Welcome back to the Dr. Mary Travelbest Guide podcast.

The FAQ: While planning a trip to Taiwan and South Korea, someone I was guiding asked, "Is 911 a universal emergency code worldwide?" I looked into this and found a helpful answer.

Here's the answer: 911 is not universal. Abroad, the number differs, and sometimes each service has its own. Commonly: 112 in the EU, 112/999 in the UK and Ireland, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand, 110/119 in Japan, and 112/119 in South Korea.

For Europe, 112 is the key number to remember. It works everywhere in the EU, is free, and will connect you to emergency services from any phone. In the UK, both 999 and 112 work.

A few country-specific examples matter because they can trip up travelers. Australia's main emergency number is 000; the government says 112 can also be connected from mobile phones there, but 000 is the primary number. New Zealand uses 111 for police, fire, and ambulance services, and 105 for police non-emergencies. Japan uses 110 for police and 119 for fire/ambulance. In South Korea, 112 is for police, and 119 for fire/ambulance/medical emergencies. Tourism guidance says you can ask for an interpreter by saying "English please" or "Interpreter please."

What else should travelers know beyond the number?

Don't assume 911 works overseas. In some places, it may redirect, but don't rely on it. Know the local emergency number before you travel.

Always know your location—hotel, street, intersection, train station, or landmark—for fast communication with emergency operators.

When calling, clearly state which service you need: police, ambulance, or fire. Save your embassy or consulate number, but call local emergency services first.

If you are in the EU, official guidance notes that 112 is free and available on public and mobile phones.

One more thing to consider in my response to the question is that emergency numbers are for urgent danger only. Some countries also have non-emergency numbers. For example, New Zealand uses 105 for non-emergency police matters, while the UK uses 101. Knowing that helps you avoid tying up emergency lines.

In summary, solo travelers should memorize 112 for Europe, and always look up the emergency number for each country before traveling. This ensures you are prepared for emergencies wherever you go.

60-second confidence challenge

Your challenge today, Confidence Challenge, is to be ready for an emergency:

A few smart habits help a lot. Before each trip, put the following items in your phone notes and in your bag: local emergency number, hotel address, embassy/consulate contact, travel insurance emergency line, and one family contact. If your phone is locked, add your emergency contacts and any major medical facts to the lock screen or Medical ID. And know the emergency code in that country.

If you like today's Confidence Challenge, my book series delves into safety and security, while moving through the 5 steps to solo travel, from easy to more challenging, with foreign language communication tips.

You can find the series at the link in the description.

See Book A for addressing this concern.

Find it on the website at https://www.5stepstosolotravel.com/ or on Amazon. I will be doing pre-orders soon for Book C in the series, so please look out for that.

Today's destination is Naxos, Greece.

The Greek island of Naxos is one of those places that quietly steals your heart.

https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/cyclades/naxos/

If you're a woman over 50 thinking about taking a slightly more adventurous step in your solo travel journey, this is your place. Not too crowded, not too complicated, but just enough unknown to stretch you in the best way.

Let's start with the journey. I took the Blue Star ferry from Athens around noon, passing through Paros on the way. Round-trip from Athens port was about $85 with a Eurail discount of 30%

The ferry ride is part of the experience. It's calm. It's scenic. It gives you time to sit, read, think, or do nothing at all. And for many of us, doing nothing is the hardest and most valuable skill to relearn.

The hotel where I stayed was called the Galina, a short 300-meter walk from the water and beach. It was run by two brothers whose parents founded it over 40 years ago. The room was delightful, and the location was excellent. The breakfast I had the morning before leaving was perfect, featuring all the delicious Greek foods I wanted to try, and I ate my fill. It was included in the room price, which was about $85 US, and it was definitely worth it because I completely relaxed and enjoyed my stay.

During my time on Naxos, I went swimming twice and enjoyed walking around the island. I loved getting lost while exploring the shops selling a variety of merchandise like T-shirts and knick-knacks. it was a treat! I didn't buy anything, but just looking around made me feel great. I also had a nice dinner at a restaurant called Taverna, which cost $21. I ordered shrimp served on a plate with rice and salad, along with skewers of meat (souvlaki).

Naxos is not a rush through destination. I swam twice at St. George Beach. I wandered the old town and got completely lost in the castle area, the Venetian Astro district.

And here's something worth questioning: When was the last time you allowed yourself to get lost on purpose? No Google Maps. No urgency. Just curiosity.

Because that's where confidence grows, not in perfect plans, but in small uncertainties. I'll talk more about getting lost in my mistakes later on. "On an island, it's usually easy to find your way back" was one of my thoughts while exploring.

One of my favorite moments was hiking up St. George Hill, past an abandoned restaurant, to catch the sunset. The place was run down, with graffiti and weeds that made it look cluttered. But the views were magnificent. No crowds. No ticket. Just a view that reminded me why I travel.

And then there's the Portara, the Temple of Apollo. Just a 10–15 minute walk from town, sitting dramatically at the edge of the sea. It's iconic—but still peaceful if you time it right.

https://explore-naxosisland.com/places/baco

https://www.xwhos.com/record_labels/1/naxos.html

One day, something unexpected: a conversation at the beach with an Aussie man who was on the construction project for a bar on the seafront called Baco Seaside, 4.4 stars. You never know who you may run into at the beach. For details, James was 32, bald, and a good storyteller. He has no idea I travel the world and write about it for women like you. We watched each other's belongings when we wanted to go swimming. Never leave your items on the beach unattended.

.https://explore-naxosisland.com/places/baco

Travel introduces you to people you were never supposed to meet, and yet somehow you do.

If I had more time, and you should plan for it, I would visit: More beaches beyond St. George and The museums in the Venetian castle.

Here is more of the history you will learn while in the area. Naxos is a Greek island in the South Aegean, the largest of the Cyclades (sic la deeze), spelled Cyclades, a group of islands. Its fertile landscape spans mountain villages, ancient ruins, and long stretches of beach. The namesake capital (also called Hora or Chora) is a port town filled with whitewashed, cube-shaped houses and medieval Venetian mansions. Kastro, a hilltop castle dating to the 13th century, houses an archaeological museum.

https://www.xwhos.com/record_labels/1/naxos.html

Let's talk about Greek, yes, the language. I tried. I really did for fifteen days on Duolingo. However, I still struggled.And here's the truth: you don't need to be fluent. But you do need to be willing to try—and to feel a little uncomfortable.

That's part of Step 5 travel.

Greek is harder to learn than I thought. I've been using Greek Duolingo for the past 15 days, but it hasn't helped me as much as I hoped. It has been an experience nonetheless; I've learned a few Greek letters, but I still struggle to pronounce any words. Here are three I practiced.

Gia sas Yah sahs is hello
Parakalo is "pah rah kah Lott" is pleased
Efharisto is ef hah ree stoh is thank you

Don't underestimate Naxos. Give it at least 2–3 nights. Because when a place makes you feel relaxed that quickly, that's rare. If you're building your confidence as a solo traveler in Greece as a Step 5 newbie, Start with a place like Naxos.

Easy ferry access
Walkable town
S...