Common problems that travellers encounter, such as stomach upsets and those from insect bites, can be prevented by taking . . . → Read More: Preventing Medical Problems]]>

Common problems that travellers encounter, such as stomach upsets and those from insect bites, can be prevented by taking simple precautions.

These include such things as good hygiene and safe food preparation practices, drinking (and using) only treated or clean water, avoiding being bitten by various insects and worms, and getting vaccinated and taking pills to prevent diseases.

Clean water and water treatment

Everyone needs a minimum of about two and a half litres or just over half a gallon of clean water a day. In hot climates while doing things like carrying a backpack, hiking or just walking around in the sun, you will need even more, maybe around 4 litres or about a gallon a day, mainly because of loss from sweating.

It is extremely easy to become dehydrated while travelling in hot and unfamiliar climates. It is recommended to take a water bottle with you each day.



Public water in all of the USA, western Europe and some parts of eastern Europe is safe to drink. A lot of countries around the world, however, are not so stringent about the cleanliness of their water supply, which can mean health risks for travellers.

Drinking water can be contaminated with all sorts of infectious agents, ice (for example, in drinks (even in alcoholic ones)) is a major problem, as is finding safe water to use when brushing your teeth, washing (and swimming).

Salads, vegetables and fruits washed in local water should also be avoided, as well as and water-based products such as ice cream.

Check destination information on the Internet to find out in which countries you are at risk from inadequate sanitation and contaminated water.

Sites such as www.tripprep.com and www.cdc.gov are good sources of information. However, the main danger areas are:

- The Indian subcontinent

- Africa

- Mexico, Central and South America

- Russia and the former USSR countries

- Asia

There are five basic ways to get clean water. Buying bottled water, and either boiling, distilling, filtering or purifying water from local supplies.

Robert Sangster’s book here is a good place to find more information.

Bottled Water

Generally easy to find and sold in various sized plastic bottles. Other bottled drinks are somewhat safe and routinely drunk by travellers.

Bottled water can be expensive, but the main problem, though, is availability. It can’t always be found everywhere you go (or when you want or need it), and even if do find it you can’t be sure that it is really safe. Anyone can fill an old bottle with tap water, reseal it and sell it to you.

The worst thing about bottled water, however, is the hundreds of unrecycled plastic bottles that get dumped or left behind.

Boiling

Boiling water for a minute or two is the best method for eliminating infectious agents. Also the best method to use when making tea, coffee, and soups.

While boiled water is safe, it should not be relied upon as the sole source of drinking water as you won’t always have access to a stove or pan.

Distillation

Distillation involves a unit that boils water and then condenses the steam into a clean container, leaving nearly all of the solid contaminants behind.

This will kill and remove bacteria, viruses, cysts, heavy metals, and other particulates, more so in fact than any other system.

Useful if you can’t tolerate or don’t like the taste of iodine, or for long-term travellers (where using iodine for extended periods may cause problems. See below).

Most systems do need electricity to work, however, although there are some non-electric systems out there. They are also quite slow to produce clean water, as well as being heavy and bulky.

They also leave scale behind, which means that the distillation apparatus be frequently cleaned.

Filtration

Water filtration devices work by forcing water through materials which screen out particles. What gets filtered out depends on the size of the pores in the material used.

Filters of about 0.2 microns will remove dirt, bacteria and parasites, but waterborne viruses, such as hepatitis and polio, are 0.04 microns or smaller so may not be removed, and the water will need subsequent boiling or chemical treatment.

Filtering doesn’t change the taste of the water, however, and there is no need to wait. You can clean and reuse filters so it is also cheap.

Again this is a good solution if you are sensitive to iodine or where viruses might not be a problem, such as for backcountry use in the U.S. and Canada. Also can be used where the user has had all the vaccination for local viruses.

Mechanical filters can, however, be bulky, heavy, and hard to use for less experienced travellers. Filters can become clogged and if further chemical treatment is needed the cost per gallon increases.

Purification

Water can be purified with one of a number of chemical additives. The most popular is iodine, either in tablet or liquid form. Chlorine and silver are alternatives.

Iodine is used by putting 2-3 drops or a couple of tablets in water and letting it stand for about 30 minutes.

The dosage must be doubled for very cold water (e.g. from mountain streams).

Tablets and liquids are very compact and are good for short-term use or with filters.

Regular iodine stains badly (if it leaks in your bag) but you can find uncoloured (as well as regular) iodine in some places, for example, in pharmacies around the world.

With iodine the water has a chemical taste (as it does with chlorine) which some find objectionable, and is coloured, although both the colour and taste can be removed by adding vitamin C (orange juice, for example) to the water, but only after the waiting period is over, otherwise the iodine will be neutralised.

There is some debate over the safety of iodine for long-term use and what is a safe maximum dose to ingest over and above the recommended daily amount. Reports of serious side-effects are few and far between, however. A 1998 study published in the Lancet described thyroid problems in a group of Peace Corps workers in Africa which was linked to their use of two-stage iodine-resin filters as their only water purification method for over two years. Then again a study in the 1960′s of Florida prison inmates who were given iodinated water for up to 15 years showed no such problems. Those with thyroid problems, pregnant women, or those with a sensitivity to iodine, might want to consider alternative solutions, however.

Read more about it here, especially the ‘Recommendations for Iodine Use in Water Treatment’ section.

Other approaches

A combination of methods works well. Some travellers (including myself) carry personal water purifiers which both purify and filter the water at the same time, and generally does it a lot quicker than with iodine alone.

Most purifiers use iodine as the active ingredient as part of a filter cartridge. The filtration process removes the larger, hard-shelled creatures such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, then the water passes through an iodised resin bed, where bacteria and viruses are deactivated. Some systems incorporate a carbon filter at the final stage of purification. These filters absorb traces of residual iodine and greatly improve the flavour of the water.

The most convenient method I have found so far, and one which I thoroughly recommend, is the Aquapure Traveller Water Bottle. You can fill the bottle from ANY water source, streams, ponds, rainwater barrels, and obtain safe, palatable, clear, odourless drinking water. It kills viruses and bacteria and removes parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Read more about it here, or watch the video:

As a backup I also carry a Steripen (the Adventurer model). This is an amazing product, it is an ultra-light UV water purifier that destroys 99.99% of the bacteria, viruses and Giardia in water. It emits UV light which purifies 16 ounces of water from any source in under 1 minute (32 ounces in 90 seconds). You can use regular camera batteries to power it but I bought the optional solar charger which means I can go anywhere in the world and not worry about drinking the water. I bought both the Steripen and the solar charger in the US but you can also buy them in the UK.

Another device (used by the US military), is MSR’s MIOX Purifier which creates a dose of mixed oxidants (MIOX) that is then added to the water to inactivate bacteria, Giardia and Cryptosporidium, (which iodine won’t kill). It runs on common camera batteries and uses regular salt to operate, and needs no maintenance.

Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, are transmitted by . . . → Read More: Avoiding Insect Bites]]>

Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, are transmitted by insect bites, usually through the insect’s saliva.

No antimalarial drug is 100% effective and in the case of some diseases (for example, dengue fever) there is no protection at all, so it is best to avoid getting bitten in the first place.

Luckily, insects aren’t a problem in most countries around the world, just annoying, and in those places where they are, only some of them carry diseases.

For example, there are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes worldwide, and 420 species of the Anopheles mosquito, of which only about 70 are capable of transmitting malaria. Of those 70 species, only about 30 to 40 species are considered “good transmitters”. For each of these 30 to 40, only 5 to 10 percent of the insect population is capable of transmitting malaria.



These may seem like good odds, but the sheer numbers of the Anopheles mosquito around the world can make them appear less favourable. In parts of Africa, research has shown that some (unprotected) people suffer around 300 to 1,000 infectious bites per person per year, i.e. one to three malarious infections per day.

To get infected, you have to be bitten by a disease-carrying insect, and although it may take more than one bite from that insect to transmit the disease, you can still get infected from just one bite from one insect.

You can greatly reduce the chance of any infection by taking precautions to limit the number of times you get bitten. Even in low-risk or non-malarious areas it pays to do so, as insect bites can be irritating and sometimes painful.

When reading about and comparing repellents, insecticides and netting, remember that a lot are sold for domestic use (in the backyard at home), some just for backcountry use (in the USA), and some for use abroad.

Be careful to choose the right combination for your situation. For example, a close mesh net is ideal for keeping out tiny insects in the forests of the US but would be too hot in the tropics where a more open mesh mosquito net (treated with an insecticide) which lets in the breeze would be fine.

Clothing

One of the best ways to stop getting bitten is to reduce the amount of exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers, as well as enclosed shoes and long socks (not open sandals or flip flops).

Covering up in this way also (partially) protects against exposure to the sun.

Fabrics must be either thick or closely woven (not knit) as well as loose-fitting, as insects can bite though thin fabric or can reach your skin through tight clothing.

Luckily, loose clothing is also more comfortable in hot climates.

Also, light colors (khaki, for example) appear to be less attractive to mosquitoes.

The best shirt I have found that meets all of the above criteria is the Craghoppers Nosquito Long Sleeved Shirt. I personally have two of these (in Stone and Khaki) and they are worth every penny. Part of the ‘Bear Grylls’ range of clothing they are practical as well as very stylish. You can read more about them in the Clothing section of this website.

Craghoppers also make the best travel trousers too in the Craghoppers Kiwi Trousers. They are similar in performance to the shirt and are (justifiably) a best seller.

To deter ticks, tuck trousers into socks, and remember to inspect yourself for ticks after outdoor activities.

Spraying or soaking your clothes with an insect repellent or insecticide is also recommended (see below). The Nosquito shirt above is treated like this.

You can find anti-mosquito clothing treatments here or here.

Repellents

The next method for keeping the insects away is to use an insect repellent on your skin.

Humans and animals give off various chemicals that attract insects. Insect repellents are thought to work by blocking the stimulation of the receptors that detect these chemicals.

The most popular (and also the most effective) repellents are those which contain DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide). Others contain oil of lemon eucalyptus, botanicals, and other chemicals (picardin) but despite their claims, these may not be as protective.

Read more about the alternatives here. There is an update to this information here. Both give recommendations for domestic (USA) use. To find information about overseas travel, read the information here.

When evaluating claims make sure they are comparing like with like (some tests use lower concentrations of DEET, for example, when they claim their product is more effective), and check which insects they protect against (some are only more effective against ticks and certain (non-malarial) mosquitoes).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers DEET-based products safe when used as directed. This means they should not be used under clothing or on open cuts, wounds, or irritated skin, and shouldn’t be used with sunscreen.

Combination repellents and sunscreens are still being evaluated by the EPA, but because sunscreens are meant to be applied liberally and frequently and DEET products are used sparingly, you will inevitably end up putting on too much of one or too little of the other. Better to use separate products at the same time, applying sunscreen first, then the insect repellent.

DEET-based repellent should be applied following the manufacturer’s instructions to all exposed skin. It should also be kept away from your eyes, mouth and nasal membranes, and definitely should not be swallowed. Spray the repellent onto hands and then apply to face. You should use just enough to cover exposed skin and it should be washed off whenever safe to do so.

Even though you should not use it on your skin under clothing, many people apply it to the outside of their clothes on sleeves, collars, socks, and cuffs as additional protection.

Be aware that DEET can also melt some plastics, such as eyeglass frames, rayon, spandex, and other synthetic fabrics, and can damage leather and painted or varnished surfaces.

DEET products come in different concentrations which can be confusing. In concentrations over approximately 25%, DEET does not work better, it just lasts longer. If you are hiking or sweating a lot it will dissipate much faster and last a lot less.

Products containing 25% to 35% DEET are recommended by the CDC for adults. These will usually repel mosquitos for several hours (read the instructions), and there should be no need to reapply it more often that this. Ultrathon, made by 3M, contains 33% DEET which slowly releases the DEET for an effectiveness of up to twelve hours. Another similar product is Sawyer’s Controlled Release.

Some DEET products consist of a 100% formulation for maximum effectiveness of up to eight or ten hours. 100% DEET is probably overkill for mosquitoes, you just don’t protection for 12 or 13 hours. For most situations of casual use (and for a few fours in the morning or evening when mosquitos bite), around 25% should be fine. You can always re-apply it every few hours if you’re in the jungle, too.

There may be circumstances where constant reapplication may be impractical, however, such as where there is a rapid loss of repellent due to rain or heavy sweating. Some people also use higher concentrations when traveling to an area where there is a very high density of biting insects.

As well as being a lower concentration, Ultrathon is also absorbed less through the skin, thus making it safer than 100% DEET. In addition, it is recommended by many health care professionals. If you have sensitive skin you can get it in a spray can at a 23% concentration which lasts up to eight hours.

Insecticides

Whereas insect repellents are designed to keep insects away, insecticides stun or kill insects that come into contact with it. In this way the two methods compliment each other and should both be used (one does not replace the other). Ideally, use a combination of a DEET product on exposed skin, and wear insecticide-treated clothing.

Permethrin is a common synthetic chemical, widely used as an insecticide and as an insect repellent. It is usually applied to mosquito netting (see below) and clothes. Permanone, Coulston’s Duranon, and Sawyer’s are brand names of permethrin.

When applied to clothing by aerosol or trigger spray, Permethrin provides protection lasting up to two weeks or two washings. Clothing soaked in a Permethrin solution is effective as am insecticide for months if it is stored out of the sun.

There should be no problems using it as long as it is used according to the instructions, as it has a low toxicity, is poorly absorbed by skin, and is generally environmentally safe except that it is toxic to honey bees and other beneficial insects, fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, and shrimp.

More recently, Deltamethrin has become more popular and widely used. It is a member of one of the safest classes of pesticides. However, it is still a neurotoxin and should be treated with care. It is used by companies (e.g. Tana Netting and Travel Health Help) to manufacture long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets.

Mosquito nets

Mosquito nets are a very useful and practical way to prevent insect bites, especially when sleeping at night. There are a number of things to look out for when buying a net.

There are basically two types, circular or rectangular. The circular type hangs from the ceiling by a string, with the net fanning out from a ring at the top and tucked tightly under the mattress on all sides. The rectangular type ties to the ceiling with four strings and hangs straight down on all sides of the bed, with the fringes again tucked under the mattress. Whichever type you choose it should be wide enough not to touch the body while sleeping.

The mesh size should be large enough for air circulation but as small as possible to keep out the mosquitos. For effective malaria protection, the mesh size that is recommended is 120-200 holes per square per inch. This will not keep out some types of sand flies, however, which can also transmit diseases to humans.

‘Noseeum’ netting is a lot finer at 500-600 holes per square inch, but the airflow is greatly restricted which can be stifling. Spraying or soaking mosquito netting in Permethrin or Deltamethrin dramatically increases effectiveness (see above). Store the net in a plastic bag to keep the permethrin effective longer.

Finally, make sure there are no gaps or holes in the netting around you and that there are no mosquitoes already inside the netting before you get inside or got to sleep.

Mosquito head nets may also be useful. Head nets alone are not enough in malarial areas, though.

Other preventative measures

Mosquitoes can bite any time. However, the peak hours of mosquito biting activity are usually at dawn and dusk, so try to reduce the amount of time you spend outdoors at these times.

You can use insecticides in the form of aerosols, vaporizers, candles, smoke spirals or others in living and, most of all, in sleeping areas. Close all doors and windows and spray the walls.

Mosquito coils are spiral-shaped candles that repel mosquitoes and other bugs with the natural chemical pyrethrum. They burn for several hours, and are useful when cooking dinner while camping, or in hotel rooms without screening.

Citronella (in the form of candles, soaps, sprays, etc.), is a natural repellent, useful in backyards in the USA but is not effective in serious biting insect areas.

Avoid wearing perfumes and aftershaves, which attract some mosquitoes. Also, for the same reason, don’t use scented soaps, shampoos, or deodorants. Unscented deodorants are available.

Mosquitoes do not attack as long as you walk quickly or if there is a breeze as they need to land on you to bite. While many hotels in the tropics lack screens, they often have fans which produce enough breeze to prevent mosquitoes from landing as long as the power holds out.

Stay in mosquito-protected rooms after twilight and at night, that is in rooms with air-conditioning or mosquito nets attached to windows and doors and those with fans.

For tours in the country, or if camping out, carefully select sites for sleep. Try to keep away from stale waters, ditches and water barrels. Also try to avoid traveling in high-risk areas during the rainy season.

The Medical pages list the various diseases and vaccinations available. This section gives information on where and when to . . . → Read More: Vaccinations]]>

The Medical pages list the various diseases and vaccinations available. This section gives information on where and when to get them, how long they last, whether you need boosters, possible side-effects, and so on.

Don’t rely on the information given below. Try to get to a specialist travel clinic, or seek advice from a qualified professional.

Some clinics will give you a free consulation, other charge a fee (usually refunded if you then have the vaccinations at the clinic).

In the UK you can get vaccinations from your GP (usually for free), or go to one of the specialist travel clinics, such as the Nomad Travel Clinics, or The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London.



Or do a basic search on the Internet in your country to find one. For example, this website has a list of directories for other countries, including the USA.

Check the Links – Websites page for more links to health information by country.

Remember to start your vaccination programme at least six weeks before departure.

Polio

How – usually given as a childhood vaccine. Recommended every 10 years for travel to areas outside of Europe, Australasia or the Americas.

When – anytime before departure.

Tetanus

How – a routine childhood vaccine. Boosters needed every ten years for travel to areas where immediate treatment may not be available, or after a cut or injury.

When – anytime before departure.

Diphtheria

How – a routine childhood vaccine. Boost every 10 years.

When – anytime before departure.

Hepatitis A

How – vaccination protects initially for one year and then a further injection boosts immunity to 20 years, possibly life.

When – two to four weeks before travel.

Hepatitis B

How – a course of vaccines is required, three injections over six months although more rapid schedules can be done for those leaving with less time available.

When – ideally six months before travel.

Typhoid

How – available as a single shot or as a combined vaccine with Hepatitis A. Provides approximately 80% protection for three years.

When – two weeks before travel.

Yellow Fever

How – vaccine with immunisation lasting for 10 years.

When – 10 days before travel.

Meningitis A, C W135 and Y vaccine

How – vaccine covering four strains of Meningitis.

When – two to three weeks prior to travel.

Japanese Encephalitis

How – a course of three vaccines.

When – six weeks prior to travel.

Rabies

How – a course of vaccines over one month. Further treatment is still required after a bite but both reduces the amount of treatment needed and changes the treatment required. In some developing countries there are no guarantees as to the quality or availability of treatment.

When – four to six weeks before travel.

Tick Borne Encephalitis

When – six weeks prior to travel.

Cholera

How – a course of two oral vaccines. Gives 80% coverage for two years.

When – a minimum of three weeks prior to travel.

Take any travel insurance information you’ll need if you have to make a claim while travelling. This would include . . . → Read More: Insurance]]>

Take any travel insurance information you’ll need if you have to make a claim while travelling. This would include the company’s claims telephone number and a checklist of things you may need to provide when calling (like the plan code, travel dates, the date the insurance was purchased, and so on).

There are many providers of travel insurance. I use American Express but others include STA Travel, where you can get travel insurance from just £8. You can also get free travel insurance quotes from AIG Travel Guard. MultiNational Underwriters sell international health insurance for as low as 70¢ a day.

Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on . . . → Read More: Websites]]>

Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on this page, plus a few others that I found useful when researching long-term worldwide travel.

The links are not listed in any particular order, although I try to keep them arranged in the same order as they appear on this site.

General:

How to travel overland comfortably and affordably
General Travel Hints and Tips
The Traveller’s Toolkit – Independent travel resources
Round-The-World Travel Guide – The Travel Library
Lots of very useful travel advice links
Using a cell phone overseas
Maps of the night sky

Money:

Visa worldwide ATM/cash machine locator
MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus ATM locator
Credit card travel tips
Lost VISA card toll-free numbers
Lost MasterCard card toll-free numbers

Health:

Health Information for Overseas Travel
World Health Organization latest information by country
Health information by country and by illness plus a world list of doctors
Vaccination information by country
Malaria information – Generate a personal anti-malarial report by country
Malaria information – World map of risk areas

Water purification:

Water bottle purification systems
Steripen handheld, pocket-sized water purifier

Working/Volunteering Abroad:

Volunteers Abroad – Worldwide volunteer opportunities
Help Exchange – Volunteer to work at farms, homes, ranches, lodges, etc.
Voluntary Service Overseas

Packing light:

Lightweight Backpacking 101 – For hiking and camping
Travel light out of one carry-on sized bag
For the First-time Traveller
Packing light for vacations and air travel

Equipment stores:

Magellans International Travel Inc

Backpack security:

Pacsafe Anti-Theft Bags & Travel Security Products
Travel Security Products

Country guides:

Government Advice for UK travellers
Government Advice for US travellers
South East Asia specific travel advice
Weather information by country

Accommodation:

Hostel information by country
Youth Hostel Association – UK
Youth Hostel Association – Worldwide

Phrasebooks:

www.lastminute.com
www.collinslanguage.com

Stock photos:

www.tssphoto.com
www.the-lightbox.com
www.availablestockphotos.com

Optional, but can be heavy if you do decide to take them. Photocopies of useful pages (or those torn . . . → Read More: Guidebooks, Maps, etc.]]>

Optional, but can be heavy if you do decide to take them. Photocopies of useful pages (or those torn out from the book) can be taken instead and are a lot lighter. You can always buy or borrow these on the way from fellow travellers, or get city maps from tourists offices, or even look up the information in an Internet cafe.

You can also get maps on your phone these days, and this combined with a GPS (on the phone if you can get it), makes it a lot easier to get around strange places.

Some companies, such as Lonely Planet, also make audio versions of their guidebooks for most countries in the world plus the major cities, so you can put these on your phone or iPod too. With the right phone you will never have to carry a book with you again (apart from those you take to read, although I listen to audio books a lot anyway).

Once, whilst returning from a trip to Italy, I met a man on a train who was travelling dressed . . . → Read More: Document Security]]>

Once, whilst returning from a trip to Italy, I met a man on a train who was travelling dressed only in a swim suit and a towel. He had left his bag on the beach for just a few moments to paddle in the sea. When he returned it was gone, along with his passport, money, tickets and all of his clothes (apart from his towel).

As well as a lesson on the importance of looking after your possessions as you travel, strangely enough this story also shows how little you really need to take with you. People (including myself) made small contributions to his funds and food supplies (although none had donated any clothes when I saw him), and sympathetic train porters and guards had let him on the train without many questions.

A number of people each year have everything stolen from them as they travel around the world. Most just go to the local shop and buy what they need and go on with their trip. This is made more difficult if you have no access to money, and you definitely will have trouble crossing international borders without your passport.

Of course, the best thing is to avoid getting into situations such as this in the first place. Some ways of doing this, such as physical security (money belts, etc.), are covered in the ‘Packing’ section under ‘Security‘. The following gives some basic tips and ideas for protecting and gaining easy access to your essential travel documents.

Making Copies of Everything

With the exception of cash, there is almost no paper or document that cannot eventually be replaced while travelling if you keep a copy or a record of it. You will probably not lose any of the items below but if you do and have taken elementary precautions, you will be able to get them replaced with the least amount of trouble.



The way I usually do this is to gather together all the documents listed in the ‘Papers‘ section of this website. Then I empty out my travel wallet / money belt and make photocopies of everything.

You can use the photocopier’s zoom function to make everything really small (but readable) to fit two or three documents onto one page. You can also copy on both sides of the paper.

It is not necessary to photocopy every page of your passport, just the photo page and current visas, perhaps. This should make it a lot easier to replace them if lost or stolen. Also, take a copy of your birth certificate to help you get a new passport.

At the same time I make photocopies of all the financial information listed in the ‘Money‘ section of this website, such as credit cards, traveller’s cheque serial numbers, insurance policy numbers, bank accounts, social security number, the serial number on your camera. and so on.

Another, more high-tech, way of duplicating important information is to use a scanner to make electronic copies and then store them on a computer or removable storage. Once a document is scanned it can then be stored using an online file storage service, or even emailed to yourself for retrieval from anywhere in the world (even if you are only left with your swim suit).

If you don’t have a scanner then the local copy shop should be able to help out. As a last resort you can use a digital camera to take pictures of credit cards, passport pages, etc.

Another good idea is to give the photcopies/scans to a trusted friend at home whom you can call on the phone from anywhere in the world to retrieve the information (well, the text and numbers parts, that is, not pictures, obviously). Or if you are travelling with a companion then you can also swap documents with each other.

Encryption

If most of this sounds quite insecure (i.e. having multiple copies of everything, including credit card and bank account numbers thereby multiplying opportunities for loss or theft), then don’t worry! There are some tricks to make the copies more secure.

The safest ways to do this are usually electronic. Scanned documents saved as text files or pictures (jpg’s, gif’s etc.), can be encrypted and compressed (using, for example, Winzip with a password). Email and server storage are quite secure, too. However, bear in mind that this is completely dependent on how strong your passwords are. Also, be careful when retrieving your data from a computer that isn’t yours (for example, in an Internet cafe) as key-stroke logging software may be installed.

A good way to avoid this, and also for securing paper copies, is not to write down the real numbers at all, but simply to alter them in some manner known only to yourself. One method I used to use was to alter one digit (the last number of a credit card number, for example) by, say, adding a 1 to it. Reversing the number can work too, as well as complicated things like multiplying the whole thing by, say, 2 or 6, and so on (and remembering which!).

Portable Storage

Recently, I have been using various portable methods of storing encrypted documents. Most small electronic devices around these days can be used for this, some more obvious than others.

For example, I have encrypted zip files with scans of my passport(s), financial data (credit cards, traveller’s cheque numbers, etc.), licenses, guide books, and so on, copied to a small flash drive which fits quite nicely in my Eagle Creek all terrain money belt (shown here).

Just as a test to see what is possible, I have also made copies of the same zip file onto my camera (copied via USB from my hard drive to the camera’s memory stick folder), my phone’s memory (using Bluetooth to connect) and my iPod (enabling disk use and copying it to the Notes folder), plus I have emailed it to myself as an attachment. And, of course, the original file stays on my laptop.

(If anyone wants any help doing things like the above then email me and I can explain further. If there is enough demand I will write a separate page on it on this website).