CHAPTER SIX - TRAVEL SMART, STAY SAFE!
IF YOU HAVE YOUR UMBRELLA, IT WON’T
RAIN!
That’s another way of saying, “BE PREPARED”. If you are prepared
for
the worst, then nothing can spoil your trip.
PLATYPUS
TIPS: Planning for the worst.
You will want to be familiar with the general political climate
and health
concerns in the places you will be visiting. Are you planning to
visit a Third
World or Developing Country? Get the latest, most up-to-date information
on the Web. Visit these sites for FREE warnings and bulletins
about
political or health concerns (disease out-breaks, vaccination requirements)
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
ACCESS HERE THE BEST TRAVEL TOOLS THE WEB HAS TO OFFER!
Kroll Travel Watch (www.krollassociates.com)
State Department (http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html)
Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/travel)
or visit our Web site at: http:// www.platypuspublications.com,
go to our “Exciting Destinations” web page and click on
TRAVEL WARNINGS, HEALTH CONCERNS and
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS.
Carry “moist towelettes” or waterless, alcohol based gel antiseptic
for
washing hands often, when traveling in crowded conditions.
Photocopy all your important documents: passport, tickets,
driver’s
license, credit cards, traveler’s check numbers, etc.
Make two copies,
leave one at home, take the other with you, stored in a safe
place.
Register all expensive camera equipment, before you travel, with
US
Customs, so that upon your reentry you have proof that it
was
purchased in the US. Saves you the hassle.
Make an itinerary, with as much detailed information as possible:
dates, places, phone numbers, confirmation numbers. Make two,
leave a copy with a family member or a friend, take the other
one
with you.
On overnight flights, take disposable ear plugs, (even on daytime
flights noise adds to travel fatigue) blow up neck pillow
and possibly
something to help you sleep, so you won’t find yourself in
sleep
deficit. Arrive relaxed and refreshed, able to enjoy your
trip more.
For your most important valuables, (passport, tickets, credit
cards,
cash) use either an around the neck or shoulder holster type
pouch.
Remember, fanny packs and even back packs can be cut off you,
without you even noticing. The beauty of the around
the neck pouch
and the shoulder holsters is that they are both worn beneath
your
outer clothing. Making them less accessible to thieves. I
recommend
a money belt only for cash or traveler’s checks, as credit
cards and
passports could get bent when you sit for long periods of
time. A
jacket or coat, if weather permits, with lots of inside zippered
pockets, gives you lots of safe and handy places to store
valuables. If
I am feeling a little insecure about an area, I wear my back
pack as if
it were a front pack.
Never, ever leave your valuables unattended on a train, no matter
how
deserted it looks. There are people who ride the trains for
a living,
jumping on at one station, off at the next, just waiting to
catch a
foreign traveler “off guard”.
IF YOU’VE GOT IT, DON’T FLAUNT IT!
PLATYPUS
TIPS: How to avoid problems.
Even if there is no apparent civil unrest or anti-American sentiment,
where
you are visiting, you still need to be alert to your surroundings,
as most big
cities, worldwide, do have a criminal element. (especially in known
“Tourist Spots”)
Do put your cash in several different places. Keep a small amount
in
an outside pocket to use for small purchases. That way
you are not
flashing a wad of money, every time you pay for something.
It is also
a good idea, in case of loss, you will have more stashed away.
Try to pay for as much as you can with a credit card. It saves
you
from having to carry a lot of cash, and you will also get
a better
exchange rate.
Do not carry more than two credit cards, two should be enough.
Don’t attract unwanted attention by dressing too well, wearing
valuable jewelry or carrying expensive designer luggage.
Don’t put anything into a check-in bag that you are not willing to
lose. Especially money or other valuables.
Never lock your check-in baggage with a large lock. That is
like
putting a neon sign on it saying, “Look at me, I’m carrying
valuables!”. If I have to check in a bag, I will close
the zippers with
a twister tie, that sends the message, “its ok, go ahead and
look
inside, there is nothing of value, here!”. I have worked
in Airports
for years and have seen the poor carcasses of bags, in dumpsters,
their
only sin was they “looked too good!” There is no such
thing as a
100% secure piece of luggage. If a thief wants to open
it, they will. If
they can’t cut it open, pry it open, or cut off the lock,
they can just
take it away somewhere and destroy the whole thing. Then you
will
be told that it was lost.
Do not carry reading material, or anything else, that could be
considered offensive, by some. Particularly important when
traveling in fundamentalist countries.
In fundamentalist countries, do not talk about controversial subjects,
mind your own business and don’t wear religious symbols or
questionable clothing. Be sensitive to their customs.
Don’t take photographs of people, unless you get their permission.
If you don’t speak the language, just point to your camera,
you will
know by their reaction.
Much “goodwill” can be gained if you smile, are courteous, and try
to
say a few words in their language, such as “Hello”, “Please”
and
“Thank you”. Knowing the culture can help you avoid problems.
Try not to act like a typical “Tourist”, don’t be demanding or ask
in
public for directions or reading maps on the street.
The best idea is to
ask people whose job it is to give information, or someone
who works
at your hotel. The more you know about your destination, before
you
go, the less you will have to ask, once you are there.
Don’t ask police
for directions in some South American countries and Mexico,
or third
world Asian countries.
Kidnapping is very real in countries such as Colombia and the
Philippines. Businessmen are the usual targets, but you can
be
cautious, too. Be particularly careful at night and in areas
of unrest.
Use your head in restaurants and bars, particularly when you are
alone in countries like Thailand and the Philippines, watch
your drink
being poured and then never leave it unattended. One way of
rendering you helpless is by slipping something into your
drink. I
know a person who experienced this right here in the US, at
a
nightclub. She left her drink sitting on a table, while
she went to the
dance floor. It was a terrifying experience, that made
her almost
totally helpless. Her vision became as if she were looking
through a
“fish-eye” lens and she could barely stand on her own, let
alone
walk. It could have been a total disaster, if she hadn’t
been with
friends, who literally carried her out and took care of her
for hours,
until the drug wore off. Luckily for her, this did not happen
when she
was alone. Others are not so lucky, especially
when it happens far
from home.
Be careful when taking taxis. If there is no meter, negotiate
a fair price
before you get into the cab. Don’t ride with others,
unless you have a
pretty good idea that they are fellow tourists. Never
ignore your
instincts, if a person or situation makes you uncomfortable,
there is
usually a reason. Go with your “gut” reaction.
When arriving back in the US, save yourself time and money, by
NOT carrying anything questionable. Don’t bring agricultural
souvenirs. Even though some of those items may be enterable,
they
may prove too costly, in time taken for Secondary Inspections.
Carrying other Agriculture items, such as: Food, Plants, Animals
or
Soil could cause you delays and possible fines, if not declared.
Keep
receipts of all major purchases to prove price, in duty disputes.
BETTER WAYS OF PACKING
PLATYPUS
PACKING TIPS: I have found the less you
take, the better you are. I have never wished I had taken
more, in fact, it
has always been the other way around, wishing I hadn’t packed so
much. I
learned, the hard way, that less is definitely more. Now, for our
month in
Asia, visiting ten cities, I plan to take only two, small hand carries.
The less you take, the less you have to drag around and the less
to worry
about. Jumping on and off trains is not conducive to even
pulling a small
carry-on, let alone large suitcases. I have seen people struggling
with large
suitcases, some reduced to tears when realizing that they brought
more than
they could handle. People leaving Hawaii, carried two and three
large
suitcases full of clothes/shoes for a one week’s stay, when all
they needed
was a bathing suit, some sandals, a few pairs of shorts, some T-shirts
and
maybe one nice outfit.
In the early days of traveling in Japan, I took four bags with a
fold up
cart. I was fine, as long as I was on level ground but,
ended up having to
ask strangers to help, just so I could navigate through train stations.
Many
Japanese train stations have steps, two stories high, just to go
up one side
and down the other side, every time you change platforms. It made
me
realize, I really only needed about half of what I had brought and
ended up
leaving two of the bags in a locker in the Tokyo Train Station.
It caused me
some anxious moments, worrying if I would ever be able to find them
again.
There are lots of little tricks and tips to help you unburden yourself.
Carrying too much, not only puts you at a handicap, but also stereotypes
you as a “Tourist”. You need to be able to give your full attention
to where
you are and where you want to go, rather than using up so much energy
just
keeping up with your “stuff”.
Practice packing, lay out what you think you will need, then pack
only
half of that.
Don’t take clothes that are too bulky, rather take more lightweight
clothes that can be layered. That way you are more prepared
to
respond when the weather changes.
Take clothes that will do double duty, like a large shirt, that you
can
sleep in too, or a coat, that doubles as a raincoat and a
blanket, in case
you need to sleep on or under it.
Packing only one sweatshirt or a few less T-shirts, allows you to
buy
some later, as souvenirs. Leave room for those fantastic bargains,
that
are too good to resist, such as an “Alligator” shirt from
Hong Kong,
for only US$ 3.00.
Use large plastic “zippered” freezer bags for clothing and toiletries.
Closing them on the floor, by pressing out the air with your
knees,
creates a vacuum, allowing you to pack twice as much in the
same
space, helps cut down on wrinkles and is waterproof, too!
Pack some old clothes for long flights, discard them along the way,
to
lighten your load and make room for new purchases.
Need less clothes, by sticking to a neutral color, like black or
beige and
then selecting the rest of your clothing to go with the neutral
one. If
everything is interchangeable, then you will need less clothes
to
change your look.
Choose clothes for their weight, comfort and how well they travel.
I am always on the look out for travel clothes. Some
of my favorites:
silk long johns,t hey are great, lightweight, very warm and
you can
even sleep in them. Leggings and large sweatshirts also double
as
sleepwear. Vests are small, but big on style, take a few,
they can
make a pair of jeans and a T-shirt an outfit. Adding a beaded
vest and
a pair of heels to a basic black outfit can take a woman anywhere.
Be on the look out for toiletries that do multiple duty, too.
A good
liquid face soap can also be used as a shower scrub, shampoo
and
even detergent for hand-washables ! Some body cremes are also
sunblocks and insect repellents.
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