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What's New:
- Avoiding Insect Bites
Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, L
- Websites
Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on
- Books
Below is a list of just some of the books that I have bought and found useful on my travels. I usua
- Suppliers
Links to the suppliers of the travel gear I use and recommend can be found through out this site. He
- Miscellaneous
Waterproof bags Used to separate and keep various items dry in your bag. Good for keeping valuables
 Some problems with the cold aren’t necessarily associated with cold temperatures, for example, hypothermia.
Hypothermia
Cause – a life-threatening condition defined as body temperature below 95 F (35 C).
Temperatures do not have to be extreme to cause hypothermia, since water and wind can combine to rapidly chill a person. Most deaths from hypothermia occur in well-above freezing temperatures.
Symptoms – a pale, drowsy, confused, and cold victim. She may become unconscious.
Treatment – consists of seeking immediate medical help and warming the victim. Warm drinks are effective, as well as hats, blankets, emergency aluminum blankets which reflect body heat, and, [...]
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 Look after your money when you are away. The notes and coins will be unfamiliar, so be vigilant.
There are lots of people who may use your ignorance to their advantage, so get itemised bills when possible and ask to have all charges explained to you if you don’t understand them.
Use a calculator if necessary to work out percentages, tips, etc., do your own arithmetic (i.e. don’t rely on theirs) and never let anyone rush you.
If you are using cash and you are given change, count it immediately in front of the storekeeper (except in Japan where [...]
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 Once upon a time, everyone who travelled carried traveller’s cheques, but not anymore. Nowadays, credit cards are the norm.
Traveller’s cheques are similar to cash and can be used as such (especially in North America, not so much elsewhere), but they also have added security features that cash doesn’t. If you lose them or they get stolen then the money is refundable.
With American Express cheques you get 24/7 customer support, plus passport and credit card replacement assistance (the things that usually get stolen alongside your money). Find out more here.
They also come in a few selected (popular) [...]
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 Credit cards (and debit cards) are usually the preferred option for making purchases overseas because the currency conversion (the actual exchange rate you see in the papers or on the news) is usually at the wholesale rate (or 1% over the commercial bank rate) and not at the retail rate you would pay for changing cash at the airport, hotel, or bank.
Not only this, using cards is just as secure abroad as when you are at home (for example, if used fraudulently). You also don’t have to carry cash around, taking it out and putting it [...]
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 There are a number of ways of carrying money, or at least getting access to it, as you travel.
However, there can sometimes be problems converting that money into the local currency in terms of excessive fees, terrible exchange rates, or even not knowing how much to change (for example, when converting too much in an attempt to save money).
The four main choices are listed below with their respective advantages and disadvantages. The fees and rates change all the time so don’t rely on any figures given, rather check the Internet for updates.
Keeping your money physically secure [...]
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Whichever way you choose to finance your trip, how far your money goes will depend on which countries you intend to visit, how (well) you intend to live, and the activities which you undertake whilst there.
If you are on a modest budget then don’t spend all your money on expensive gear. You will be constantly worrying about having it lost or stolen, and you probably won’t have enough left for food and accommodation. In many cases you can just take what your already have. See the ‘Packing’ section for hints on what to take [...]
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 Write lists of phone numbers and addresses of emergency contacts, friends you will be visiting, numbers to call if you lose things and need to cancel services or get replacements sent to you (your cell phone and credit cards, for example), phone numbers and addresses of embassies/consulates, and perhaps addresses of useful travel-related websites.
Similarly, for any hotels or lodging you have arranged in advance, make a note of addresses and phone numbers.
Enter all the phone numbers into your phone’s address book and maybe even email a copy to yourself. Another idea to keep it safe is [...]
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 If you are a diver and have a card or log book, take it with you. I forgot mine once when I was visiting Key West for less than a day. The diving equipment rental company wouldn’t believe I had one and instead insisted that I take a diving test in the local swimming pool before taking me out on the boat, and I just didn’t have enough time.
Note that there are many different bodies around the world which award diving qualifications (e.g. PADI, BSAC etc.) so you may need to know the equivalent qualifications for [...]
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 Some countries insist that you show some means of support (credit cards or cash), or have evidence of an address where you will be staying (hotel, friends, etc.) while visiting. You may also need to show return or onward air tickets.
This is mainly to show that you don’t intend to stay for an extended time in the country (illegally), and you won’t become a burden to the state (and won’t need to be flown home at their expense, for example).
This is known as the ’sufficent funds’ requirement. New Zealand, for example, requires that you have about [...]
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 As well as a passport, many countries require a visa to enter. This is simply a document or stamp issued by a country giving you permission to enter for a given period of time and for certain purposes, which is usually stamped or glued inside your passport, or issued as separate pieces of paper.
Here are some examples of entry requirements around the world (check with the country’s embassy or consulate before you leave, though):
New Zealand doesn’t require US or EU citizens to obtain a visa in advance but you do need a return or onward ticket [...]
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 Most countries will want to see your passport, but in addition to this there are sometimes other things you need to know which aren’t so obvious. For example, some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months after you plan to leave that particular country and if it isn’t you won’t be let in. So it pays to get your passport renewed if it is quite close to expiring.
Some countries, such as South Africa, have other requirements. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 30 days after your intended date [...]
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 Getting in (and out) of countries can sometimes be a challenge. I once (a long time ago) took a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco (a 2.5 hour journey), only to be turned back as I tried to disembark and had to return to Spain.
The problem was a missing stamp in my passport which could only be obtained in the passport stamping office on the boat, and by the time I found this out the place stamping the passports had closed. Of course, nobody tells you this when you get on or while you [...]
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