10 Travel Tips

On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 23:07:47, "Travel tips"
wrote:

N.B.: Most of my comments are for foreign travel, but some are
more general. Applicability largely to US nationals; YMMV for
other nationalities.

10 Travel Tips
by: Jeff Lakie

"Going away on vacation should be an enjoyable experience
but everyone has a horror story to tell. Perhaps your hotel room
was robbed, or perhaps a careless spouse accidentally gambled
away more money than they realized, or perhaps you simply lost
your wallets somewhere between the airport and hotel. Here are 10
ways to make sure that your trip is a success in spite of those
obstacles."


"1. Use a hidden wallet to carry most of your valuables and
identification. "

I don't carry a wallet at all. I put cash in one of my pockets,
my credit and ATM cards in others, etc. Thieves are trying to
steal a wallet. If you don't have one, they move on to someone
else.

"2. If you feel comfortable sending it in the mail, mail a money
order or a traveler's checks to yourself at your hotel so that
even if you lose some of your money, more will be coming."

ATM cards will cover that nicely. You can also get emergency
money with a credit card. There are many places in the world,
even Europe, where you will play hell getting a traveler's check,
and especially a money order, cashed.

"3. While you don't have to be too strict, you should have an
agenda and leave it with someone at home. This way, if something
happens in the area where you are vacationing, your loved ones
will be able to have a fairly good idea of where you are."

"4. Keep copies of identification at home, even if you take
the originals with you. "

Keep a copy of the main page of your passport with you, but not
in the same place you keep you passport (if travelling abroad).
Best ID you can have.

"5. When you go on vacation, choose one credit card to bring,
rather than bringing all of them. This way, if your wallet gets
stolen, you will minimize your losses."

Two different credit cards are really preferable in case one has
problems. Ditto for ATM cards. Keep them in different places on
your body, or have you wife carry one while you carry the other.

"6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit card, which is
really more like a debit card that you put money "on" so that if
you end up losing your wallet the thieves cannot wreck your
credit rating. "

I had my wallet stolen on the Paris Metro (which is why I no
longer carry one); all you need to do is report your card stolen
to the credit card company and you won't get a hit on your credit
rating. although the thieves managed to ring up some $600 worth
of charges on my Visa card, it didn't cost me a cent (except some
postage) and isn't even mentioned on my credit reports.

"7. Bring important phone numbers with you on your trip and put
them in two different places. Bring a phone number that will
cancel your credit card; if you're traveling out of the country
bring a phone number to reach the embassy;"

Consulate; Embassies don't deal with travelers. There are
sometimes several consulates, but only one embassy in a country.
There's little point in making a long distance call to a nation's
capital if you're in an area that has a consulate.

In Europe, at least, Visa and Mastercard maintain local numbers
you can use to report losses. Worked like a charm for me in
paris. If you can't find the local number, it's a pretty safe bet
that your hotel staff can get it for you.

"Bring phone numbers of close family and friends who can help you
if you get into trouble; and bring phone numbers of the hotel and
car rental company as well. "

You can usually pick up a business card at the hotel or car
rental place. Particularly in a foreign country be sure to get
your hotel's card; there are many tales of travelers forgetting
what hotel they're staying at. Even if you don't spak the
language you can show a taxi driver the card and get right there.

"8. You'll want to have your travel insurance information. Be
sure to keep a copy of your travel insurance at home as well as
on your trip so that a family member can access it if necessary."

"9. Bring basic medical information with you, like blood type and
allergies, and make sure that the medical information is
translated into the primary language of the place you are going
to so that non-English-speaking doctors will have no problem
understanding the situation. "

These days, particularly in Europe, there aren't many doctors who
don't know English, or don't work with someone who does. We had
no trouble in a small village in northern Finland.

"10. Know what kind of insurance is covered on your credit card,
if that is how you are using to paying for your trip. For
example, some credit cards cover car rental insurance,"

Only if you use the card to pay the rental.

"but may not cover it in the country are you are going to. Be
sure to know what insurance you have before you leave."

There is little way of knowing if a foreign car rental agency
will actually accept the credit card's insurance arrangements.
The fact that the card issuer says they will insure it doesn't
mean that insurance will be good. For instance, even if your auto
insurance policy says that travel into Mexico is covered, you
still must buy Mexican insurance simply because Mexican
authorities will not accept your American insurance in case of an
accident; they'll hold you in the local jail until the financials
are taken care of.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

10 Travel Tips
by: Jeff Lakie
Going away on vacation should be an enjoyable experience but everyone has a horror story to tell. Perhaps your hotel room was robbed, or perhaps a careless spouse accidentally gambled away more money than they realized, or perhaps you simply lost your wallets somewhere between the airport and hotel. Here are 10 ways to make sure that your trip is a success in spite of those obstacles.

1. Use a hidden wallet to carry most of your valuables and identification.

2. If you feel comfortable sending it in the mail, mail a money order or a traveler's checks to yourself at your hotel so that even if you lose some of your money, more will be coming.

3. While you don't have to be too strict, you should have an agenda and leave it with someone at home. This way, if something happens in the area where you are vacationing, your loved ones will be able to have a fairly good idea of where you are.

4. Keep copies of identification at home, even if you take the originals with you.

5. When you go on vacation, choose one credit card to bring, rather than bringing all of them. This way, if your wallet gets stolen, you will minimize your losses.

6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit card, which is really more like a debit card that you put money "on" so that if you end up losing your wallet the thieves cannot wreck your credit rating.

7. Bring important phone numbers with you on your trip and put them in two different places. Bring a phone number that will cancel your credit card; if you're traveling out of the country bring a phone number to reach the embassy; bring phone numbers of close family and friends who can help you if you get into trouble; and bring phone numbers of the hotel and car rental company as well.

8. You'll want to have your travel insurance information. Be sure to keep a copy of your travel insurance at home as well as on your trip so that a family member can access it if necessary.

9. Bring basic medical information with you, like blood type and allergies, and make sure that the medical information is translated into the primary language of the place you are going to so that non-English-speaking doctors will have no problem understanding the situation.

10. Know what kind of insurance is covered on your credit card, if that is how you are using to paying for your trip. For example, some credit cards cover car rental insurance, but may not cover it in the country are you are going to. Be sure to know what insurance you have before you leave.

To read more visit :

http://www.secretinternetwealth.com/travel


---
MAF Anti-Spam ID: 20060802110905Z7u1TrY1

SNIP
6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit card,
which is really more like a debit card that you put money
"on" so that if you end up losing your wallet the thieves
cannot wreck your credit rating.

Hi

Fair comment - and I often preload my credit card brefore travelling
abroad.

However, the last time I went on vacation, I phoned the Credit Card
company beforehand to tell them where I was going and that there would
almost certainly be some "unusual" transactions on my card. During
the above conversation I happened to mention in passing that I
intended "loading" my credit card before travelling.

I was startled when the person I was talking to said that whilst this
may seem a good idea - and lots of people do it - technically the
Credit Card company would be within their rights to "freeze" the card
and demand its return.

He explained that a credit card is just that - a CREDIT card. If you
deliberately load it with cash and use it as a DEBIT card, then this
is not its intended purpose and you are infringing the terms and
conditions of use.

Whether the card company would ever do this is of course open to
debate - but they do apparently have the option.

Having said that, I live in the UK but presumably the same thing
applies elsewhere.

Regards





KGB

"KGB (KGB)" wrote...
SNIP
6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit card,
which is really more like a debit card that you put money
"on" so that if you end up losing your wallet the thieves
cannot wreck your credit rating.

Hi

Fair comment - and I often preload my credit card brefore travelling
abroad.

However, the last time I went on vacation, I phoned the Credit Card
company beforehand to tell them where I was going and that there would
almost certainly be some "unusual" transactions on my card. During
the above conversation I happened to mention in passing that I
intended "loading" my credit card before travelling.

I was startled when the person I was talking to said that whilst this
may seem a good idea - and lots of people do it - technically the
Credit Card company would be within their rights to "freeze" the card
and demand its return.

He explained that a credit card is just that - a CREDIT card. If you
deliberately load it with cash and use it as a DEBIT card, then this
is not its intended purpose and you are infringing the terms and
conditions of use.

Whether the card company would ever do this is of course open to
debate - but they do apparently have the option.

Having said that, I live in the UK but presumably the same thing
applies elsewhere.


IIRC, AMEX's electronic payment alternative, a good way to keep from falling
behind on long trips, will not accept a payment for more than the balance
owed, and while apparently AMEX will allow a "credit balance" to occur with
a refund, etc., and presumably would accept a paper payment for more than
one owes at the time, the electronic system won't allow such.

I keep credit and debit cards separate, carrying openly one of each, the
"credit card" to be used for all charges at hotels and for major purchases
and travel, the debit for "walking around money". The record for taxes etc.
makes the credit card (especially a good one with year end summary)
invaluable. I keep a second credit card and a backup debit card (on another
account) secured against most brands of petty theft/larceny.

"Travel tips" wrote in message
...
10 Travel Tips
by: Jeff Lakie
Going away on vacation should be an enjoyable experience but everyone has
a horror story to tell. Perhaps your hotel room was robbed, or perhaps a
careless spouse accidentally gambled away more money than they realized, or
perhaps you simply lost your wallets somewhere between the airport and
hotel. Here are 10 ways to make sure that your trip is a success in spite of
those obstacles.

1. Use a hidden wallet to carry most of your valuables and identification.

2. If you feel comfortable sending it in the mail, mail a money order or a
traveler's checks to yourself at your hotel so that even if you lose some of
your money, more will be coming.

3. While you don't have to be too strict, you should have an agenda and
leave it with someone at home. This way, if something happens in the area
where you are vacationing, your loved ones will be able to have a fairly
good idea of where you are.

4. Keep copies of identification at home, even if you take the originals
with you.

5. When you go on vacation, choose one credit card to bring, rather than
bringing all of them. This way, if your wallet gets stolen, you will
minimize your losses.

6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit card, which is really
more like a debit card that you put money "on" so that if you end up losing
your wallet the thieves cannot wreck your credit rating.

One problem, some establishments will not take
debit cards or "pre-loaded" credit cards.

"Charles Newman" wrote:
One problem, some establishments will not take
debit cards or "pre-loaded" credit cards.

How could the merchant know whether you had pre-loaded your credit card?

miguel
--
Photos from 40 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Malaysia; Thailand; Singapore; Spain; Morocco
Airports of the world: http://airport.u.nu

Miguel Cruz wrote:

"Charles Newman" wrote:
One problem, some establishments will not take
debit cards or "pre-loaded" credit cards.

How could the merchant know whether you had pre-loaded your credit card?


I think the poster might mean those "pre - loaded" cards you can buy at
convenience stores, banks (Visa and Amex "gift cards", etc.), currency
exchanges, many large retailers (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart...)...used by
immigrants, people with poor credit, or to give as a gift, etc. There is no
credit check. You load the card with a certain amount of cash and it acts
as a "debit" card....

A car rental place wouldn't take these as most don't accept debit cards
AFAIK...

--
Best
Greg