TRAVEL TIP: Better Safe Than Sorry

In the past few years I’ve written several articles on travel safety. Sometimes we get lax and in a rush to get ready for a trip, we sometimes forget the basics.

When I travel I tend to use credit cards and a debit card whenever I can. Before I leave home I always call my credit card companies and tell them where I am going and the dates I am traveling. I always take more than one credit card; if I should lose one I don’t want to be stranded far away from home without a credit card for unexpected expenses. I do not sign the back of my credit cards. Instead, I write photo I.D. required. That will certainly make it harder for someone to walk into Neiman Marcus in Dallas or Harrods in London and buy that diamond bracelet they always wanted! Seriously, every time you use your credit card having to show photo identification is an added safety factor.

I also make sure I have a photocopy of everything in my wallet--driver’s license, credit cards (both front and back,) insurance cards, etc. Not only will I have the account numbers if my wallet is stolen, I will also have the numbers to call to report the loss. I do not carry my social security card with me. Most of us know our social security numbers and that is not a valid form of identification. Someone who steals your wallet could do serious damage if they also have your social security number.

I recently read in a travel magazine that if your wallet is stolen and you lose credit cards, you should also call the three national credit reporting organizations (Equifax: 800-525-6285, Experian: 888-397-3742 and Trans Union: 800-680-7289) and place a fraud alert on your name as well as the Social Security fraud line (800-269-0271.) If thieves decide to buy a big-ticket item, this could prevent serious damage to your credit and stop the thieves dead in their tracks.

In many developing countries it isn’t always practical using credit or debit cards. In the larger cities there are ATM machines in most banks, but not in small, rural villages. Sometimes carrying cash is a necessity. When shopping at flea markets in Botswana or Honduras, it’s important to have cash in the local currency. Sometimes lots of one-dollar bills come in handy. When carrying cash I always wear a money belt. I do carry a small amount of money for purchases in my pockets or in a purse with a strap that goes across my chest. I also pin a small change purse to the inside of my jacket or blouse. I don’t ever open my money belt in public…that is asking for trouble.

If there is a safe in my hotel room, I leave my passport, but always have a copy with me. Depending on what I’m doing for the day, I will also leave my money belt, credit cards, airline tickets, etc.

Another safety tip I recently read about was locking your car with your automatic door lock on your key. Most of us get out of our car, key in hand, press the locking mechanism and walk away. Apparently thieves have discovered a way to clone your security code when locking your door automatically. This has been working well at tourist attractions and shopping malls when thieves know you will be gone for a while. The police suggest manually lock your car door by hitting the lock button inside your car or using the key itself to lock the door. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

A word about hotel reservations. I know many people like to wing it and don’t want to be tied to a set itinerary. However, trying to find a hotel room at midnight isn’t fun either. When my daughter Erin and I were driving across country several years ago, we arrived in La Crosse, Wisconsin, at 9:00 pm and there wasn’t a hotel room to be found. The entire city was sold out. When I realized we would have to drive to Madison, Wisconsin, a two hour drive, I picked up my AAA book and started calling major hotel chains, i.e. Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Courtyard, etc. There was very little available, but we did manage to make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express, arriving at midnight. The moral of the story: once you decide on your destination for the night, go online or call ahead and make reservations. Most people stop between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm and hotels sell out. Guaranteeing your reservation to a credit card will guarantee you a place to stay, even if you arrive at 9:00 pm.

One quick word about jewelry…leave the good stuff home!! Seriously, if you are traveling to third world or developing countries, or anywhere, for that matter, there’s no reason to be flashing your two-carat diamond ring. I have had clients look at me and tell me they haven’t had their wedding ring off in 20 years, and they don’t want to take it off now. I understand the sentimentality, but wearing jewelry when traveling attracts too much attention and puts you and the group in a precarious position.

I think the best word of advice is to use your intuition and be smart. Be aware of where you are and who is around you. Traveling is fun and going new places is exciting. Be safe.