Travel « The Travelhall.com Nomad

April 29, 2009

Swine Flu & Other Outbreaks – Safety Advice for Travelers

Filed under: Safety, Travel — Tags: health, outbreaks, overseas, saftey, SARs, swine flu, Travel, Travel advisories, travel safety, WHO —
Venezia @ 9:46 am

When an outbreak as contagious as Swine Flu breaks out while you are traveling overseas it can be a very anxious, nail-biting time. First of all, depending on where you are, it may be hard to find good information and advice. Thankfully, these days the Internet helps to solve this issue. Below are tips on staying safe during a serious outbreak while traveling.

There are some foundational principles you should always practice when traveling. Always arrange a way to stay in communication with 2 or 3 people back home. Someone should know where you are at all times. Therefore, make it a habit of seeking out regular Internet access on your trips. This should not be very difficult these days since most in the travel industry recognize Internet access as a basic tourism/travel-related service.

Use good, official government web sites for accurate information when you are away from home. Most governments provide a travel advisory web site to their citizens informed on travel, safety and health issues. For US citizens it is http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html, for UK citizens it is http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country. Find out your government travel advisory web site before you leave home.

Find a reliable news web site like the BBC or CNN and scan the headlines for the region you are in every time you are online. This way you can stay updated on anything to look out for. You would be surprised how quickly things can develop and political climate can change. I was traveling in Asia in 2003 during the SARS outbreak. The BBC News Asia section was a vital source of up-to-the-minute information for me.

Be as hygiene-conscious as possible and take as many precautions as you can. While traveling, you should keep an antibacterial soap and antibacterial gel on your person at all times. Buy several of these in travel-size before you leave home. Then wash your hands often. This should be a matter of course but its especially vital if you are in the area of an outbreak. Don’t fail to wash your hands before eating and whenever you return to your accommodation.

If an outbreak is happening on an international scale, which many sickness do these days due to our mobile lifestyles, the World Health Organization (WHO) will be involved. They usually provide accurate information on the scale of the outbreak as well as advice on traveling into any infected regions.

Finally, don’t take anything for granted. Often the young and fit convince themselves that nothing can happen to them. Take advisories seriously and protect yourself. Better yet, always be willing to leave a country or area quickly upon hearing that about any outbreaks, before there is a chance for you to be infected.

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March 15, 2009

5 Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling Alone

Filed under: Safety, Travel — Tags: backpacker, Backpackers, Backpacking, crime, foreign, lost, maps, Safety, Travel, travelers, travellers —
The Travelhall.com Nomad @ 10:29 pm

Unscrupulous criminals love vulnerable people. Travelers have always been the most vulnerable people in town, even going back in history to bible days. As a solo traveler, regardless as to where you are traveling, you should never engage in behavior that obviously exposes you as a tourist. Doing so immediately increases your risk of being a target for crime.

The tips below will help you no matter where you venture off to and can actually make you safer in your own home town too.

1) Look Like You Belong:
Walk confidently and never act frightened. Do this even at times when you are afraid. You don’t have to dress just like a local, but at the same time don’t wear clothes that are completely outlandish for the environment you are in.

2) Plan Your Routes:
Look at maps and memorize your route before you leave your hotel, bus, train, car, etc. Then walk that route confidently as though you have done it a thousand times before. If you need to look at your map, duck into a store to look at it or at least do it discreetly.

3) Never Look Lost:
Even when you are lost, never look lost. Don’t cry or break down, even if you are completely overwhelmed (yes, this can happen to adults)… And definitely don’t stand in the town square with your map wide open looking around at street signs.

4) Scan Your Surroundings Constantly:
Always be aware of your surroundings and of what is happening around you. If you see a situation developing anywhere, watch it closely so that you can start moving away quickly if you need to.

5) Don’t ‘Allow’ Anyone to Follow You:
If you feel like you are being followed, don’t just keep walking or act like it isn’t happening. Turn around, look the person in the eye (let them know you are aware of them – show no fear) and walk in the opposite direction. This is usually enough to shake them off. If they turn around and follow you, walk towards a highly populated area.

I have travelled to some very remote and strange places. I made a habit of the tips above during my travels and I arrived home safely, completely unscathed after years of travel… And not always because I was in safe places!

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February 25, 2009

Staying in Hostels – What is it Like? (Part I)

Filed under: Budget Travel, Travel — Tags: Backpackers, Backpacking, budget accommodation, budget travel, cheap travel, Staying in Hostels, Travel, youth hostels —
The Travelhall.com Nomad @ 9:12 pm

I spent two and a half years traveling non-stop around the world. During that trip, and over many years of travel, I have stayed in over 300 youth hostels. I fall among a rare breed that is completely unphased by spending the night among a room full of strangers.

Although many travelers know that staying in a youth hostel is an option, some never actually make use of this very economic option. How hostels work and what the experience if staying in one is like is a mystery for many people. I must say, hostelling falls under the category of budget travel so it’s not for everyone. There are some travelers I am sure that are very happy to leave the mystery of hostel stays completely unbroken.

Although some hostels offer private and semi-private rooms, it is more common to sleep in a dormitory with other travelers. In most cases, dormitories are separated by male and female. However on occasion you will find hostels that offer an optional mixed dorm.

Hostels are not just for young travelers, even if though they are often called ‘youth’ hostels. Travelers of any age have always been welcome in the hostels that I have stayed in. So if you are of retirement age and have made a decision to see the world (and many do) do not feel that you have to shy away from staying in a youth hostel.

You will find that hostels come in all shapes and sizes, literally! The size of the hostel is not necessarily an indicator as to the type of stay you will have. I have stayed in hostels that could house hundreds of travelers and that were highly organized and ran like clockwork. I have also stayed in hostels that were small yet completely disorganized and badly run.

The way to find a good hostel is through a good Hostel Search directory that allows travelers to give ratings and feedback based on their experience. Word of mouth is also a great way to find out what hostels are good in a particular city. Travelers will always give you the scoop.

The key things that make staying in a hostel bearable, especially if you have been on the road for a while, are the following: small dormitories (6 people or less) so that you still have some semblance of privacy, strong safes and lockers to keep your possessions safer, a hearty breakfast included with a night’s stay, an area of the hostel where travelers can chat and socialize with one another, and good front desk resources such as local maps and other information on local resources.

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