Many people long to travel to a foreign country, but are too afraid to do so, because of stories they may have heard on the news or from friends and family. While there are of course, dangers that can occur from overseas travel, these incidents are really not much different from the risks of traveling anywhere else. With just a little bit of extra preparation, and a little common sense, you can have a much safer trip to anywhere in the world that you will be sure to enjoy. You should also consider spring break packages that are offered by several tourism companies. You get a value for your money as you don’t have to worry about a single thing after that. Your service provider is going to plan all your trip that too within your budget. Moreover, there are certain things that you should consider for yourself as you go for an overseas trip.
Before You Travel
Prior to traveling, you should always visit your doctor. About four to six weeks before you plan on departing, make an appointment to see your doctor. At this time, tell your doctor where you will be traveling, and make sure that you receive any vaccinations that may be necessary. This is also a good time to ask your doctor for copies of your medication prescriptions, and prescriptions for any extra medicine that you may need to take with you.
Make yourself a detailed packing list. Start buying the items you need to pack before hand, so that you are not rushing around last minute trying to find certain items. When traveling to a foreign country there are some things that you should absolutely make sure you have packed in your luggage.
Make sure that you have an adequate supply of any medication that you must take. Also, make sure that you pack this medication into your carry on bag that will stay with you, that way if your luggage gets lost, you still have your medication.
Other medical items that you should seriously consider taking would be a pain reliever, like aspirin, anti-diarrheal medication, antibacterial cream or ointment, a hydrocortisone cream for rashes and skin irritants, allergy medicines and an EpiPen if you require one for possible allergic reactions. A basic first aid kit containing bandages, gauze, gauze tape, etc. is also an item that you should consider packing.
Other items that should rank pretty high on your must take list could include insect repellent, sunscreen, gel for sunburns, antibacterial hand cleanser, water-purification tablets or a water filter and rehydration salts or tablets. Depending on where you are traveling, you may also consider taking your own bed netting to help keep bugs away.
Before you leave you should also make copies of all your important documentation such as birth certificates, drivers licenses and passports. Leave these copies, along with your travel itinerary at home with a friend or family member. This will prove very helpful should you be robbed or loose your luggage and have to have someone send you your identification.
While You Travel
While you are traveling, there are a few things you can do to make your trip safer, but that won’t necessarily take away from any fun you may be having! Two things that people seem to have the most trouble with when traveling is food and water. While you definitely don’t need to starve on your vacation, you should be very mindful of exactly what you are eating.
Since many cultures have different tastes than what you may be used to, you should always know exactly what it is you are eating. If you are served something that is unfamiliar to you, always ask the server what exactly it is you are eating. Stay away from meats that are unfamiliar to you, and especially stay away from eating any form of primates.
Make sure the foods you eat are served hot, and throughly cooked. You should avoid uncooked vegetables and unpasteurized dairy. Any fruits or vegetables you do choose to eat should be cleaned with boiled, bottled or filtered water. You should also make sure that you throughly removed the fruits peels and do not eat the skins.
If you are worried about the condition of the water where you are at, only drink bottled water or canned beverages. You can also make sure the water is boiled (for at least 5 minutes) or treat it yourself by filtering it or using the water treatment pills you so handily have packed in your bag! There are many companies that manufacture different types of water purifiers that are quite small and portable, and are great for taking anywhere that you may go.
Be aware of your surroundings and do a little research. Certain areas are known to host insects and parasites that can carry disease. For instance, in parts of South America, Africa and Asia, there are microscopic parasites that can cause cercarial dermatitis (“Swimmer’s Itch”). These parasites live in some of the freshwater bodies of those areas. Take care before you swim in certain areas and know if they are “hot spots” for parasite infection.
Also, always use your insect repellent and use it frequently. Just like mosquitos in the United States can carry the West Nile virus, mosquitos in other parts of the world can carry viruses as well, such as Malaria, Dengue fever or yellow fever. By using your insect repellent, you can help to combat these annoying pests.
With just a little bit of time and careful preparation, you can easily make your foreign travel much more safer for you and your family. It takes just a little bit of effort, which is easily made up for in the adventures that you will be able to have.
