If you want to get out there and get naked, do it. If you don’t, then don’t! But if you are going to go crazy whilst island hopping through Greece or studying abroad in Japan, there are things to bear in mind for you to stay safe (in more ways than one!).
If you’re hoping to get frisky whilst in a foreign country it's important to keep yourself out of danger, especially if you haven’t quite got your bearings yet or haven’t found people you trust. Having protection is essential. Regardless of who you’re having sex with, if you’ve just met them in a hostel bar or at the club, keeping yourself protected from STIs is necessary.
From witnessing individuals treating the hostel common room as a personal game of Take Me Out, being 100% comfortable with your copulation companion is foremost. Making sure that you (and your friends) trust your one-night wonder is indispensable, and just as important as having a condom.
If you want to get out there and get naked, do it. If you don’t, then don’t!
Going back to their place tonight? Awesome! Just make sure you know where you are going and are aware of your surroundings. If you’re abroad with friends, keeping apps like 'Life360' or 'Find My Friends' on your phone that track your location are crucial bits of technology that modern-day globe trotters are fortunate to have at their disposal whilst bed hopping in Benidorm!
This may seem obvious, but it’s important to stay informed. If you’re hoping to have a one-night stand whilst abroad, it's wise to be up-to-date with the laws and restrictions around sex in the country you’re visiting. Countries and cultures across the planet share different regulations on getting sexy in their countries. To avoid unexpected trouble, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the rules to ensure you're safe.
Whilst travelling, alcohol and one-night stands often come hand in hand. This can seem like a brilliant idea at the time and later plunge into a state of morning-after hangxiety. It’s a familiar feeling to many people across the world I’m sure. However, despite being constantly repeated, it is crucial to stay safe whilst drinking and making sure you are not getting too deep into the tequila shots your mates are plying you with. And if you do have one too many, keep yourself surrounded by people you trust and feel safe around (and are not someone you met on Tinder 10 minutes ago.).
Navigating through my late teens and early twenties, I swiftly became aware of how one-night stands can happen anywhere (and I mean literally anywhere). Being blessed with a cohort of travel-fanatic friends, I frequently find myself listening to friends recall their own one-night stands abroad.
So I leave you with a debate I recently found myself involved in after two reliable sources came back from a quick weekend jaunt to Amsterdam across the North Sea on the trusty DFDS ferry. According to my sources, the overnight journey has a 100% success rate (on both legs of the journey!). Somehow it concluded with an in-depth discussion about whether their journey of debauchery occurred in English or Dutch waters, and what the ferry version of the mile-high club was (nautical mile club apparently).
