If I travel should I bring along someone who is skilled in forms of self-defense? Maybe this seems like an over exaggerated measure, however I personally feel like it is much better to be safe than sorry. Let me know what you guys think.
I wouldn't think it would be necessary. One of my female friends who is in her early 20s traveled India by herself and said she didn't have any problems. I think as long as you use common sense when traveling then you wouldn't need someone to defend you. It can obviously be nerve wracking when visiting a brand new place but I always try and research as much as I can before I go, so I can avoid typically "dangerous" areas of cities. I think that's the best advice I can give
If you are too conscious about your safety, you should never leave your home. Traveling to foreign countries makes you prone to abuse and harassment. If you have to travel and you are conscious about safety, that you should only visit popular destination only and never try adventure.
First of all, it doesn't matter who you bring as long as you get along well and you're certain both of you will survive in case of fortuitous events. Whether the person knows self-defense is not exactly a prime consideration. Just know where the nearby police station, embassy, hospitals and tourist centers are. If you take note of their locations before setting off to a particular tourist hotspot, you'll save yourself and your companion a lot of trouble.
Well this is really the ultimate personal decision, but there are some points that should be considered. The most important is the reason for your visit. If you are mainly there to enjoy it, which I hope is the case, you have to travel with someone you care about and can share it with together. If it is for educational purposes, a knowledgeable person is the best. It just depends on what you want to get out of the experience.
Your travel partner should always be someone with whom you never have had compatibility issue. You and your travel companion should have same interest. For example, if you like adventure and your friend is afraid to try adventure, you will have a boring travel experience.
Self defense won't help as much as street smarts. One guy who knows something like MMA won't be able to do much against a gang (armed or unarmed). The Western media only covers crime in India, you also have to consider there are other national news in India which don't get coverage. India is just about as safe as any other country actually. With that being said, yes you should travel in a group.
Well, I don't know if you have to bring a martial artist, but I would recommend a traveling companion. They make things more enjoyable, generally, and can ease the burden of traveling. Plus, if you do have safety concerns, having an extra pair of eyes will help you feel comfortable, and when you are comfortable you will be able to enjoy things more.
Whoever you decide to travel with, the most important thing is that you get on well, and not the fact that they are a black belt in karate, or posses any other skill that you might find useful! You want someone who you get along with and you know that you can rely on, as they'll needs to also be able to get on and rely on you. Traveling is supposed to be an enjoyable experience so just choosing a travel partner based on skills you might need can be a recipe for disaster.
I think what's more important is that you have someone who you trust, who you know has your best interests at heart. I thankfully don't have any personal experience with this, but someone I knew went on a vacation with a casual friend, who two days into the trip took most of her money and ditched. There's no possible way to account for every single possibility of what could happen on your trip, but if you're in the company of like-minded people who you really trust, the bad parts will not be as bad, I guarantee.
Sometimes the worst trips when everything goes wrong can be the best if you are travelling with people that you like and trust. Like you rightly say, you can't predict everything that might happen, but if you and who your travelling with have certain camaraderie you'll be able to get through most situations with a smile on your face.
I don't think it's something that you should really worry all that much about. Yes, it's nice to be able to protect yourself, or to have someone with you who would be able to, but it's not the type of thing you need to be stressing about while on vacation.
