Rebecca travels alone in the world/roamfreerebecca
The camera never lies - but this travel photographer says lying is sometimes the best way to protect herself as she travels the world alone. "Always trust your instincts and tell lies if you have to," advises Rebecca Tribblehorn, 32, who has already visited more than 40 countries, from Ireland to Mexico.
Tribblehorn, an Oregon native, told "What's The Jam" that she even wears a fake wedding ring or tells people she has a steady partner, even though she doesn't.
She says people sometimes ask her if she's single out of curiosity, but others see a woman traveling alone as an "open invitation" or mistakenly think she's looking for a partner. "Some people really aren't the kind that you like to travel alone or simply like to be alone, and will simply interpret the fact that you are alone as an invitation to approach you," she explained.
"I found that saying you have a boyfriend/partner/husband is really effective in getting people to leave me alone," she explained.
Another precaution she takes is to never tell people where she sleeps. "Especially for women - it is very important to have a place to return to where you feel safe and secure. Lie and say you were tired when you arrived and that you don't remember," she said. "You can even just choose a random direction, point to it and say, 'That way.' If you don't know a place, if you're confused, or if you don't know what to watch out for - you might leave yourself open to exploitation," she explained.
Tribblehorn said she also pretends to be safe in a certain location by telling strangers she's been to places she's never been. "I tell strangers I've been somewhere before to sell a false sense of self-confidence and knowledge," she said. "When you travel you are in danger of falling victim to fraud, and people who try to take advantage of you like to know that you are not aware of their tricks and will fall directly into their fraud scheme," she warned and gave an example of one of the more "innocent" fraud schemes she encountered - a taxi driver who charges too much.
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Rebecca, who is now alone in the midst of a year-long trip around the world regularly shares tips and experiences from her travels on her Instagram - and has advice for people who want to travel alone but don't know where to start. "If you want to start traveling solo, start small. Take a weekend trip in an area close to home where you can test your skills, but still feel confident that you can get home if you need to," she said.
"Then plan bigger trips or join a group trip with other solo travelers," she continued.
Tribblehorn said most of the people she meets on her travels are "good people," but "these lies that I recommend you tell help protect you from the 10 percent chance that something bad will happen," she said.
"For me, it's better to protect myself from the start rather than regretting later that I didn't take a few seconds and take precautions to ensure that my trip goes smoothly and without risk," she said.