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A Taste of Tahoe
A Taste of Tahoe: By Ronda Moll Just as the majesty of the tall pine trees complement the beauty of the crystalline waters of Lake Tahoe, so does the cuisine of the many fine restaurants visitors can expect to find from Stateline to South Shore. ...
AC Power Adapters - Do I Really Need Them?
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Do You Make These Car Rental Mistakes?
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Hermanus - A Nature Enthusiast's Paradise
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Hermanus is a coastal town located less than an hour's drive
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York County Virginia: A Place to Retire, Relocate or Purchase a Second Home
Real estate investors and home buyers want to purchase homes in York County because the nearly 200 miles of coastline along the York River and its tributaries offers a desirable waterside lifestyle, the county's population is actively involved in...
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Planning a Trip? How To Plan For The Unexpected
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. Any reproductions of this
article must provide a link back to CSA Travel Protection.
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