TRAVEL 911 - WHEN EMERGENCIES ARISE

When ever you travel there is the possibility of an emergency.  While you can't predict what that will be you can prepare yourself to minimize the impact of an emergency.

Are You Prepared for an Emergency?

The first thing to do is prepare an Emergency Checklist prior to your trip.

Emergency Checklist

• Purchase Travelers Insurance. (Get a plan that is comprehensive including trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delay, baggage coverage, medical assistance, etc.)
• Appoint an Emergency Contact person. (This is someone who you trust with your affairs at home and to be contacted should something happen to you at your destination). This may need to be two people.  One for basic things and one for life threatening situations.
• Make two copies of the following items and give your Emergency Contact person a copy.
• Flight Itinerary
• Hotel Confirmation with contact details
• Tour itinerary
• Passport ID Page along with any obtained visas
• A key to your house and car for the ECP
• Download your credit card companies and banking institutions Apps.
• Contact your banks and let them know when and where you will travel to avoid declined charges
• If traveling abroad obtain the contact details of the nearest US Embassy and Consular services at your destination. You can information at www.travel.state.gov
• If traveling abroad enroll in STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) www.travel.state.gov
• Update your medications/prescriptions/inoculations/over the counter medications

Lost/Stolen Passport

• Only carry it with you if you need to, otherwise leave it in your hotel safety deposit box. Unless you are traveling to a country with unrest
• Search everywhere and search again and enlist someone else to help you look.
• Immediately visit or contact the nearest US Embassy to get a replacement passport
• The hotel's concierge can assist you with the Embassy information if you don't have it

Lost/Stolen Wallet

• Don't keep all of your cash with you every day.  Only take what you need for the day and leave the rest in the safety deposit box.
• Leave at least one credit card (preferably a debit card) in the safety deposit box
• Contact your financial institutes to report and cancel your cards lost/stolen

Becoming Ill

• If the illness is beyond over the counter medications, ask the hotel if they have an in-house or on-call doctor
• If you have to be hospitalized as the hotel or concierge for a recommendation.  If you are abroad ask to be taken to an international hospital
• If you need medication have someone at the hotel translate your needs in writing for you

 Lost Reservations

·   Preemptive measures - Upon making reservations print our all of your receipts and confirmations

·   Hotels: This is only a problem if the hotel or airline is full in which case they must accommodate you with their company or if necessary with another company at their expense, but only if you can prove you had a reservation.

·   Have them try different spellings of your name in case it's because of a misspelling error

·   If you can prove your reservation and confirmation know your rights

·   The hotel can upgrade you if you do not wish to be move to another hotel

·   If you are moved to another hotel it must be of equal or greater quality

·   The hotel should pay and arrange for your transportation

·   If the new hotel puts you out of your way you can ask them to compensate you for this inconvenience.

·   If you're willing to accept lesser accommodations they should reimburse you

·   The same with the airlines

·   They are responsible for getting you to/from your destination closest to your original reservations.

• Remember that kindness goes very far and people are more willing to give when you're pleasant.  Sure you're upset but you now just have to deal with the situation at hand.  Proceed firmly but kindly

If you take prescription medication:

• Pack enough to last your entire trip, including some extra in case you are unexpectedly delayed.
• Carry your medications in their original labeled containers, and pack them in your carry-on bag since checked baggage is occasionally lost or delayed.
• Ask your pharmacy or physician for the generic equivalent name of your prescriptions in case you need to purchase additional medication abroad.

Get a letter from your physician in case you are questioned about  your carry-on medication; some countries have strict restrictions on bringing prescription or even non-prescription medications into the country without proper medical documentation.  

SYDNEY HARBOR BRIDGE CLIMB

The Climb

We arrived in Sydney on Saturday, March 29th and immediately headed to the Sydney Harbor Bridge for our climb. 1002 steps to the top.  Good thing I completed my 30 day squat challenge prior to my trip so that my legs were ready and strong enough to to conquer the climb.

I'm most impressed by the mature ladies of our group that did the Express Climb (in just over 2 hours). Ladies in their 70's did it with no worries. Simply Awesome!

Getting ready and suited up

The gang at the top

Yep, that's me

See you next time in another part of Sydney!

Ja'Vonne

SKY JUMP

Hey Guys,

We are having a great time in New Zealand.  We are now in Auckland, NZ.  Auckland is the most populated city in New Zealand and it's a big contrast to Queenstown that's more of nature and the great outdoors.

You know I'm always looking for some adventure and since New Zealand is the home of bungee jumping, it was invented by a small pacific tribe in New Zealand who would jump off of towers with vines tied to their feet, I just had to do something similar to it.  OK, I didn't bungee jump but I did something close to it.  I did the Sky Jump from the Auckland's Sky Tower. Rather than having vines or even bungee tied to my feet, I was connected to a cable at 630 feet above ground and then I jumped.

Well here it is.  Fun and exhilarating!

NEW ZEALAND

The 10th Annual WHUR World Tour 2014 has arrived in New Zealand! Yeah. After 20 hours of flying and two days later, we finally arrived in Queenstown, NZ.

Yes, we are tired. too tired to think straight but too excited to know we're too tired to think straight.

I had a little surprise for the group when they arrived.  You see, our hotel is located on Lake Wakatipu.  You can get there by road or by the lake. I arranged for the lake arrival but not just by any regular boat, but by jet speed boats.  It was a bit chilly and everyone had to leave their bags on the bus (I think they were more concerned about leaving their bags than getting onto speed boats), put on slickers and life vests and board these speed boats.  The excitement and confusion on their faces was priceless.

Our driver and guide tells us about the lake, that we will get a bit wet and he will do ten 360 degree spin outs.  Some were thrilled, some (women) asked about their hair and others just said well OK.  One thing was for sure, the wind, high speed, the spin outs that sprayed us with water and the chilly air woke us all up and gave us that much needed energy. HELLO NEW ZEALAND!

Then to our hotel, the Hilton Wakatipu on Lake Wakatipu.

In keeping with my style of traveling, especially after a long flight we had just enough time for a shower (much needed by this point), a change of clothes and off we we went to our dinner high above the city to Skyline Tower.  We ascended by gondola's, took in the fabulous views, had a Maori cultural show and a bit of dinner.

Now we're finished with the day and can lay our weary heads on our fluffy pillows, extra comfortable mattresses and under warm comforters.  What a day!

Next stop Milford Sound for a full day of adventure.

Ja'Vonne

JA'VONNE'S TRAVEL MINUTE

Why are you over packing?

Every time I have a group orientation the group members are usually aghast at the requirement of one checked bag and one carry-on bag. It's actually very easy to travel with these requirements and I find the reasons people over pack are all correctable.

1. Stop thinking you need more than you do and preparing for every "what if" there is, pack with your basic needs in mind.
2. If you're not packing with a color palette you're not getting the most out of your wardrobe and you're packing too many individual items and shoes. Remember every item should go with or match 2-3 other items.
3. Your bag is just to big.  Start with a smaller bag, I recommend the 24 inch for a checked bag but if you must, no larger than the 27 inch.  A bigger bag just means you're compelled to fill it up.  Also get one that expands so you can accommodate your souvenirs.  Just don't start with the expansion.
4. Buy travel size items and look for things that have multiple functions.

Happy and light travels!

Ja'Vonne

TRAVELING WITH A LAP CHILD

A Lap Child is a child under two years of age at the time of departure traveling with an adult and sitting on the lap of that adult.

A "lap child" travels free on domestic flights and usually 10% of the adult fare on international flights. But, Just because you CAN fly with your infant for free on your lap, it doesn't mean that you should.  It's interesting that the rules on traveling with a child in a car are so strict but not for flying even though the safest way to fly with an infant is in a child safety seat. The irony is that if you choose to purchase a seat for your infant and travel with a child safety seat, the FAA has a requirement for that. That's right, no, requirement to use a child safety seat but if you do it has to be FAA approved. The question here is why wouldn't you want to to spend the extra money for the safety of such precious cargo?

Ja'Vonne Harley

What Impression Will You Leave!

"What you’ve done becomes the judge of what you’re going to do – especially in other people’s minds. When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.” – William Least Heat Moon

When you travel you have the opportunity to make a great first and lasting impression.  Just remember that sometimes it means you are an ambassador for your country as well.  Too often we use this lack of history to bring out the worst in us, or to let our inhibitions go, saying “nobody here knows me and probably wont see me again so I don’t care."  Think about it ….. do you really want a bad or careless attitude to be how someone remembers you. This is your opportunity to cement your true self or tell a new story.  Make it a great one.

 

Ja'Vonne's Travel Minute