Prepare for Travel Mishaps!

by: KC OWENS

International travel brings with it a lot of fun, excitement and educational opportunity, which explains why it has such a draw to people from all walks of life.  However, accidents and incidents can occur while you are on the road that can complicate matters considerably.  If you take the time to prepare for your trip and think ahead about possible problems, your trip can be smooth sailing.

Lost or Stolen Credit Card

Traditional credit cards are embossed with your name on them, making them simple to use on the Internet for all purchases.  As thieves can’t easily replicate your signature for vendors, they would rather make fraudulent purchases online.  According to Credit Card Insider, some prepaid credit cards are not embossed, which makes them useless to a thief.  You can also carry several prepaid card with a small amount on each and “refuel” them as needed while you’re traveling.  If one is lost or stolen, you can cancel it and move the money to another card.  This keeps your money secure and allows you to focus on your location, not stressing over a lost card! Preparing yourself so you don’t encounter such an issue is always a great idea. Before traveling to a new location, I always make sure I have a plan to keep my finances safe and have a backup plan in case someone sneaks off with my cash.

Contaminated Water

In some parts of the world, drinking whatever is offered to you is a recipe for disaster.  Bottled water is an excellent choice to avoid sickness, as is alcohol.  Of course you don’t want to go overboard with alcoholic drinks, but you also don’t want to spend several days of your trip in bed or in the restroom from bad water.  If you do purchase bottled water, be sure to break the seal yourself.  In tourist areas, people will sometimes scavenge through trashcans for empty water bottles, refill them from the local taps and sell them as new.  Not only could the native water make you sick, but you could also pick up germs from the bottle’s previous owner. As a precaution, I always buy bottled water and I do some research to see if the water is safe to drink before I travel to a new location.

Food-Related Illness

While eating healthy is always a good idea, it may not be the best strategy for avoiding food-borne illness.  If you are concerned about the safety of the food in the area, fried foods are the safest bet.  Bacteria responsible for stomach upset and diarrhea cannot survive the bath of boiling-hot oil and the food will be made safe for consumption.  Also avoid fresh fruits and veggies if you are concerned about the local water, as these items have huge quantities of water in them. Again, prepare yourself and do research ahead of time to make sure you will be healthy enough to enjoy yourself while you’re out on new adventures.

Being safe while on your trip overseas is simple if you keep these tips in mind.  Safeguarding your money and your health are important if you expect to have a great time on your trip.

KC Owens  is a college student who loves traveling, college life, fitness and a good survival kit. He enjoys studying different cultures, meeting new people and leaving his footprint somewhere most people only read about.