| Have
you ever taken a trip where it seemed that everything went
wrong? What should have been a care free, relaxing vacation
or an efficient business trip quickly turns into a stress-filled
nightmare. No one likes to dwell on the negative, but the
old saying "hope for the best, and plan for the worst"
has a lot of truth to it. Many things can go wrong and planning
ahead will help you avoid unwanted drama, stress and hassles.
Travel delays or accidents, hidden fees and costs, lost or
delayed luggage, medical or dental emergencies, travel accidents,
rental car damage, potential terrorist attack alerts, emergency
assistance problems, identity theft and more are common problems
that can, and most likely, will occur on some occasion during
trip taking. In hindsight could most of the hassles on that
trip have been prevented or made more bearable by planning
for the unexpected? Here are some tips for doing just that. |
| 1. Start
planning your trip early. Four to six weeks before you depart
is not too early to start planning. If you are purchasing a
comprehensive or all-inclusive package, make sure you research
the agency you are dealing with. Some offer packages that guarantee
no surprise up-charges or add-ons. If you don't understand their
policies or package rates, make them explain it to you until
you do understand it. Asking the right questions beforehand
can eliminate disappointment over unrealized expectations. Know
what you are getting for your money. Never assume that what
you think you are hearing is factual until it is fully explained
and you see it guaranteed in writing. If you are planning a
business trip on short notice, use an agency that you trust,
or one that you consider reputable. If short notice trips are
normal for you, or if you know that travel could be required
on short notice due to an emergency situation, keep a bag packed
in your closet with the things you consider basic necessities.
Include at least one complete change of clothes, and necessary
toiletries. Also include a small amount of your regular medication,
if applicable, and important account numbers and phone numbers.
If packing space is at a premium, purchase sample size toiletries
to keep in your "short notice" bag. Make sure it is
of carry-on size for airline travel. This will take some stress
off in the event that plans must be made quickly. If your luggage
is lost or delayed, you will be glad you took the time to pack
your carry-on bag in this manner. 2.
Research your trip thoroughly. The Internet is a good choice
for doing this. To get the best deals and the best accommodations
to suit your preferences, there is no substitute for being
informed and fully aware of what is available. In the information
age, there are huge amounts of travel information available
on the World Wide Web. Tickets, and even permits, in some
cases, can be printed on your home computer printer from the
Internet. Rental car reservations, hotel reservations are
made easy for convenient prices and quality comparisons on-line.
3. Plan for the unexpected: Troubles
can occur when you least anticipate them, so take along some
peace of mind and protect your trip investment by purchasing
travel
insurance. Make sure the travel
insurance you purchase covers job loss or transfers, uninhabitable
accommodations, emergency assistance, travel accidents, delays,
lost or delayed luggage, weather-affected cancellation, medical
and dental expenses, terrorism, and identity theft. In addition,
plans should offer flexible coverage periods for pre-existing
medical conditions. Choose a company that answers all calls
with a live person, not an automated attendant. Confirm all
your purchases and reservations at a later time either on
the Web or by phone to ensure no glitches have occurred.
4. Make sure you will have all the arrangements
and paperwork you'll need- airline tickets, passports, visas,
maps, rental car and hotel reservations, permits as well as
health and travel
insurance documentation. Some travel
insurance companies like http://www.csatravelprotection.com
provide a confirmation letter and "traveler hotline cards"
to policy holders with critical phone numbers and contact
information. Carry enough cash for emergencies, phone calls
or unexpected fees. Don't carry large amounts of cash. Traveler's
checks and credit cards are a better alternative. Make a list
of all the pertinent numbers of your credit card, driver's
license, visas, passport, ticket, reservation, prescriptions
and any other important documentation. Include any emergency
phone numbers to call if any of these items are lost or stolen.
Put a copy of this list in your carry-on, and carry the other
one on your person. Have someone you trust watch your home
or apartment, or house-sit while you are away. Think about
the things that need to be done in your absence- watching
and feeding your pets, watering your plants, etc. If you don't
have a house/pet-sitter, have a light left on inside your
residence so it would appear that someone is home at night.
If you have someone checking up on things periodically, have
them rotate the lighting and retrieve your mail and your newspapers.
Another option to this is to have your newspaper and mail
delivery temporarily suspended. You can also put your lighting
on inexpensive timers, which can closely imitate your normal
lighting routines.
5. Write out an itinerary- before you
head out the door, give someone you know and trust a written
copy of your trip plans. This should include: Your estimated
time of departure, mode of transportation (flight numbers
and/or make, model and license plate numbers), the names,
addresses and phone numbers (especially cell phone numbers)
of all group members traveling, any relevant medical conditions
that may affect you or your travelling companions. Also include
your travel
insurance policy names, numbers and beneficiary information,
your hotels' phone number and address and expected time of
arrival, time of return, and all pertinent return travel information.
Make arrangements to contact the person holding your itinerary
at specific intervals during the trip, and then again when
your trip is over. Agree with your contact person on a procedure
for contacting the authorities if you do not report in by
a certain time. This can be especially important when traveling
in high-risk areas of the world, or even anywhere outside
the United States. In some cases, if you have a pet and choose
to hire a reputable pet-sitter or house-sitter, this can be
your contact person.
In short, the quality of your trip depends
largely on proper planning for the unexpected. Most of us
like to think that things will come off without a hitch, but
the truth is that even with the best of planning, things can,
and will go wrong from time to time. Planning early, thorough
research, double checking arrangements, coverage and documentation,
and writing out an itinerary may not completely dispel unexpected
problems, but it does produce a peace of mind and assurance
knowing that there is a plan in place to deal with the unexpected
if it does come about.
About the author:
This article was written by Rita R. Powers with support from
CSA Travel Protection, providers of Travel
Insurance and travel assistance services. For information
on how travel
insurance can add to your travel experience, please visit
http://www.csatravelprotection.com. |
