International Travel Health

One of the things I always worry about when traveling abroad is my health.  What happens if I brake a toe, catch malaria, or worse?  How will I get help, and if it is worse, how will I get back home?  These are important questions to ask yourself, especially if you are traveling solo or to a country where you do not speak the native language.

To put some of my worries to rest, I make sure to take the precautions I've listed out below.  By no means do I allow these fears to prevent me from traveling; however a safe traveler is an educated traveler!

Go See Your Doctor
Whenever possible (and applicable), I schedule an appointment with my doctor several months prior to a trip.  During this visit I discuss where I am going and if there are any recommended vaccinations for the area.  The CDC has a great website for travel information that lists out any health warnings for each country/region.  They also have a chart that lists out routine vaccines for everyone based on their age.  For example, I have an upcoming trip to Ireland over Thanksgiving this year.  The Health Information for Travelers to Ireland page states that the only vaccine preventable diseases found there can be covered by routine and hepatitis B vaccines.  Since I'm up to date on both, I'm all set.

Sometimes, the vaccines you need (such as yellow fever) are not readily available in the doctor's office.  For these,  you may have to visit a travel clinic.  Check with your insurance first to make sure a visit to the clinic is covered.  You may need a referral from your PCP.

Register with STEP 
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a US government website that allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency. I know that not everyone is keen on the government knowing their every move, but this is a smart thing to do if you are going to a potentially unsafe environment.  You can receive updates from this website about any travel warnings or alerts before and during your trip.  In addition, you should print out copies of the nearest US Embassy location(s) during your trip just to have on hand.

Insurance (Health and Travel)
In some places, health insurance won't be a problem, but in others, you will be required to show proof of insurance prior to being treated.  With that said, you should always know if you health insurance is valid abroad.  Call the insurance provider directly and ask. Also, ask for a 1-800 or international number that you can reach them at from outside the country.  This number may already be on the back of your health insurance card.  If you are eligible, consider getting an ISIC card.  In addition to discounts, this type of insurance provides basic health and travel insurance coverage, and since this is an international company, you won't have as many problems reaching out to them from wherever you are.  If you are like me and typically skip over the section about travel insurance when purchasing your plane ticket, please reconsider!  Travel insurance can come in handy when your luggage is delayed or lost, or when a trip is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.  You don't have to purchase insurance through the airline website.  There are lots of places (to be found on the internet) that will ensure a trip. 

Connections Back Home
Ideally, you should have a contact back home with every piece of information possible about your trip.  That should include copies of credit cards, itineraries, and emergency information.  I like to keep little information packets in my checked luggage, carry on bag, and with a friend or family member back home just in case.

Safe travels!

My Timeshare Presentation Experience

Does the mention of a timeshare presentation make you shutter?  Well, it did for me too until I decided to take a chance and see what it was all about.  I know that some are worse than others, and I'm not saying that I know all the tricks on how to get you in and out in 30 minutes with tons of free stuff, but I am willing to share my experience and let you decide if this is something you want to try and learn from.

I came across this timeshare presentation last summer at Six Flags.  There was a booth setup where you spin a wheel for a free prize, yadda yadda.  Everyone wins, but to claim the prize you have to first "tour a vacation property" nearby.  I setup my appointment for a few weeks later.  I am not at a point in my life where purchasing a timeshare is right for me.  I know people who have them and love them!  I think if this is something you're interested in, you should do a lot of research and make sure you're getting a good price.  Knowing where you stand when going into the presentation is essential, because they will twist and turn anything you say into making you think owning a timeshare is exactly what you need!

The first thing that happened to me when I walked in was that I was greeted promptly and then left to wait for someone to give me a tour.  I ate a couple of cookies and drank some coffee.  Might as well, you're there for at least an hour!   The tour was relatively short and the property was underwhelming.  I am not a wilderness camper, nor do I particularly like to vacation places where there are screaming children in the pool outside my front window.  Easy decision, right?

The most intimidating experience for most people is what happens after the tour.  You are sat down with your salesperson and given the whole speech on why timeshares are so great. Even with my excuse of this property sucks, why would I want to vacation here, he was ready to go with every reason under the sun to still buy (you can pick alternate properties, you save so much money, you have deeded property).  The biggest selling point at this particular property was that the money you spend vacationing today is so much more than what you would spend if you owned a timeshare.  If you can counter this argument, you can come out ahead.  What worked for me was telling them that a) I was saving to buy a house and why would I buy vacation property before a house?  and b) whenever I vacation,  I only go visit family and friends that  I can stay with to avoid the cost of a hotel room or food.  Ok, so maybe I fibbed a bit, but after 90 minutes of repeatedly saying NO, I was finally sent on my way with a gas card (it worked, i used it quickly) and two "free vacations" through spirit incentives.  Dealing with Spirit Incentives is a whole other story and deserves a post of it's own.  I will get to that at some point in the future. 

Is this right for you?  Can you handle the pressure of a sales pitch?  Most likely you can... so suck it up and give it a shot.  Please don't make any rash decisions while you're there and get yourself stuck in a contract that you can't get out of.  If you go home and decide you still want a timeshare the next day, you can always go back!