Road
Trips
• Get the right maps and plan your route. Get the rates for lodging,
if necessary and make reservations. The internet is great for all of these
tasks.
• Make plans and arrangements for any theme parks, camping, or
other venues you want to see and do. Be sure they are accessible on the
dates you are going and make any reservations if necessary.
• Bring your car in for any maintenance due, and/or have battery
checked and all fluids 'topped off'. Have the tires inspected. Be sure
you have a spare and a jack.
• It is a good idea to have a flashlight, at least one flare, emergency
numbers, registration and insurance and roadside assistance numbers in
the glove compartment.
• Bring your drivers license, credit cards, debit cards, and some
cash and change just in case they don't take plastic.
Beware at Airports and other Transit
Agencies
• Before you leave, be sure to take pictures of your kids and self.
Carry a set with you and leave a set with someone not with you.
• Teach your kids their full name, age, address, phone number and the number of a family member or trusted neighbor.
• Have a plan in case of an emergency situation or disaster –
such as someone in the family or a friend who is not with you, where you
can all agree to contact each other if you become separated.
• Give yourself at least a few hours before your scheduled flight
or other transportation departure to be there. This is because of all
of the new inspection points due to terrorism, etc.
• Never, ever make a joke about bombs or terrorists near security.
You may find yourself being detained, as this is a very serious subject
these days. Think of something else if you want to joke around.
• Be immediately suspicious (in any crowd) when someone bumps into
you. It may be a pickpocket. Also, be aware if something is spilled on
you, or strangers talk to you. The people may be trying to distract your
attention while they steal your valuables.
• Immediately report anything that you think is suspicious and
be alert to what is going on around you at all times. If you are traveling
on any form of mass transport system, keep an eye on what others are doing
- just in case - and report any suspicious parcels or packages.
• Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas and do not
accept packages from strangers.
Extra Precautions for Holiday Seasons
Intelligence experts believe that it is only a matter of time before
there is another terrorist attack in the U.S. and mass public transport
systems and holiday resorts are both prime targets.
Every day, Americans make more than 32 million trips on mass transit
and subways are particularly vulnerable targets to bombs or biochemical
attack with hundreds of passengers crowded into a very confined space.
Recent attacks in other countries, at hotels and resorts, were designed
to hit the economic well-being of that country and discourage visitors
from traveling.
International Travel
• Check the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice (call
0845 850 2829) for Public Announcements or Travel Warnings for the countries
you plan to visit. Public Announcements provide fast-breaking information
about relatively short-term conditions that may pose risks to the security
of travelers.
• Get the address and phone number of the American Embassy of any
country you are visiting on your vacation, and any other information for
an emergency, such as the Red Cross, etc.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries
to which you are traveling. While in a foreign country, you are subject
to that country's laws. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only
with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.
• Make several copies of your passport, insurance policy, 24-hour
emergency number, and ticket details. Leave these copies, your itinerary
and contact details with family and friends. Carry the other copies with
you in a separate place from your passport. This will facilitate replacement
if your passport is lost or stolen while you are on vacation.
• Get travel insurance and check that the coverage is adequate
for your situation. Get vaccinations you need 2 months before your departure
date. Also, consider whether you need to take extra health precautions.
Make sure your insurance covers your emergency medical needs while you
are overseas.
• If your travel involves passage on airlines with which you are
unfamiliar, you may wish to check their safety and reliability with a
reputable travel agent.
• Get a good guidebook about your destination. Get some books on
language translation. Practice commonly used phrases that you may need
to know.
Save on Travel, Spend More on Vacation Delights
• The easiest and best way to research fares is on the internet.
Don't depend on a travel agent, and even if you do use their services,
get a few different ones so you can compare. Also, be sure to research alternative
solutions that are not part of a package. You may be able to put together
a much more inexpensive route than what the agents offer.
• Travel agencies just can't compete with the discount ticket web sites.
You can search Google, Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets,
or Hotwire. One site may have the cheapest national fares but be more
expensive than others for international fares. Check all the options for
each. Mix and match! Buy a new outfit with what you saved!
• Experiment with several different departure and return dates
if you can. The difference of a day or two can make a big difference.
For instance, if you leave on Friday instead of Wednesday (or vice-versa),
you may save $100.
• Buying your plane tickets two weeks in advance is usually cheaper.
There can be a dramatic difference (but not always) if your trip is over
thirty days. Play with the dates. You might be amazed at what you
can save if your schedule is flexible in any way.
• Sometimes taking a train or bus to replace a connecting flight,
cannot only save you some money on airfare, but will allow you extra site-seeing
pleasure.
Planning and Packing
• Remember to budget and bring resources to cover taxes, surcharges,
fees, tipping, drinks, excursions, shopping purchases, vacation souvenirs,
etc. Get travelers checks and have some cash on hand.
• Check the weather for where you are traveling to and be sure
you have appropriate clothing for a number of possibilities within a range.
• Bring 'emergency' clothes, such as extra shoes in case a strap
breaks, extra nylons, or extra changes in case of flight delays. This
will save you from paying high tourist prices for necessities.
• If you are planning to do some serious shopping while on vacation,
bringing an extra suitcase is a good idea. There are great 'bags' that
fold up when empty.
• Another traveler's trick is to bring old clothes and just throw
them out when you buy new ones, to make room for them.
• It is a good idea when traveling to bring TP and Kleenex with
you, just in case you are somewhere that has run out. Wet 'handy wipes'
are very convenient to have. An inexpensive way to buy these is to use
'baby wipes' for keeping your hands clean when in public places, washing
your face on the fly, personal accidents, etc.
• Something else that you may want to consider is some travel size
bottles of hand sanitizers. It is very important, especially when in a
foreign country, to wash your hands often or more conveniently to use
the hand sanitizers.
• Most germs are spread via the hands. How many people do you know
that consistently wash doorknobs, light switches and public telephones?
So washing your hands is the best thing. Keep in mind that a bar of soap
can have more germs than a public telephone, so bring your own.
Still Want to Go on a Trip?
If you are still up for your plans for your vacation, and everything
has been considered, researched, confirmed, and finally packed, do remember
to have a good time!
Forget about all of the pressing matters of family, job, finances, politics
and foreign danger. Clear your mind, take some time to breathe deeply,
and don't forget to 'stop and smell the roses'.
Have a safe trip!
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