Stay safe when traveling alone

DEAR HELOISE »

Lately, I’ve seen a few letters in your column about how to make traveling a bit more easy and comfortable. Well, I travel alone most of the time for my job, and a woman alone on the road needs to be extra careful. Here are a few of my own hints for women who also spend time alone on the road. I hope these hints will keep them safe away from home and make traveling a little easier.

1. Bring a doorstop with you. Wedge it under the door on the inside of the room. You might also want to pack a door alarm in case anyone tries to enter your room without your permission.

2. Carry a whistle or a personal alarm. A personal alarm can usually be attached to your purse or detail bag.

3. Never — and I do mean never — share anything on social media in real time. No location tags either. Before you leave, tell family and trusted friends where you’ll be and when you expect to return.

4. You might have a GPS or a compass in your car, but it never hurts to have a paper map of where you’re going. Put it in the storage compartment in the car door, the glovebox or the center console. This is especially important if you are walking or hiking.

5. Pack as light as you can. However, always have a small flashlight, a power strip, a reusable shopping bag, a small first aid kit and a reusable water bottle in your car or suitcase. None of these items have to be full-sized, since most manufacturers make smaller versions of these items. Have them on hand for your protection.

6. If you get a gut feeling that someplace isn’t safe or something seems off, then leave. That little voice in your head just might save your life someday.

— Andrea M., Dallas

DEAR HELOISE » I like to marinate meats and chicken because it always adds flavor to the dish I prepare. However, my husband and I disagree on how marinating should be done. He says that it should be done at room temperature, but I always leave things to marinate in the refrigerator. What is the correct way?

— Tiffany J., Beaverton,

Oregon

DEAR TIFFANY » Always marinate foods in the refrigerator. If you marinate meat and chicken on the counter in your kitchen, you could be growing bacteria in the marinade sauce. Meat should not be marinated for more than an hour or two at most.

DEAR HELOISE » Whenever I cook soups, stews, chili, lasagna or a few other one-dish meals, I double the amount of food I prepare. We eat one batch that day, and the other batch gets wrapped up and put in the freezer.

Many times, I’ve had to work late, and it’s so nice to thaw something out in the freezer by placing it in the microwave while I change into comfortable clothes. By the time I’m done, dinner is, too. I can add salad if I want, but on these cold nights, a warm meal is so nice to enjoy.

— Hannah R., Gateway,

Colorado