You can be an urban explorer safely. But, it means setting limits on how far you go when you are exploring. You will also need to buy some extra gear and be prepared to carry it around.

Let's be upfront, urban exploration is not safe. It's not a safe, clean and tidy hobby. There are dangers and risks involved: animals, holes, damaged buildings, drains, chemicals, police, and so on. Of course, the risks all depend on where and how you are exploring.

You can be an urban explorer and take less risks, play safe. I tend to be this way myself. I have some admiration for those who investigate drain tunnels, sewer systems, and infiltrate buildings and places past the point of 'staff only' and 'no trespassing' signs. It's jut not for me.

So, play safe if you want to but understand you will have to set limits on how far you go and how much you see.

You're also going to need to spend some money on extra gear like better footwear, flash lights and exploring clothes.

Of course, you also need to read up on trespassing laws and bylaws in your area. If you really want to be safe you need to find and contact the property owner and get real permission for your exploring there.

The Risks of Exploring Dangerous Places

Some people call it urban spelunking, because it's like climbing around in caves - in the city.

You need a lot of the same gear too if you're going to go inside industrial sites, drains, subways, bridges, tunnels, sewers, rooftops, and derelict places where the floor could give in, there could be chemical or biological waste and so on.

Urban Exploring Gear

How much gear you need depends strongly on how dirty you plan to get exploring.

I explore old farm houses in rural Ontario, mainly. I bring along my camera, a map book and I usually stash a pair of sturdy boots in the car. I wear clothes I can move in and wash easily. I don't tend to walk through much, other than tall grass and weeds. But, I have run into territorial birds and I had a bee stuck in my hair that buzzed around for what seemed ages before it found it's way out (without stinging me!).

If you are exploring mine shafts, tall buildings, grain elevators:

Rock climbing gear.

If you are exploring tunnels, drains, sewers:

Portable gas detectors, oxygen monitors, or handheld air quality testers. Portable SCBA units or emergency air canisters.

If you are exploring underground or buildings/ places with asbestos or black mould:

P-95 or better air respirator.

If you are exploring unstable environments like unstable buildings and abandoned mines:

Hard hat. OSHA approved training in confined spaces.

If you don't understand the gear or know how to use it, get that information and training. Don't become an urban exploration statistic.

Trespassing: Where do you Stand?

Urban explorers have their own rules about where to draw the line on entering property they want to explore.

Some explorers literally will go anywhere. But this is not the standard, or the theme which urban exploration goes by. Urban exploration has a motto: take only photos, leave only footprints. Urban explorers are not vandals, scavengers for vintage house parts and they do not spray graffiti around. Also, urban explorers do not break and enter.

Instead of cutting a fence and urban explorer will look for access to the site which does not involved breaking or cutting anything. We might crawl under a fence, enter through a hole someone else has already left or walk past signs stating 'no trespassing'. It's a fine line, a small distinction but there are some ethics to urban exploring. Also, a pride in not crossing the line.

Urban exploration is about exploring, not causing damage to property (or upsetting property owners) by stealing, harming or leaving garbage of our own at the site.

Read more about trespassing laws in your own province or state. You should have the right information for your location and situation. In general, you are trespassing if you are on private property without permission.

This means you can take photos from the street, the sidewalk, the pathway, behind the fence... and be perfectly safe from trespassing. In cases like this it is really nice to have a digital camera with a lot of zoom.

Some Urban Exploration Links to Get Started With

• Place Hacking

• Forbidden Places

• Dark Passage

• Flickr: Canadian Rural Ruins

• Flickr: Ontario Rural Ruins

• Urban Exploration Resource

• HowStuffWorks : Top 10 Cities for Urban Exploration

• HowStuffWorks : The Origins and Codes of Urban Exploration

• A Complete Guide to Urban Exploration - Bearings

• Infiltration: Timeline

• The Past, Present, & Future of Urban Exploration

This Post Started as a HubPages Question

What do you seek when you visit other countries?

Baudelaire wrote of escaping "anywhere out of this world" and Proust pondered our longing to get out of our own lives, frustrated by discovery that they follow us wherever we go like our shadows. Enlightenment travelers are less concerned with the experience there are having than with understanding the places and people they visit, but it takes time and patience and modern tourists are short of both.

Asked by Beata Stasak.

I Like to Travel for Culture and History

I like to find the atmosphere of the place. I'm not a social butterfly, but I push myself a bit and talk to people when I travel. I ask about things that interest me. Sometimes I find out about a great place to visit while I'm there. Sometimes they tell me about a local group I could join in with. Often I get a new perspective on my old, taken for granted ideas.

I like finding culture and history. I will go to things like local museums and flea markets and those farmer's markets where they really do still have produce as well as crafts and such for sale.

One thing I always do it get out very, very early so I can be out people watching as the town/ city wakes up for the working day. I like to see the place start fresh and come alive around me.

There is something special about getting away. First you have that flash of horror at being adrift in a new place. But, once you get over that the adventure starts. It's only when you travel that you can really be free, reinvent yourself, try something new and waste a day doing nothing, guilt free.

How to Enjoy the Trip

Remember you're a tourist and take the day (or week, however long you are away) off.

Write about your adventures. Draw, doodle and illustrate if you can. Add postcards if you can't draw anything at all. Save ticket stubs and other bits of things which you can add to your travel journal.

Have one planned destination each day. Maybe a tourist spot, maybe a restaurant that sounded too good to pass up, or a place you planned to see long before you left home even. Don't plan every step of your day. Give yourself room for unplanned adventures, changing your mind and wandering.

Talk to people. Even if you don't usually talk to anyone, put forth a little effort and talk to a couple of people each day. A real conversation. See if you can get past the regular small talk about the weather.

Take photos, lots of photographs. We are past the days when you had to pay for photofinishing and film. Now, the digital camera sets you free to make a fool of yourself being a tourist with a loaded camera. Go all out and put your thumb in a few pictures too, it's traditional.

Take the time to send postcards while you are still away from home. Write them with a new pen while you enjoy coffee, tea or something else in a lovely location with a great view.

The hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, or hostel you are staying at is a good (easy to find) source for great places to see, what to eat and things to do.

Do some of the things you like to do when you're home. I like browsing at bookstores. It's a great way to spend an afternoon when I'm in another town, another city, province (state), or country. I look for second hand bookstores too, not just retail.

Do something you don't make time for when you are home and busy or just don't have the energy. It might be something like getting a pedicure for the first time ever. You might get tickets and go to a live theatre performance, evening or matinee. Be open to new experiences.

A day trip is simple, just the one day away. You don't need to put in a lot of serious planning, you don't need heavy duty packing. If you leave something undone at home - you will be back later the same day to finish it up. Just make sure you leave your home safe - turn things off and lock it up!

A day trip can be something you decide to do just because you want a change of scenery, feel frustrated or need to recharge your creative energies.

I really enjoy a day trip. Day trips can be impulsive or planned in advance. Either way, you don't need to bring a lot with you or plan your life around the one day you're taking off.

Where to Go on a Day Trip

• Visit friends or family who live in another city or town.
• Pick a restaurant you wanted to try.
• Take the bus or train and go into the city for the museum, art gallery, etc.
• Take the bus or drive out into the country, be rural for the day.
• Travel around and try farmer's markets on a weekend day.
• Look for local events like seasonal fairs and festivals.
• Pick a town you heard something interesting about and go there.
• Go to the beach. In winter it's cold but still nice to hear the waves.
• Look into short excursions like ferry boat tours and ghost/ haunted walks.
• Pamper yourself by going to a spa or enjoying some other luxury.

Check the Weather

Check the weather expected at your planned destination and along the route you plan to take there and back. You can expect seasonal weather but you might want to see if you're heading into a humid or rainy day or a day where the winter is going to dump a few inches of snow. This is also good to know for the driving conditions, if you are driving rather than taking a bus, train or plane.

Pack for the Activities Planned

If you know what you will be doing, make a list of everything you will need. Do this ahead of time so you can add items to the list as you think of them. Trying to think of everything last minute can leave you with something important forgotten at home. You really don't want to be the one person who forgot to pack a swimsuit for the beach.

If you are going to be active (swimming, hiking, etc.) you might want to pack your own shampoo, even though you only plan to be away for the day. Chances are you will find some where to have a quick shower to freshen up before heading home again.

Think of the little things which you may not need but could really wish you had packed, if you had planned ahead. If you don't end up using everything, then just bring it home.

Light Travel Links

• Well Designed Travel: How to Pack Lightly | Apartment Therapy

• One Bag - The Art and Science of Travelling Light

• How to Prepare Your Day Pack | Festival Survival Guide

What to Pack

Don't use a huge suitcase or massive luggage for a day trip. You're just going to be stuck carrying around a huge bag when you could be carrying everything much more easily and with less weight to haul around. Your actual bag to be packed should be light weight, as with any luggage.

• Any tickets, documentation, government or insurance papers you need.
• Any medicines and toiletries (shampoo, hairbrush, toothbrush, etc.) you need. Pack these as if you were planning the trip for an overnight stay, just in case plans change. Stash a light nightgown and a change of underwear too.
• ID, money, wallet, credit or debit cards. Keep some cash handy too. One of the best things is stopping for farm fresh produce at the roadside stands.
• A good book, possibly pens and paper too to keep yourself amused should you end up waiting for someone or something. (I'm into bookpacking myself.)
• Your electronics of choice: camera, mobile phone, tablet, mini laptop, etc. Pack the chargers too if you haven't already charged the electronics at home.
• Maps! If you are driving look for maps showing the back roads. Get driving directions if you need them.
• Something to drink should you be in for a long drive. Stop for coffee if you want to but keep something with you in case you don't find a good coffee place.
• If you are going anywhere fancy pack an extra set of clothes to wear so you aren't wearing the same travel clothes.
• Consider items for first aid or wardrobe malfunctions.
• Consider a sturdy pair of boots if you are the type to stop for interesting detours along the way.
• Pack sunglasses for warm travel and warm socks for cold travel.

Of course, you won't need all of this for a day trip. Skip whatever you don't want to pack or carry around. If you can't fit more into your light backpack or travel bag then re-plan how much you are taking and leave some of it behind. The theme of the day is to keep it light. As long as you have the basic ingredients you can usually grab anything else you need along the way. Day trips, after all, are not that far from home.

Picture a sunny day, maybe it's Autumn when things have cooled off from summer, leaves are changing colour on the trees and (if you're Canadian) you have been making plans for family coming over and Thanksgiving dinner. It's nice to have a quiet day to yourself amid all the planning, people visiting, phone ringing... why not take make a quick, simple picnic and spread a blanket in the cemetery to eat lunch and read a book?

Cemeteries and graveyards are only as creepy as you make them. In fact, they are well landscaped with history and greenery. They are quiet places - great for bird watching, writing, solitude and picnics. Stop by for a visit, even if you don't have relatives there.

Cemnic - Picnic in a cemetery. Usually thought of as a large, well landscaped place but it could also be a family graveyard in a rural area, anywhere really.

A Few Links

• A Halloween Picnic: In a Graveyard! | Halloween Alliance

• Full Life, Good Death: Cemeteries and Picnics

• Road Trip: Picnic and a Movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

How to Have a Cemetery Picnic

Pick a Location

Most cemeteries are considered public property so you should have no problem with access - this means you are not trespassing. However, cemeteries may have scheduled hours. The gates may be closed due to the lateness of the day or they may be closed one day a week for maintenance and groundskeeping.

In the cemetery itself, find a place where you can be peaceful, away from traffic and foot traffic. Pick a picture perfect spot, where the grass isn't dry and prickly and the trees aren't dropping twigs or insects upon you.

Bring a Few Things

Bring a blanket to sit on, especially if the ground is damp or freshly mowed. Bring an extra blanket to curl up in if you get chilly. The cemetery tends to have a lot of open area so it can be breezy. Dress for the weather. Bring an umbrella if you might get rained on.

Of course, you need the picnic itself. If you have a whole picnic basket with plates, glasses and cutlery, great. If not, pack all the supplies you will need, don't forget napkins.

Sandwiches are traditional picnic fare but you could pack up anything you like as long as it's won't slop outside of the containers you pack it into. Try to avoid anything which will leave a lot of crumbs. Birds and other critters may eat the crumbs but the groundskeeper may not want to encourage all the various wildlife to come around.

Drinks in bottles which you can re-cap are a good plan. Insects will be attracted to sweet drinks but you can keep them from bothering you if you keep everything sweet contained.

You can get a quick picnic by going to the counter where they have sandwiches and salads at the grocery store, or a bakery, etc. Grab a container of cottage cheese or any other extras you like. If you didn't already pack knives, forks, spoons and napkins you can pick them up there too.

Bring a bag for trash. Usually you can find trash bins at the cemetery, if not, take it with you and find another place to dispose of the trash.

Respect the dead and the sensibilities of anyone who may also drop by to visit.

Don't leave behind trash. Don't drink too much. If you smoke (you probably shouldn't) but don't leave cigarette butts anywhere. Anything and everything you bring with you should also leave with you. The only exception being something you brought for relatives/ ancestors buried there. My brother and I will leave my Grandparents a Tim Horton's coffee when we visit them.

You might bring a laptop to work in the quiet. You might bring a radio to listen to some music. Watch the sound level, you want to keep it respectful. If you bring animals keep them leashed and clean up after them, pick up the poo and don't let them pee on any gravestones.

Don't take or disturb the flowers and decorations left by other families. Some people may have left money even. Resist temptation.

If you're visiting with family and making an occasion of it, bring a camera and take photographs.

If you're visiting family graves take some time to think about them. Talk about them if you're with family - talk to them if you're alone.

As you sit there, or while you walk around, take note of names on the stones. This is your local history. The families who lived in your town, built houses and businesses and had families are all right there. You could find out more about some of those old family names if you have an interest in local history.

Day of the Dead

Likely you have heard about the Mexican Day of the Dead, November 1st and 2nd. Family and friends gather to pray for and remember those who have passed on. In Mexico it is a national holiday.

Private altars are built, honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds. Favourite food and drink of the departed are prepared and brought for visiting the graves with these gifts. Possessions of the dead are also brought and left for them.

Tomb Sweeping Day

The Qing Ming Festival (more commonly known as Tomb Sweeping Day) is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrating the arrival of Spring and remembering ancestors. Families visit grave sites the month following the Lunar New Year and days before the Spring Equinox.

The burning of incense and paper after the grave has been swept and maintained. Family members bow in front of the tombstone with incense in their hands and placing the incense upright in the ground. This is how they pay their respects to the dead.

Specialty shops sell paper versions of material possessions. One can buy paper houses, paper servants, even paper cell phones. It is believed material objects like these will still be needed in the afterlife so these paper versions are brought by the families.

After the paper offerings are burned, the food is divided up between family members. It's traditional to bring a whole roast pig to be offered at the tombs. Other food brought includes whole steamed chicken, white/yellow sugar cakes, oranges and other fruits. Rice wine is poured on the ground for the dead.

This picnic at the cemetery is a happy occasion of remembrance.

I wrote one like this before. Probably for HubPages. This one has more points about being prepared and bringing stuff with you. I don't really do either of those. I wear totally the wrong shoes and I only bring the map book and my camera. 

 Probably not a great example to follow. 

10 safety tips when photographing abandoned buildings :: Photographs inQuinte by Geary LeBell

As my interest with taking photos of old, abandoned structures and buildings has increased over the years, so has my awareness of my safety. Many of the buildings that I enter are NOT structurally sound and present a risk to your safety when exploring.

Here are 10 tips when out exploring and taking photographs of old abandoned buildings and other structures.

1. Watch your step tripping hazard. Always be cautious with the steps you take. You need to be reasonably sure that the floor or surrounding structure is going to stay intact when exploring. There are many places where I've made a conscious decision not to enter because I felt my well-being was at risk. Entering an unsound building is a risk to your safety. Use common sense every time you make a decision to explore.

2. Be aware of your surroundings. Walking on uneven and weak flooring; being surrounded by loose brick, drywall, plaster and other building materials; and surrounded by sharp and ridged objects is a recipe for disaster if you do not exercise caution. Caution, balance and awareness of your surrounding are key to increasing your chances of not being injured or worse.

3. Photo gear bag with easy equipment access. Make sure your gear is accessible and safe. The ability to quickly access your camera, lenses and other equipment will not only provide safety for you, but your gear as well. Brining too much equipment or not being properly organized for transport creates frustration when trying to switch camera bodies or lenses and put you and your gear at risk. When exploring, I either leave my camera case in the car; bringing only what I need, or always wear it around my shoulders or neck when exploring the interior of a structure. Accessing my equipment can be done without ever taking the case off as it can go from behind me to in front of me by sliding the shoulder strap around my person, which provides easy access to all my equipment.

4. Wear the proper shoes. Wearing a solid shoe with good tread is critical when exploring old buildings. I would even go so far as to recommend work boots; even though I never wear them. The point is that you need to have a solid grip on the ground and ankle support for uneven ground. I wear a good quality running shoe with good tread and have never had an issue. Sandals, high heels or bare feet will surely get your injured!

5. Stepping on a nail hazard Wear proper clothing. Don't wear tight, bulky or expensive clothing. You'll need to be able to maneuver in tight spots and in awkward positions to get that amazing photo. Wearing tight jeans, a bulky jacket or a $800 dollar leather jacket is not ideal for this kind of photography. Think cheap, light and comfortable fitting.

6. Have a method of communicating with the outside world. If possible, carry your mobile phone in a secure but accessible location. The last thing you need is to get injured and/or stuck, having no way to notify someone.

7. Tell someone where you're at! Always tell a friend or family member where you're going. Accidents happen and you can take comfort in the fact that, if you're missing for some time, someone will know your location and eventually will find you. Remember the movie 127 hours?

8. Be calm, polite and understanding to property owners. Chances are, at one point or another you will be approached by the owner of a property you have not been given permission to be on. In my experience, being polite, understanding explaining your purpose usually is responded to in a positive manner. Always be accommodating, even if they tell you to get the #$#ck off my property!

9. Get permission go on someones property. Be aware of other people's presence. 99.9% of the time when you happen to cross paths with another person while exploring an old building you will have no issues. Just be aware if there are people in the area, you should use good judgement to avoid a situation you don't want to be in. Use your gut feeling and common sense to avoid suspect individuals! Be wary of causing injury to them and vice versa, them to you.

10. And finally, get permission. The best thing you can do to relieve the stress of being in an abandoned building without permission is to get permission. Sure it's fun and gets the adrenalin pumping, but to have permission from a property owner will set your mind at ease and provide you with a more pleasurable, un-rushed experience. Some ideas on how to get permission: talk to a neighbour, investigate the place online before heading out, check with local Land registrars.