot shower and a cold drink.
Is planning for the worst an overly paranoid approach to travel? That depends, I suppose, on where you are travelling, with whom, and the potential for serious problems if you go missing and no one knowing where you went. In remote area walking, for example, where your mobile phone may not work, such a precaution is right up there with the “umbrella principle”… (you know the one… take your umbrella then it will not rain). In this context, simple precautions while travelling against the unlikely event of you going missing (for whatever reason) would seem to be an obvious choice.
There is no way that these online Sarwatch systems are guaranteed to save you if things go wrong when you travel but, in conjunction with other sensible precautions, may be worth considering. This is particularly true if you are travelling alone or in remote or “elevated risk” areas far from home and people who you might otherwise leave a note with. Travel safe and tell someone where you are going.
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