October 11, 2008
Safety Tips for Budget Travelers in Foreign
There are many things to keep in mind when traveling, whether you are a budget traveler or not. You obviously want to keep what money you have for your trip rather than lose it or have it stolen. You also want to keep yourself and traveling companions safe from harm. Here are some tips to follow to ensure your trip is safe and enjoyable in a foreign country. 1. Have a valid passport and all visas required for your trip. Make two copies of your passport. Keep one in a separate part of your travel luggage and the other leave with someone at home. 2. Be aware of any travel warnings for the country you are visiting. Find out about security and safety conditions in your destination. 3. Secure travel insurance! 4. Ensure you have been vaccinated against any infectious diseases prominent in the area you will be traveling to. 5. To make sure you can be contacted in case of an emergency, make a copy of your itinerary and leave it with someone at home. 6. Travel light and don't pack valuables that you wouldn't want to lose. Leave your jewelry at home but take an extra pair of glasses if you can't live without them. 7. Remember you are a foreigner when you travel. You are a guest in their country and therefore should abide by their laws, and to a certain extent, their customs. For example, if you are a female traveling in an Islamic state, be considerate of your dress. 8. Try not to bring too much attention to yourself when traveling. Don't go out looking like a tourist with a flashy camera and expensive clothes. Try to blend into the scenery. 9. Travel in a group where possible and in well known areas. There will be times you want to get off the tourist track, so make sure you always have a traveling companion with you. 10. Only carry small amounts of cash on you. Your credit card and travelers checks will pay for most things. 11. Watch out for pickpockets! Wear a money belt and keep your purse/wallet in the front of your body. Report any loss or theft immediately to the local authorities. 12. Don't leave your luggage unattended. Apart from having it stolen or items from it taken, you could also become an unsuspecting drug courier. 13. If traveling with a partner, pack half your clothes in their luggage and vice versa. This way if one of you loses your luggage, you will still have some clothes. 14. Lock your luggage and label everything. 15. Lock your hotel room. Keep money and valuables with you, not left unattended in your room. 16. When using public transport be aware of possible theft. If you are traveling overnight, secure your luggage and sleep on top of it if possible. It is not uncommon for tourists to be drugged while on trains and buses so don't accept gifts of food or drink from strangers on public transport. If at any time you feel unsafe, whether it is on the streets or in your accommodation, get out. Follow your instincts. Stay safe when you travel by being aware of the dangers and obeying the laws of the country you are visiting. This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel '" Your Online Travel Guru www.stuartstravel.com Sherry Hardesty has been a flight attendant for over 15 years and brings a wealth of expertise to the table. You can book your travel with Sherry at her website
From Safety Tips for Budget Travelers in Foreign
Posted by Joe at 10:02 AM
October 09, 2008
Tips For Taking A Caribbean Vacation During Hurricane
The official Caribbean hurricane season stretches from June 1 - November 30. It's rare to see a large storm in either June or November and most major hurricanes occur between August and October, with the peak season usually being September. The upside is that prices are lower for the Caribbean during this time and resorts are less crowded. So what do you do if you want to get away during hurricane season? Buy Travel Insurance You must buy the trip cancellation insurance before the storm is announced, otherwise it will be deemed a pre-existing condition, so always purchase insurance the same day you book your trip to be safe. Most travel insurance policies will cover a trip disrupted because of a hurricane when you are forced to arrive late or leave early for your trip, but you'll be reimbursed only for the affected days until the airport or resort reopens. You will usually be reimbursed for the days you are forced to stay at a resort during a hurricane, but be sure to always read the fine print on your policy to make sure you know what they will actually cover. Try to Avoid the Storms Track hurricanes online with weather websites during the season. Some good sites include: The National Weather Service - National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ Hurricane & Storm Tracking for the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans http://hurricane.terrapin.com Hurricane News and Information http://www.hurricanetrack.com Weather.com Tropical Storm Center http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/ Pick Your Location Well When planning a trip to the Caribbean during hurricane season, it is good to know that hurricanes are less likely the further south you go. The islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and St. Vincent, including the islands below them, are the least hit by hurricanes. However, as Grenada discovered in 2004 with Hurricane Ivan, never say never and keep in mind that hurricanes are unpredictable. Go on a Cruise The good thing about cruises is that they can usually sail around the worst of a storm. And today's ships are extraordinarily safe and with the advanced weather tracking available today, bad weather is something they can avoid. The downside is that the cruise line always reserves the right to reschedule port calls and change itineraries for weather-related reasons and therefore you may not get to visit the places you had hoped to. Pick a Resort That Offers a ?Hurricane Guarantee? Recently, many of the largest resorts and resort chains, have started instituting a ?hurricane guarantee,? offering guests their money back for days lost to bad weather. For example, in the unlikely event that hurricane force winds (as defined by the U.S. National Weather Service) directly hit the Sandals or Beaches resorts while you are a guest, interrupting the use of all the included activities, Sandals or Beaches Resorts will offer a free replacement vacation to be taken at any Sandals or Beaches Resort of your choice. Go to http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com/caribbean-hurricane-season.html for more resorts that offer hurricane guarantees. Make the Best of It. If you do get caught on vacation during a hurricane, try to make the best of it. As long as there is no danger present, relax indoors and focus on other activities. My husband and I got caught in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico during hurricane Keith in 2000. He was still my boyfriend at that time and unbeknownst to me, he planned to propose on our second evening there. We got dressed for dinner and arrived at the hotel restaurant to find it boarded up. We saw the line up in the hotel lobby, everyone was being evacuated from the hotel to one farther up the coast. We ran back to our room, packed and got on the next bus out - not the evening my husband had planned! When we checked into our room at the new hotel a few hours later, he still had the engagement ring burning a hole in his pocket. The winds were blowing and it was raining so the romantic walk on the beach he had been hoping for was out. He couldn?t put it off any longer so he dropped to one knee and proposed then and there. It was definitely a memorable evening, hurricane and all! Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively for work and vacations with her family. She is currently the editor of three travel websites. For more travel information visit: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com
From Tips For Taking A Caribbean Vacation During Hurricane
Posted by Ken at 04:00 PM
October 07, 2008
Aromatherapy Travel Insurance - Essential Oils For Your
Going on a trip is usually thought of as a wonderful experience, one that you and your family may have planned and looked forward to for some time. To have the most fun - to get the most out of the experience - it's important that you and your loved ones have the means to overcome those little ailments and discomforts that can make the experience range from mildly unpleasant to downright unbearable. How can we include a little 'Trip Insurance' to our already overstuffed carry-ons or mini-vans? Aromatherapy has an answer with some readily-available essential oils. Motion sickness, bug bites, digestive difficulties, and general travel weariness - to name a few - are common discomforts experienced when venturing away from home. A small collection of inexpensive essential oils can provide great relief from these amusement-threatening ailments. 'Treatment' with these oils is simple - ranging from inhaling a little oil from a tissue, to adding to a bath, to drinking a drop with a warm cup of water. And, thankfully, relief often comes quickly because of the oils' powerful properties and compatibility with our own bodies. Peppermint and Ginger Essential Oils - Tummy Troubles and Clearing the Head We'll begin with 'getting there' - any trip starts with traveling. By car, boat, plane, or otherwise, motion sickness commonly effects many people, particularly children. This can easily make the 'traveling' portion of your experience absolutely no fun. Enter Peppermint essential oil. Peppermint has long been used to calm uneasy stomachs, and is easily used. One drop (it is strong!) in a cup of warm water, sweetened if you like, can be sipped before and during the voyage. For the fussy ones, a drop can be added to a small amount of honey and taken from a spoon for the same effect. Ginger essential oil is also known for it's calming of upset stomachs - a little inhaled from a tissue or diluted in a carrier oil and rubbed on the abdomen can bring relief. One can also add a drop of ginger to warm water and drink as a strong tea - this may be effective for some food-related stomach issues as well, particularly when combined with the abdomen massage method. Peppermint can also be uplifting to the weary driver or passenger - a drop or two placed on tissues in the car or near your seat will release the aroma into your surroundings. Be careful with this oil however, as getting it on sensitive areas of the skin (directly under the nose, and certainly near the eyes) can cause irritation. Tissues with the oil on it should not touch these areas directly. Lavender Oil - the Great Soother Lavender has been called 'a medicine chest in a bottle' due to its wide range of effects. The aroma of Lavender is uplifting and relaxing, useful for stress in congested airports or crowded highways. Breathing this very safe essential oil is effective for adults and children alike - inhaling drops from a tissue directly, or from one's placed in your surroundings can help you and your companions be at ease. Plus Thyme, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus - Cleansing and Keeping Bugs and Bites at Bay Lavender essential oil is also an effective wound-healer because of it's anti-inflammatory, mild antibacterial, and skin-regenerative actions. It can be used directly in case of burns, mixed 50:50 with Tea Tree and put on band aids to prevent infection, or blended with Thyme Linalol and Eucalyptus (2:4:2) and added to a bowl of water for an effective disinfectant wash. Lavender is very useful for treating bites and stings - just place a little 'neat' (undiluted) on the affected area. This versatile oil is also a component of an insect repellent blend comprised of equal parts of Lavender, Thyme Linalol, and Peppermint, and a double-dose of Lemongrass essential oil. A drop or more placed on tissue or cloth about your room can keep the insects out of your space; 3 drops of this blend per teaspoon of carrier oil can be regularly applied to the skin - or you may mix a similar amount into any lotion you may have. Lavender can be used in combination with Geranium, Chamomile, Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils in relieving the effects of jet-lag. Getting out of this weary state as quickly as possible makes any trip more enjoyable. This requires getting yourself and companions in-synch with local time, having good rest at night and perhaps a gentle lift in the mornings and throughout the day. To get yourself into the swing of local time, relax and be ready for bed with equal parts of Lavender and Geranium essential oils - Chamomile may also be used in place of the Geranium, and works especially well for soothing children (if they are irritable for ANY reason). Add a few drops to a bath or use in a massage oil. For a morning eye-opener, do the same using equal amounts of Peppermint and Eucalyptus. You will find these useful at other times when you need a little clarity and lightening-up. Lemon Oil - the Purifier Lemon also has some wonderfully diverse uses. It is effective as an antibacterial, but not so strong as to be an irritant. Adding several drops per quart to your drinking water will help purify it, and the water can act as a disinfectant to be used in washing your fruits and vegetables ? the need for this certainly depends on your location, but it not a bad idea whenever bacterial contamination may be a possibility. Further, regularly drinking water with added lemon oil can gently stimulate the lymphatic and digestive systems, helping alleviate that sluggish feeling that often accompanies extended plane and car travel. Eucalyptus Oil - For Keeping Cool and Cold Relief Eucalyptus - the Narrow Leaf variety is a favorite - has a great range of uses as well. It can cool the body when too hot, and protect it when too cold. It is found in almost all formulas used to relieve congestion, can support circulation, and bring lightness to a travel-weary head. Eucalyptus oil can be used like peppermint to uplift and invigorate during long intervals in an automobile. It can be added to a cool bath or used on a cold compress in cases of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (accompanied by, of course, copious amounts of water and electrolytes!), and used in a similar manner to reduce fever. Eucalyptus oil may be blended with Geranium as a massage oil (3 drops Eucalyptus and 2 drops Geranium per teaspoon of carrier oil) to relieve heat cramps. For congestion relief, to a drawn bath, add 1 drop Eucalyptus, 3 drops Lemon, 2 drops Thyme, and 2 drops Tea Tree - soak and breathe deeply - or simply add a few drops to a steaming bowl of water and inhale. These are just a few examples of ways to make your travel experiences more enjoyable with aromatherapy. With a little effort, you can expand your knowledge of these oils, discovering further uses, and find other oils that work well for your particular needs. These essential oils are readily available, and fairly inexpensive - though caution should be used when buying oils, as some can be adulterated, and others are mass-produced with techniques that may limit their therapeutic benefits. The more pleasant and 'well rounded' an oil's aroma, generally the higher the quality. Your nose will know! And as with any aromatherapy application, start slowly - essential oils deserve a healthy respect. Misty Rae Cech, ND, is a naturopath and yoga instructor practicing in Boulder, Colorado. She is the owner of http://www.ananda-aromatherapy.com and
From Aromatherapy Travel Insurance - Essential Oils For Your Posted by Perry at 04:07 PM
The reason why we take out travel insurance is to provide that peace of mind should something go wrong and we can get our money back or part of it anyway But life is never that simple and many of us are disappointed when our claim is declined, all because of obscure clauses in the policy small print which, if we are honest, none of us have bothered to read in the first place This is both irritating and costly when it happens and unless there is very strong mitigating circumstances, insurers are very unlikely to back From Making A Claim? How To Gain Without The Pain Posted by Joe at 09:35 AM
It is not easy to travel from one country to another, as traveling to a different country includes many important factors that may really exhaust or exhilarate you Before traveling to a different country, you need to get a travel insurance policy This is one of the most important things to do before From Different Types of Travel Posted by Russell at 03:47 PM
With cruises growing more and more popular, people are more concerned about things going wrong on their travels That many people in one place seems like an ideal opportunity for thieves, and this combined with the risk of needing medical attention at sea can be off-putting Still, if you pay attention to these cruise travel tips, you needn t have to rely on your cruise travel insurance to bail you Posted by Joe at 03:09 PM
Every year, millions of people go skiing around the world, and despite the wide availability of cheap ski travel insurance there are still many who travel without full cover There are plenty of things that go wrong on a skiing holiday, ranging from injury and equipment loss to bad weather and cancellation costs, and while it s easy to say it won t happen to me , you can face enormous costs if run into trouble without insurance Here are five good reasons why you should invest in some decent ski travel insurance before your next trip From Ski Travel Insurance 5 Reasons Why You Need Posted by Bob at 02:44 PM
Between the awe inspiring sights of Peru, the brilliance of Carnaval in Brazil and the sense of adventure in Argentina, South America has a huge amount to offer travelers of all ages and experience, but many are put off by the dangerous reputation the area has The truth is that the majority of travelers have their trip and come back with no bad experiences and a selection of unforgettable memories If you re still worried though, and South America travel insurance on its own isn t enough to make you feel safe, follow these South American travel tips to minimize the chances of anything going wrong Setting off and Arriving - Get your South America travel insurance sorted out well ahead of time this will also cover you against From Safety in South Posted by Tom at 12:04 PM
September 01, 2008
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Different Types of Travel
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Six Cruise Ship Safety
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Ski Travel Insurance 5 Reasons Why You Need
Safety in South
