10 Ways to Help Your Grad Travel
When high school ends, it’s not uncommon for newly minted adults to want to get out and explore their world. Working your way around the globe is a cost-effective way to open yourself up to what the world has to offer, and to really get a sense of what it means to be a local, even if only for a short period of time. There’s a lot to experience out there, but as any seasoned traveller will tell you, there are risks involved too.
Risk Assessment
According to online information resource Zywave, half of Canadian travellers will experience health problems when traveling to a developing country for the period of one month or longer. International medical evacuation and air ambulance services can cost more than $90,000. In light of the potential physical, emotional and financial challenges, what are some tips that young adults can use when globetrotting?
10 Tips for Travelling Well
1) The first is to make sure that you have two photocopies of your passport, driver’s license and any other I.D., and that you include your bank card, credit card, and health card numbers and information with them. Keep one copy with you while you travel, and leave the other with a trusted and responsible friend or family member.
2) Inform you bank(s) that you will be travelling, so that any unusual withdrawals won’t hinder your ability to access funds. It’s also a good idea, when talking with your bank, to ensure that your cards allow access to funds from your various destinations.
3) Payphones are a rarity these days. Make sure you check with your phone provider before you leave to ensure that you have a cost efficient travel plan or an alternative plan at your destination.
4) Make sure, as thoroughly as you are able, that someone at home knows your itinerary and can keep track of you. If you are going to be out of email contact for any period of time, make sure that people you’re in contact with are aware, so as to not cause any undue panic.
5) Be prepared for travel plans to change at a moment’s notice. Cancelled and delayed flights, weather interference, unexpected closures – all of these can see you spending the night in a terminal, running for a hotel room, or seeking alternatives to planned activities. Stay flexible, keep your sense of humour, and stay rested and hydrated. You will get where you’re headed eventually.
6) Do some advance research about getting to your destination from the airport(s) where you will be arriving. A tourist arriving fresh off an international flight can be easy to spot.
7) Once at your destination, registering with the local Canadian Embassy can add extra security to your trip. Many times, our embassy can also provide travel tips for the area.
8) If your accommodations have a safe, make sure to use it for your cash, info and passport. Passports are popular items for thieves internationally.
9) As the old adage states, trust your gut. If a situation seems wrong or too good to be true, avoid it.
How Cooke Can Help
10) Perhaps the best thing you can do to take the worry out of travel is to make sure you have a travel insurance plan in place before you depart. It can also make a great Bon Voyage gift when you’re sending your student off on the adventure of a lifetime. Cooke Insurance Group offers Single Trip, Multi-Trip, Cancellation & Interruption, Baggage, Personal Belongings policies, and other coverage. Contact us today before you or your loved one is cleared for takeoff.
