Passports. Make sure your
passport is current – keeping
in mind that some countries now require that your passport
must be valid for at least six months after your return to
the United States. If you don’t have a passport, get
one as soon as possible. You’ll need proof of US citizenship
(an official birth certificate from the county where you were
born),
proof of identity (a driver’s license will do), two recent
two-inch by two-inch color photographs, and a completed official
passport form. You may obtain a passport from a State Department
Passport Agency, federal or state courthouse, or US post office.
The fee for obtaining a passport will be listed on your application.
Passports are valid for ten years from the date of issue for
adults and five years for children. You should apply for your
passport at least three months before you plan to travel. There
will be an additional fee for a rush passport.
Guard your passport. Don’t
hand your passport over to unauthorized persons or pack it
in your luggage. It’s
valuable! Keep a record of your passport number, the date and
place of its issue. Take a photocopy of the first page of your
passport with you when you travel and leave one with a friend
or family member to be safe. If it is lost or stolen, immediately
notify local police and the nearest American embassy or consulate.
You will be able to get a temporary passport, but you will
have to fill out a detailed report and follow the same procedure
required to obtain your original passport.
Visas. Some countries require
visas. A visa is an endorsement made in a passport allowing
entry into the country you’re
visiting, testifying that your passport has been examined and
found in order. It permits you to visit that country for a
specified purpose and usually for a limited time. Apply directly
to the embassies or consulates of the countries you plan to
visit. Omega Travel will be happy to help you with this process.
If you’re traveling with a group, some countries accept
group visas as opposed to individual visas, and Omega Travel
will make these arrangements.
Carry extra copies of everything. Take at least two copies
of all of your important documents. These include your passport,
tickets, traveler’s checks, birth certificate, credit
cards, and visas. Keep one with you, and deposit the other
in a safe place.
Prescriptions. Since foreign trade names are different from
those used in the US, ask your doctor or pharmacist for the
generic name rather than a brand name. Also, carry a prescription
for your eyeglasses. In addition, your basic traveling medicine
kit should include: aspirin or aspirin substitute, cold tablets,
vitamins, antacids, bowel regulators, sunscreen, spray anesthetic,
bandage strips, antiseptic spray and wipes, your usual antibiotic,
insect repellent, and an elastic bandage.
Medical documents. If you have any special health problems,
have your doctor prepare your medical history for a foreign
doctor. It should include your name and address, social security
number, insurance company name and address, name and address
of person to notify in case of emergency, blood type, medical
history, current medications and dosages (generic names), list
of drug allergies, reasons for prior hospitalizations, list
of immunizations and dates. Also you might carry a medical
alert card in your wallet or purse. This a a compact card,
available at most pharmacies, stating any special medical conditions,
allergies, and your blood type. Medic-Alert, a nonprofit foundation,
will maintain whatever medical data you entrust to them on
their computers. The information can be retrieved via an emergency
phone call from anywhere in the world. They’ll also supply
you with an identification bracelet. You can contact them at
www.medicalert.org or Medic-Alert, Box 1009, Turlock, CA 95381,
or call 1-800-344-3226.
Get your shots before you leave. Ask your doctor what shots
and/or vaccinations you need for a specific area, or check
with the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia (404-332-4559)
or www.cdc.gov. You should get any shots well in advance to
avoid unpleasant side affects that could ruin your trip.
Special Diet. If you’re on a special diet, notify your
tour operator or cruise line in advance. Also, remember to
notify the airline of your need for kosher, vegetarian, or
low-salt meals.
If you’re diabetic, plan ahead and be prepared. See
your physician or a diabetes
professional before you travel, especially if you are recently
diagnosed or if you are an infrequent
traveler. You may want to subscribe to The Diabetic Traveler,
a quarterly newsletter devoted to
this topic. Write to The Diabetic Traveler, POB 8223 RW, Stamford,
CT 06905 for subscription
information.
If you have a handicap or disability,
there’s
an information service to help you plan trips in the US and
abroad. Contact
Travel Information Service, Moss Rehab M.R. at 215-456-9600
or www.manasota.com/disabled-homepages/wsjart.html. Or you
can request an information package from the Society for the
Advancements of Travel for the Handicapped, 347 5th Avenue,
Suite 610, New York, NY 10016.
Take two of everything “medical”: prescription
glasses, contact lenses, dentures, and other
health-related items.
Finding medical help abroad. While planning your trip, ask
your own doctor and dentist for lists
of reliable practitioners in the area where you are traveling
to. If you have no such list, find the nearest
university teaching-hospital emergency room, or call the US embassy or consulate
for
recommendation. A nonprofit organization called the International Association
for Medical
Assistance to Travelers can provide valuable services in the event you become
ill while traveling –
from medical charts to lists of North American-trained, English-speaking doctors
practicing
abroad (who all accept standard fees). Membership is free, but the group relies
on donations.
Aply at least 8 weeks in advance. For information, contact IAMAT, 417 Center
Street, Lewiston,
NY 14092. Telephone: 716-754-4883 or online at www.iamat.org.
A dental checklist. No one wants to be saddled with a toothache
while on vacation – especially in a plane, where cabin
pressure can cause severe pain. Have a dental checkup before
you leave, and some items that could be helpful to have with
you in case of toothaches are oil of cloves, aspirin or aspirin
substitute, bicarbonate of soda, Orabase with benzocaine, or
other similar products your dentist can recommend.
Insurance. Are you covered? Your regular insurance policy
may have a travel clause covering you for personal injury and
loss of baggage, but may have certain restrictions in cases
of other medical emergency. If so, it is highly advisable to
add special low-cost travel insurance for medical expenses
while traveling. Medicare is not valid outside the United States.
Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended. It will
protect you in case you must postpone your trip or must return
home suddenly. Be sure that the cost of a full one-way economy
fare home, and not just the package price, is covered. Bad
weather insurance may also be purchased. Check your policy
carefully because most policies include a clause that limits
or denies protection if your cancellation or early return is
due to illness that springs from a “pre-existing condition.” Through
Omega Travel you can buy one a comprehensive policy at a low
group rate. Omega Travel also provides it’s travelers
with $100,000 free coverage of travel accident insurance with
each airline
ticket.
