Travel Tips - including Being Safe

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

This will be my last post for the day, and it is one that concerns travellers and tourists, since the coming months are holiday months.

With little introduction needed, here's to say that let us all be safe, at home, or abroad.

Enjoy your vacation, but equally important, too, is to be safe at all times.

Read on!

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33 Travel Safety Tips

Traveling to unfamiliar destinations can bring to you the sort of troubles you do not want to experience while on the road namely: robbery, rape, or murder. Tourists often fall prey to perpetrators because they do not prepare properly before embarking on a trip. Let's examine some things you should do to prevent your travels from becoming a tragedy.

1. Never list your home address on the luggage tag. If on business, put the company's address on the tag; if visiting friends you can list their address. Use covered luggage tags as well.

2. Stay with your luggage until the luggage is checked. If you must put your bag down, keep one foot on the handle.

3. Carry important papers with you; NEVER check anything that you simply cannot afford to lose. Photocopy your passport, driver's license and credit cards.

4. Bring a small flashlight. You never know when you'll suddenly be "in the dark" and find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings. At night, keep your flashlight by your bed.

5. Make sure that your prescription medicines are filled properly and labeled accurately. In some countries certain prescription medicines are forbidden.

6. Never wear anything that projects affluence. No gold chains, expensive watches and rings, luggage, or other paraphernalia should be in easy view. Better yet: leave your jewelry at home.

7. If possible travel with only one or two credit cards.

8. Women particularly should never accept a drink from a stranger. Keep an eye on your drink at all times.

9. Vary your schedule; try not to come and go at the same time everyday.

10. Only stay in a hotel that uses cards to open room doors and make sure your room has a peephole and a deadbolt lock. Secure the chain and secure the door by pushing a rubber stop under it.

11. Stay in a room near a stairwell. Never take the elevator if a fire or smoke is detected. Always stay in a hotel where the doors enter the hallway and not directly from the outside.

12. Do not wear name tags in public.

13. Do not use unmarked taxi cabs.

14. Sit behind the driver so you can see him, but he cannot see you.

15. Pay the driver upon arriving at your destination and while you are still sitting in the vehicle.

16. If you must rent a car, rent only from a reputable company. Any operating problems that occur could signal sabotage.

17. Be aware of 'staged' car accidents meant to catch you off card.

18. Back into your parking spaces to facilitate a quick exit.

19. Park only in well lit and well traveled areas.

20. If your cell phone does not work outside of the country, consider renting one that does for the duration of your trip.

21. If detained for whatever reason by an official, ask for identification. If in doubt, tell them that you want to see his superior. Keep your emotions in check.

22. If traveling with children, bring along an updated photograph of each child in the event that you become separated from them.

23. Write your child's name and your hotel number on each card; include a close friend's or relative's contact information on the card. Give a card to each child which they will carry with them as long as you are away. Destroy once home.

24. Discuss with your family what they would do in event of an emergency while away from home, e.g. whom to call, how to contact emergency personnel, etc.

25. Do not discuss travel plans, your room number or any other personal information in public within earshot of strangers.

26. Bring along a basic first aid kit with bandages, iodine, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, alcohol packets, dramamine, pepto bismol, diarrhea medicine, etc.

27. Familiarize yourself with train and bus schedules before traveling. Have an alternate plan in place in the event your transportation plans change.

28. Do not flash your passport in public. Discreetly show important documents to officials only.

29. Consider purchasing portable alarms that emit a loud sound.

30. Watch for scams on the street. Children working with adults are notorious as pickpockets.

31. Never flash your money in public. Exchange funds with reputable and recognized exchangers only.

32. Have tips ready in advance for service personnel.

33. Consider renting an escort [security] service if traveling in areas where crime is high.

The key to safe traveling in any area is situational awareness. Distractions because of luggage, children, hotel personnel, strangers, etc. can put you at risk. Know your surroundings and stay in control of every situation.

Matt manages the Corporate Flight Attendant Community a comprehensive resource center for business flight attendants who travel throughout the world. You can visit the community at http://www.corporateflyer.net or http://www.cabinmanagers.com

Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Taken from Ezine article directory:
33 Travel Safety Tips
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London bridge is calling...

Well, it is not the London bridge that is calling, it is London itself.

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London calling

From bike tours and Tate Modern's 10th anniversary festival, to shopping, theatre-hopping or just chilling out, this vibrant city has much to offer all and sundry

by Jafri M
traveller@mediacorp.com.sg

London is big, it's cool, it rocks. Eccentric and mainstream, historic and modernistic, the ever vibrant city boggles the mind with countless choices. And with spring in the air and a favourable exchange rate, now is the time to explore some of city's fresh offerings.

See the city on wheels

This summer sees the launch of the London Cycle Hire Scheme where bicycles are available 24 hours a day throughout the year to help alleviate congestion in the Tube and on buses in London. Some 6,000 bicycles based in the nine London boroughs and several Royal Parks will be available for hire.

(www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/12444.aspx)

For a more focused experience, the Fat Tire Bike Tours London offers educational and entertaining cycling tours along the South Bank using popular cycle routes. Top London attractions are just a ride away. Highlights include St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, Tower Bridge and Borough Market. (www.FatTireBikeToursLondon.com)



Markets and such

For shopping, food and entertainment rolled into one, the enclave of Covent Garden is always a good bet with its inviting piazza and multitude of street entertainers bolstered with diverse shops, bars and restaurants.

This year, it celebrates its 30th anniversary as a specialist shopping district so expect its trademark celebratory vibe to be several notches higher. (www.coventgardenlondonuk.com)

Gourmands will appreciate the Borough Market, which has up to 70 stalls selling fresh produce, ciders, pastries, coffees and cheeses, brought in from the countryside or imported from abroad. (www.boroughmarket.org.uk)

Modernity on show

The imposing Tate Modern, which oozes as much industrial chic as it does engaging contemporary art, turns 10 next month. Its visitor numbers attest to its immense popularity. In recent years, it has averaged about 5 million visitors annually, about half of the number that Singapore gets.

To celebrate its birthday, the museum will host a free festival, No Soul for Sale, from May 14 to May 16, when 50 international art groups will strut their avant garde works in performance, music and film. Go in September to catch the museum's much anticipated Gauguin exhibition. (www.tate.org.uk/modern)

To see art in the form of modern technology, visit the Galleries of Modern London at the Museum of London (www.museumoflondon.org.uk), which will open on May 28 after undergoing a £20 million ($42 million) renovation. A highlight will be the installation, LDN24, which will depict 24 hours of contemporary London in a 24-minute film using photography, film and statistics updated in real time. The canvas will be nine plasma screens and a suspended elliptical LED curtain.



Just for laughs

Take in a performance under the stars, no perspiration involved - it's not the tropics after all. The programme for Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park includes works from the canon of literature - The Crucible and Macbeth - but if the plays of Arthur Miller and Shakespeare are not your cup of tea, sit down for a pint of laughter instead. The line-up also covers comedy, musicals and gigs. This summer, visitors can expect laughs from improv group The Comedy Store Players and music by jazz singer Stacey Kent. (openairtheatre.org)

Finally, view the city in its glorious spring dress from the London Eye, which offers sweeping views of almost 60km of the city's most renowned landmarks in just 30 minutes. It is the UK's most popular paid attraction, visited by over 3.5 million people a year. (www.londoneye.com)

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Taken from TODAY, Travel - Saturday, 17-April-2010
Source article is here: London calling
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Your Food - on the go

Image via Wikipedia

I'm usually one who does not eat while on travel, and when I do, i usually pack my meal. With kids tagging along, that may not be the ideal case anymore.

If you and your family will be going on a travel, chances are, you would have included the meals in your hotel booking.

However, if you are the adventurous type who watches those Travel & Living programs, and you want to try out things yourself, well, things are gonna be completely different after all.

Still, you would have to plan out what, or how, you will eat. I'm very sure that the very thing you wouldn't want while on travel is a frequent trip to the toilet.

For some tips on this, read this Ezine article original.

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Food on the Go - Travel Tips

It's simple enough to grab food on the road, but you never know what you are really going to get unless you plan ahead. Sure you can pull over and eat at a chain, there are always plenty of McD's, KFC's and Wendy's to satisfy even the biggest and hungriest of kids, but there is nothing worse than looking at another 10 hours on the road and enjoying that peculiar sensation which comes from digesting fast food!

The best way to eat on the go is to plan what you are going to be eating before you get behind the wheel. Eating out is expensive even when it's junk food, but it's not just the financial cost but your health too. Make your trip finances go farther and enjoy good, quality food which may cost more when you do dine out but which will leave you fitter and healthier.

Make a Food Shopping List

It sounds so silly but it's very true - make a food shopping list just for your trip. You want to get your groceries in for making your food and snacks before you set off but you should also plan on what you are going to buy once you get to where you're staying.

Make sure you stock up on foods which don't require cooking - fruit is ideal as a snack, but then savory snacks can be created out of vegetables and plenty of other options at the grocery store.

There is a huge difference between a well prepared sandwich packed with fresh meats and greens compared to a limp sub at the gas station - it will cost you a lot less and taste a whole lot better!

Research Food Online

Check out what food outlets and stores are available along your route and at your destination. Planning your trip should take into consideration what you are all going to be eating and not just the scenery!

Sometimes going a little off the beaten track can pay dividends too - planning on where you will stop for a meal and some rest will enhance your enjoyment much more.

Food Equipment for Travel

There are some basic items you should remember to take with you on the road - you'll never be lost without them:

• Knife, fork and spoon;
• Plastic containers for storing food or putting doggy bag and leftovers away;
• Travel mug;
• Wet wipes and kitchen roll;
• Water;
• Sweetener or sugar; and
• Salt and pepper.

Stick to Bland and "Known" Foods While Traveling

When you're a hundred miles from the nearest rest stop, now may not be the time to start sampling new cuisine! Be sensible about what you eat while on the road because your digestion and stomach will be stressed by an extended road trip. You can avoid getting an upset stomach or indigestion by sticking to foods you already are familiar with and if you do have a sensitive stomach, stick to bland foods. Always have plenty of water because this will help settle any upset and help your digestion.


Custom Concessions is a reputable leader and manufacturer of concession trailers. All our food concession trucks are custom built for our clients by highly skilled trained professionals.

Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Taken from Ezine articles directory
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