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Planning a Trip? How To Plan For The Unexpected
by Rita R. Powers
http://www.csatravelprotection.com
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 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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