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Posts Tagged ‘Abroad’

Explore the wild and untouched beauty of Zimbabwe, go rafting on the Andes or explore the Thai forest on elephant back. There are endless places and ways to combine vacation with adventure.

An adventure vacation enables you to test your physical limits while also exploring the natural beauty of the great outdoors. More Americans are opting for abroad vacations that enable them to interact with the culture and environment of the country.

An adventure vacation requires you to prepare for the physical demands of the trip as well as potential emergencies that may require medical attention or even an air ambulance flight back to the US. We’ve compiled a brief list of health related tips that covers a few essentials from research to medical escort services.

Research your destination. You should find out what health and safety precautions to take. What is the political climate? Are there environmental dangers? What is the best season for your adventure vacation? Off seasons are great for pricing deals but may not be the best time for an adventure trip. For example planning a rafting trip when the waters are dangerously high.

Assess the physical demands. Don’t overestimate your physical abilities. If your trip will require 5 miles of daily walking in tough terrain you need to make sure that you’re up to the challenge. An adventure trip is not the time to begin a fitness program. If traveling with an adventure outfitter, discuss your normal fitness routine to ensure that you are in shape for the trip. Online travel forums can be an excellent resource for information from those that have “been there and done that.”  Read more...

Finding a car rental abroad is not a problem. Major tourist destinations have a wide selection of car rental companies that you can choose from. A more crucial question is, whether or not you are allowed to drive in the place of your destination.

If you are contemplating on driving abroad, it is worthwhile to find out the driving requirements in your place of destination. This shouldn\’t be a problem as this information is readily available online or in your travel guide book. Check if you can drive with just your home country’s driver’s license.

Most countries allow this for a limited period, usually 30 – 90 days from arrival. Some countries, however, require that you secure an International Driving Permit before you are qualified to drive in their jurisdiction. This permit may be obtained from your home country or country of destination.

Be familiar with the traffic rules and road conditions of the place where you are going. You want a smooth ride to your destination and you definitely do not want to be flagged down by a police officer for a traffic violation. When driving on the opposite side of the road, go easy on the gas pedal for a few days. Get used to the experience first before you fully trust your feet to step hard on it.

All travelers must have a contingency plan ready in case of a medical emergency while traveling abroad. Illnesses and injuries can occur without warning. Therefore, you must be ever ready to deal with it when and if it happens.

It is cliche, but I\’ll say it anyway: better to be safe than sorry. Do not opt for long distance travel if you are not in perfect condition. Go for a physical medical examination, a few weeks before the planned trip. You want to ensure that there is no virus or bacteria brewing a war against the immune system. If undetected, you could end up spending their vacation nursing a disease in a crowded hotel or hospital room.

Ensure you have a comprehensive health insurance policy. Your insurance should cover medical emergencies, hospitalization, medical procedures and evacuation or transport. You may have to pay more for health insurance that provides good coverage while abroad. Just remember that the financial support of this policy that may result in the case of an emergency is worth every penny you paid for it.

Brush up on how to call emergency numbers in your destination. If you can not trust yourself to memorize a string of numbers, be sure to save them in the phone book or on a piece of paper so you can easily access them. If you have a pre-existing medical condition that can lead to an emergency situation, it is recommended that you always carry a mobile phone with roaming activate. You will be immediately able to seek medical help if needed.

Any veteran traveler has an interesting story to tell about toilet adventures. Mine involves a strange vessel that took me almost an hour for the formulation of strategies in various uncomfortable positions until I finally solved the mystery.

Fortunately, strange toilets are rare. What many travelers are familiar with though is the difficulty of finding a bathroom abroad.

Learning how to find a bathroom is an indispensable international travel tip that must be learned by anybody who aspires to travel. You can only hold your bladder for so long and no doubt we need to pay attention to the sound of your stomach if it is acting up. I will share with you some of the travel tips and tricks I\’ve learned in the search for a toilet quickly and safely.

First, you never go wrong with learning the local term for the toilet. You should know that the ability of others to point you in the right direction is directly proportional to the ability to convey the right question. So arm yourself with the local word for toilet and practice saying it.

Make sure you pronounce it correctly if you do not want to end up chasing after the wrong place. If the word is too difficult to pronounce, ask a local to write it down on a sheet of paper for you. You won\’t have problems to find somebody, and just put a questioning look on your face and you\’ve got it covered.

According to Logan Long, president of AKSA, “It is irresponsible for our members to travel abroad and participate in this exciting but risky sport without proper insurance coverage. It is for this precise reason that AKSA has aligned with eGlobalHealth Insurers Agency, LLC and MNUI to provide the best sports rider insurance coverage available today.”

The American Kite Surfing Association (AKSA) is making international insurance coverage easy to secure with instant confirmations online and via email. AKSA members can receive this important coverage by visiting: http://www.eglobalhealth.com/aksa.html

The four programs being offered to AKSA members include:  Read more...