What the
Smart Vacationer Knows
By Susan Dunn, MA
Vacation 101 Its about having fun, peace of mind, not working and
not worrying. If you do these things. you'll increase the chances
of those things happening! And remember that the watchword today is
not that it changes, but how fast it changes.
1.Pack those small things.
You havent had a vacation for a while, so youre forgetting what a
hang nail, an itchy mosquito bite and a heel blister are like.
Those small things get really large on a trip.
The nail clippers, bandaids, hair bands, suntan lotion, and
Neosporin will not only cost you 5 times as much on your trip, they
will cost you precious pleasure TIME while you hunt them down.
2.Check your medical insurance and car rental insurance two weeks
before you leave.
Policies are different and you need to know WHAT will be covered on
your trip and WHERE. Some policies cover accidents, injuries, and
illness abroad and some do not. You also need to know what your car
insurance covers and where. Call your insurance companies to make
sure, get names, etc. and take this with you in writing.
3. Then fill in the gaps with travel insurance.
Pay for peace of mind. Consider the health insurance that includes
air evac back to the US unless you relish emergency gall bladder
surgery in El Disastro, Peru when you don't understand Spanish.
Bring proof of your coverage in writing.
3.If you buy special travel insurance, for instance, cruise travel
insurance, read the fine print to see whats covered.
It may give you another cruise if you have an accident for
instance, that interrupts your vacation.
4.Adopt the mental attitude that youve never flown, cruised or gone
by train before.
Why? Because its changed since 9-11 and keeps on changing. New
security measures, restrictions, and time-consuming safety
procedures are being added all the time. On my latest cruise I
heard people saying, They dont do it this way on cruise line X.
Little did they know!
5.Call ahead for important information but, sigh, dont rely on
it.
Go ahead and bring the hair dryer, converter, travel iron and
toiletries and anything important to you, and be pleasantly
surprised if theyre there. Do not trust the person on the phone, or
your friend who has just returned. It changes. Realistically, its
impossible to keep up with.
6.Keep documentation papers.
On my last cruise a couples luggage got really torn up. I listened
to them argue it out with the purser. The cruise line claimed it
says in their papers they arent responsible; its the baggage
handlers on the dock or maybe the airline. At any rate, at some
time the couple is going to have to prove what the luggage cost.
Photographs are also helpful.
7.Which brings up a practical point: your luggage and common
sense.
The above-mentioned couple was claiming, She that shed paid $300
for her fabric-type roll-on luggage. He - that his custom-made all
leather carryon was not replaceable. Use your own judgment, but
seems to me the best practical measure these days is to buy the
sturdiest least expensive luggage you can find. I think it
unrealistic to imagine your luggage wont be at least nicked,
scratched or slightly torn, and you can save yourself some
emotional turmoil by preparing for that fact, i.e., dont give a
toddler a crystal goblet and then be surprised it gets broken.
8.Hot tubs and bathing suits.
Some hot tubs contain enough bromine (via health regulations) to
not only bleach out your bathing suit, but loosen elastic, leaving
you with a bleached bag. This information is posted near the hot
tub, but wont help you if you dont know beforehand. Be practical.
Bring an old suit, or bring an inexpensive one and treat it like a
Bic pen: disposable.
9.If youre traveling abroad, alert your credit card company ahead
of time.
10. Take your Emotional Intelligence with you.
Traveling is a microcosm of life because its full of new things,
and often no learning curve. EQ competencies such as quick reality
testing, and interpersonal relationship skills are extremely
helpful. Brush up!
Also observe others in the ever-occurring stressful situations and
youll see what works and what doesnt.
About
the Author
Susan Dunn, MA,
The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I offer coaching, distance
learning courses, and ebooks around emotional intelligence.
Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for free ezine. For daily EQ Tips, send
blank email to EQ4U-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . I train and certify
EQ coaches through EQ Alive!, http://www.eqcoach.net . Start
tomorrow, no residence requirement, global student body.
| 