Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Beautiful Holiday|Are You Concerned About Safe Travel?

There are some concerns about travel safety that, as the traveler, we have absolutely no control over. Thousands and thousands of passengers were stranded when American Airlines grounded their MD-80s for safety inspections. I'd been through something similar, at Newark, when Continental ran out of time on getting their puddle jumpers inspected and grounded them all.

My husband and I enjoy traveling. We have done a fair amount of domestic and international travel over the past few years. Some of our destinations have been greeted by friends and family with "You are going to be out in the middle of WHERE?" or "Didn't you know that city isn't safe? or even "ARE YOU NUTS?" But we went anyway, We arrived safely, stayed safe and returned home safe.

While a traveler has no control over everything that can happen, one can certainly stack the odds in their favor. What are some of the things you can do?

1) Work with an experienced travel agent. Once when I mentioned an exotic destination to an agent, she replied "There is NO WAY I'm sending you there". It wasn't until later, after I had done some research on my own, that I realized how right she was. At that time the location was very unsafe for tourists.

2) Go with a group. I know a lot of people like to travel independently but the fact is there IS safety in numbers. This is a particularly good option if you don't know the local language.

3) Rather than wandering on your own, arrange a city tour with a local guide through your hotel.

4) Don't do anything you wouldn't do at home.

The author and her husband have just finished visiting 6 continents. The 7th, Asia, is on the schedule. You'll find more tips, suggestions and resources at http://informationforsafetravel.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Robbins

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