Dmitri Laush was finishing a round of golf in Dubai when everything changed. By that evening, an explosion had rattled his hotel, the airport had shut down, and rockets were streaking across the sky. With no clear guidance and limited options, he made the decision to move quickly rather than wait for help. His experience is just one example of how fast a routine trip can turn into a high-stakes situation, and why travelers today need to think differently about safety, planning, and getting home.

It never crossed my mind that the most dangerous thing in Nairobi would be on the road. A mosquito carrying an exotic disease or a hippopotamus, maybe. But when I boarded a bus — and then gripped the seat in front of me in panic as it nearly collided with several vehicles on the road — I knew I was wrong.

If you have ever knocked on a plane before boarding, tapped your suitcase for luck, or stuck to a small ritual before a trip, you are definitely not alone. The Dallas Morning News recently explored the world of travel superstitions, highlighting the quirky habits travelers rely on, the traditions that have stuck around for generations, and the question we all wonder about before takeoff: which of these rituals actually help make a trip feel smoother?