Safe Travel Tips
There are some real horror stories out there and we’ve heard a few. The ones you really don’t want to hear are the ones told by family and friends and they’re usually about travel adventures gone wrong. After a couple of decades traveling around the world like us, you’re bound to learn a few things along the way about protecting and taking care of yourself. Here are a few safe travel links and safe travel tips.
First – never think it isn’t going to happen to you. Believing the worst can’t happen to you is the stupidest rationalization anyone can make. It actually prevents too many people from thinking about the unthinkable and stops them from taking steps to be prepared.
- Accidents
- Medical Emergencies
- Disasters
- Civil Unrest
These can happen anywhere at anytime and while it doesn’t mean you should give up traveling, it does mean you can, and should, make plans just in case.
Second – don’t guess at what protection you have or how things could work in a crises situation while traveling. On far too many occasions we heard about friends that thought that their health insurance would work overseas just like it does back in the United States. The sad truth is, often health insurance that provides good protection in America provides very little and often no protection while traveling out of the United States. Getting stuck for hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills isn’t the best moment to realize this.
Third – the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is really good advice. Buying insurance has always seemed to me to be expensive but if you start looking into areas like travel insurance you will find a number of policies that seem very reasonable. My wife and I have maintained emergency evacuation insurance for a number of years at a cost for both of us around $200 a year.
Another thing that we do to be prepared is pack a first aid and medication kit when we travel. Sometimes there just isn’t a pharmacy available and a small kit of over-the-counter meds for stomach problems, flu and cold remedies and bandages are worth their weight in gold.
After hearing about a couple of real tragedies experienced by traveling friends we started always carrying emergency ID’s. What’s in your wallet or purse? Oddly a driver’s license or even a passport doesn’t provide any good contact information. Also if you have specific medical issues, how are first responders and medical professionals supposed to understand your situation?
Consider the 911ID card and information system. It starts with a card you carry on you but the system also provides for access to almost all the recommended information one needs in a medical emergency. Look into it HERE.
What’s In Your Wallet?
MEDICAL DIRECTIVES In addition to an Emergency Identification card we should all have Medical Directives (Living Will or Proxy) available in case of a medical emergency. Get and give peace of mind and fill out a living will. It’s easy, quick, and free – get your forms here:
intend2travel.info 