BEFORE YOU GO

With so many of us traveling and with our busy lives, it's often easy to forget one or two things. The following are some pre-travel tips to help keep your escape enjoyable. YOu may wish to check out one or all of these government websites if you have any questions regarding health.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

AIRLINES

If you're flying in or out of your destination, as soon as you have confirmation, be sure to visit your airline´s website for the following:

Confirm you are registered for your flight.
Verify flight information including flight details; your personal details and seating or other preferences.
Connect your flight to your Frequent Flyer account (or register for an account).
Set up notification of flight changes, etc.
Check in up to 24 hours prior to flight on most carriers.

BANK

Notify your bank(s) and/or credit companies of your itinerary.

INTERNATIONAL

Find out if any of your banks offer favorable international programs such as waived exchange fees, partner banks, etc.
Carry with you the equivalent of USD $100 in local currency for quick purchases. With advance planning, this can often be obtained through your own bank. Otherwise, carry some US cash in small bills for exchange at the airport or hit the ATM at your destination airport.
Carry newer US currency. Some exchange bureaus won't accept old or tattered bills. Also, in many countries, you get a better exchange rate for larger bills - $50, $100

PHONE

Unplug. Many places have WiFi but connectivity may be intermittent.
Use a VPN service if you're planning to use public or unfamiliar WiFi.

INTERNATIONAL

Check if your mobile phone carrier offers service or arrange for service.
If your phone takes a SIM card, consider purchasing a SIM before you go or in your destination to use while you’re in that country like Telestial or Google Fi.
Consider using WiFi friendly voice and/or messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Google Voice for communicating.
For two or more travelers, particularly on a cruise, consider purchasing inexpensive, walkie talkie type radios to communicate with each other like: https://amzn.to/2uy7OPe

Looking for info on an upcoming trip?

DELIVERIES

Arrange for your mail to be held by the post office in your absence. https:// holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/
Place any scheduled deliveries on hold (newspaper, milk/wine/veggies, packages, etc)
Ask a neighbor to remove delivery notices/door tags or other obvious signs that you’re not home. If you’re really good friends, ask them to accept packages for you to retrieve on your return.

INSURANCE

You may wonder why you need travel insurance for your vacation. It’s not just your investment you’ll be protecting; it’s protecting yourself and your family. Most health insurance companies (including Medicare) in the United States do not cover individuals while they are traveling out of the country - it's written right in your passport. The U.S. State Department recommends trip protection and so do we.

If you have not yet purchased trip protection, I urge you to do so with Allianz. You can still purchase a policy up to the day before you begin travel. https:// www.allianztravelinsurance.com/get-quote My Travel Agent ID Code is: F001021 Please make sure you use this code if purchasing yourself or contact me to purchase for you.
You should be aware that some credit card companies offer automatic travel protection if you used their card to pay for your trip. This coverage might be minimal and is in excess of regular trip insurance for items lost or delayed and for cancellations. Check with your providers for their coverage details. Note, this often does not cover medical or medical transport.
Another avenue might be your Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance, though there are often deductibles that must be met, it's still worth checking out. Check with your providers for their coverage details. Note, this often does not cover medical or medical transport.

Pack/Bring

Try not to over pack unless you're renting a car or using a luggage service. Consider our recommended rule of thumb, bring no more than you can carry for a full day including stairs with no help. If you can, be ultra efficient by bringing carry-on only for the outbound legs of your journey. Check out YouTube for helpful packing videos like this one: https://youtu.be/gYXdHGNp6-I

Name tag on each piece of luggage and Copies of your passport in each piece of luggage with your contact email.
Keep in your wallet a list of health issues, medications and allergies.
Insurance information - key phone numbers and policy number in your phone and in your wallet. For Allianz policy holders in need of emergency assistance during your trip call 1-800-654-1908 (From U.S.) or (00)1-804-281-5700 (Collect from anywhere)

Small first aid kit
Sunblock, insect repellent, lip balm, hand sanitizer and lotion
Collapsible Water Bottle
Lightweight Backpack or Day Pack
Small umbrella
Rubber soled footwear / moisture wicking socks
Sunglasses
Decent but inexpensive camera (or rely on your smartphone)
Laptop alternatives such as inexpensive tablet with keyboard or Chromebook (if possible, leave expensive electronics at home)
Ziplock type plastic and waterproof bags/carriers for any electronics that MUST be brought along.
Electrical converter for charging or using anything that requires electricity.
Over the counter meds: motion sickness/upset digestives, pain reliever
Prescription meds

SUGGESTED APPS

If you're traveling with your smartphone or tablet, the following are some helpful apps for your consideration:

PocketTravel Consultant (Axus) - Itinerary and Guide
TravelSmart (Allianz) - Travel Protection, Flight Updates, Quick Claims
MobilePassport - Ease of entering United States
WhatsApp - WiFi Communication
Your Airline - Check In, Flight Updates
VPN - Subscribe to a VPN service that is usable in your destination for security on public or unfamiliar WiFi. For more info, start here: https://www.pcmag.com/ roundup/296955/the-best-vpn-services
Translator - Several available for local communication
Currency Conversion - Several available to calculate exchange rates
World Clock - Several available and possibly built into your device
MPC - Mobile Passport Control allows you to bypass custom lines. This works in most large cities and you must download information the same day of your travel.

REGISTER / CONTACT

Leave contact numbers and share your itinerary with close friends for any emergencies or issues at home or at your destination.

INTERNATIONAL

Help the U.S. or Canadian Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.

For US Nationals, register your trip with the US State Department via Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) https://step.state.gov/step/
For Canadian Nationals, register your trip with the Canadian government https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration
For ease of exiting and entering the U.S., U.S. Nationals are encouraged to sign up for one of the Trusted Traveler, Global Entry programs. All applicants must be pre-approved including undergoing a rigorous background check and in- person interview before enrollment. http://bit.ly/ GlobalEntryPrograms
You may also be interested in CLEAR, a fast-track through airport security program. Note, this is only available through select airports and requires a monthly or annual subscription, however, they often offer a 1 or 2-month free trial. Well worth it for frequent travelers using those airports. Click here for more information and enrollment. http://bit.ly/ClearMeEnroll
And most of all, don't sweat the small stuff! Enjoy yourself!

Seven Great Tips for Travelers

1. Do a basic vaccine check. Four to six weeks before an international trip, ask your doctor whether you’re up to date on common vaccines, such as those for influenza and tetanus.

“Nearly 50 percent of adults over 65 are not up to date on tetanus immunizations,” says Steven Mawhorter, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

And consider that flu is prevalent in Australia and South America in June, July, and August.

2. Schedule a doctor’s appointment. If you have a chronic condition or other health concerns, or you’re going overseas, you can get travel tips to follow as well as prescriptions for your regular medication and others you may need, such as motion-sickness drugs.

3. Check your coverage abroad. Ask your insurer whether you’re covered for medical care while away. (Medicare usually doesn’t reimburse for doctor visits overseas, but supplemental plans may.) If not, consider buying travel insurance. Elizabeth Talbot, M.D., medical director of the Travel and International Health Clinic at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., tells patients traveling overseas to choose travel insurance that includes access to U.S.-trained clinicians and evacuation to high-quality medical care.

If you’re traveling in the U.S., your regular doctor or private group health insurermay be able to help you find local doctors. (In an emergency, go to the nearest ER.) Here and abroad, hotel concierges can often help you track down a doctor who might make a “room call.”

Internationally, you can find clinics, doctors, and hospitals through the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers and the International Society of Travel Medicine. The local U.S. Embassy can also provide a list of doctors and hospitals but usually not recommendations.

4. Prep right for tropical destinations. Heading to a developing nation or the tropics? Ask your doctor about unusual immunizations (such as those for hepatitis A, typhoid, and yellow fever) and special medicine (such as antimalarials) recommended or required for particular areas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers health-related travel tips at cdc.gov/travel.

5. Pack meds properly. Take enough for the duration of your trip, plus an extra week’s worth. Keep them in their original containers in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage gets lost.

Take paper copies of your prescriptions; a copy of your insurance card; contact information for doctors; a doctor’s note if you carry needles or syringes, or you had a test that used radiation up to two weeks before; and a list of your medications. (If you lose or run out of it while traveling in the U.S., see whether a local pharmacy can call your doctor or if your pharmacy back home will mail it to you. If you’re overseas, ask someone at the nearest U.S. Embassy to direct you to a trusted facility.)

And don’t forget a first-aid kit, eyeglasses, hearing aids and batteries, and any other medical necessities.

While You're En Route

6. Ease jet lag. Crossing a time zone disrupts your sleep-wake cycle; the more zones you traverse, the more off-kilter you’ll probably feel. Some people take melatonin supplements to help them sleep, but Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports’ chief medical adviser, says that supplements aren’t regulatedcarefully, so what’s on the label may not be what’s in the bottle.

Instead, start acclimating to a new time zone before you depart by going to bed 1 to 2 hours later (if you’re traveling west) and 1 to 2 hours earlier (if you’re traveling east) each day for a week. Get exposure to sunlight when you arrive at your destination.

7. Flex those legs. Sitting for more than 4 hours in a boat, car, plane, or train can boost the risk of potentially life-threatening blood clots.

If you can’t walk around for a few minutes once an hour, do calf raises while seated: With feet flat, raise your heels for a few seconds, then raise your toes, making sure to keep your heels down; repeat each 10 times per hour.