Vacation Travel Quest - Travel Articles

Many travelers today are quite knowledgeable about safety when traveling, but there are also many who do not give safety a second thought when planning their vacation. Travel safety can play an important part of having your vacation be a true fantastic experience or it can cause it to be a travel nightmare. Here are a few travel safety tips to help you:

Before you leave home,

• Go through your purse or wallet and filter out what you won’t need as you travel - take out any cards or credit cards you don’t plan to use--is your Zellers card really necessary in the Caribbean? Do you need your Driver’s License, or will you be chauffeured to the airport? Will you be using your library card? Do you plan on using your bank card, or are you just using traveler’s cheques? These items are a headache to replace if lost or stolen. Also, thieves may be able to use information from these cards to initiate an identity theft.
• Remove excess monies – if you are using American money, take out your Canadian cash (but leave some to perhaps pay for airport parking or vending machines).
• Ladies, take out creams, perfumes and hairsprays from your purse and delegate them to your check-in luggage as airport security may not allow certain items on the plane and will throw them away at check-in. Tip: find out what is allowed at particular airports - we ran into a problem in Panama where the airport staff threw out any aerosol cans (deodorant, shaving cream and such) from all luggage, hand or otherwise.
• Remove any unnecessary keys from your key-ring. Do you need the key to the extra car with you? Do you need the garage door key, or will the one house key suffice? Again, these are difficult to replace if lost, or if your handbag is stolen a thief could logically break into your house when you are away with a house key and identification from your wallet.

Before traveling,

• As much as possible, do not advertise widely that you will be away. Keep the information to someone you delegate to watch your house or pets while you are away. Here the problem could be that thieves have a free reign and empty house to loot while you are away.
• Remember to tell the newspaper boy not to deliver your newspaper while you are away. Piled up newspapers could be a sign to thieves that you are not home.
• Have a neighbour or family member collect your mail. Again, uncollected mail could be a sign to thieves of an empty house.
• Do not change your answering machine message to say you will be away on vacation. Simply use your everyday message that you are unavailable at present so that you don’t trigger any signs of a lengthy absence.
• A useful tip might be for you to use a timer for your lights while you are away. Another tip would be to put your T.V. or radio tuned to a talk-show on a timer to fool thieves into thinking someone is still at home.
• If you leave your car in a parking lot or airport terminal, it is a good idea to get a “club” for your steering wheel for extra security. And, try to park in a well-lit, well-traveled area.

While traveling,

• Never let your luggage out of your sight, even for a moment. Smugglers love to put things in suitcases not related to themselves.
• Use a money belt for valuables, and keep money in at least two different places in case of theft (perhaps you carry some currency as well as your traveling companion, as a back-up).
• Never let your children out of your sight at airports, not to go to the bathroom alone or just ahead to a shop. Once as we were traveling with our children, aged 10 and 11, they asked if they could run ahead to a store around the corner. We luckily said no that airports could be dangerous, and as we rounded the corner a man was running towards us chased by three security officers, who tackled him, pinned him to the ground and handcuffed him in front of our eyes. Our children looked on wide-eyed, and the point hit home.
• Always carry your passport and identification with you on your person or securely in your hand-luggage. Remember, your checked-in suitcases could be lost.
• Never leave your camera or other video equipment on top of your luggage as you are just steps away. Theft can happen too quickly.
• Make sure your backpacks are always securely zipped. It is easy to reach into an open backpack from behind.

At the resort or hotel,

• Always keep your room door locked and with the security bolt on, even when you are in there. Remember to check balcony or patio doors.
• There are extra security locks that can be purchased especially for traveling. It is a good idea to invest in these (see our travel products marketplace.)
• Always use the room safe when provided, even in countries which you deem crime-free or safe. Failing this, use the hotel front desk security safes to keep your valuables secure.

While swimming,

• Use a neck pouch or hip pouch to carry your room keys when at the beach. Try not to leave your purse or hand-luggage unattended on the beach. Swim one at a time, or ask a reliable traveling companion to watch your things while you swim.
• When swimming, be aware that the ocean is a living thing and not a swimming pool. There are tides and undertows that you may not be used to in a swimming pool. The depth can also change rapidly.
• Check the signs on the beach for safe swimming conditions – usually a red flag will warn you against unsafe swimming.
• With ocean swimming, check for sea urchins. These are small spinney creatures that live in the ocean water rocks. They can be extremely unpleasant if stepped on. Also, try to avoid jellyfish as they can give a nasty sting.
• Try to swim only where there are lifeguards.
• Beware the sun – in tropical locations the sun is much stronger than what the average traveler is used to and can cause quite a sunburn to those who are not careful. Use a good sun-block and stick to the shade as much as possible. In Panama we got a sunburn even sitting under a grass hut all day from the glare off of the sand.

• Most hotels have pools that do not allow diving because of the depth of the water. Adhere to the rules.
• It is also not a good idea to swim while drinking heavily. Sober up before entering the water.

Food and water,

• Try to stick to bottled water at any location instead of drinking water from the local taps. Avoid ice in your drinks at certain destinations.
• Try to stick to foods that you know will not upset your stomach as you travel. It is not pleasant to have to look for a bathroom while traveling from your hotel to the airport on an hour long bus ride.
• Although it may be very tempting, avoid excessive amounts of fruit, such as papaya or avocado which tend to act as laxatives.
• When traveling it is wonderful to be able to discover new little out-of-the way places, but try to stick to known places for dining. Sanitation in some back-street places may not be the best.
• An added tip if you travel a great deal may be to investigate the Twinrex vaccinations to avoid hepatitis. Ask your doctor if this is right for you.

Of course, there are many other things the seasoned traveler looks out for instinctively when traveling, such as pick-pockets, rules and laws of the country you are visiting, etc. It is important to be aware that you are not in your own country and the same rules and conditions do not apply.

Be smart, be aware and above all be careful…and your vacation will sure to be a pleasant experience.