CONTENTS
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About the author
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Ian Wilson has been globetrotting since he went round the world at the age of nine. In 1970 he founded WEXAS and since then, as Publisher of Traveller magazine and the Traveller's Handbook, he has explored hundreds of destinations, years ahead of the hordes, the more remote the better.
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Introduction
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This information is not for total beginners. It assumes you are already a 'traveller' - someone who avoids conventional package holidays like the plague and probably has some experience of independent travel in the Third World.
This book does not contain all the answers, but it will tell you how to save money and avoid a lot of hassles. All real travel involves some degree of unpredictability, and no travel experience is complete without occasional problems. You could get paranoid about the potential headaches of travel, as many people do. My advice to you is to plan for a trip and execute it with careful preparation - but don't go overboard or you'll take all the enjoyment out of the experience.
Really elementary tips will not be found here. What is here is the personal advice of someone who has found out the hard way - travelling the offbeat paths of the globe over the years. These tips are based on experience: they're not the product of an armchair travel writer.
If you disagree with any of my views, email us at
publicationseditor@wexas.com. Suggestions are welcome.
Ian Wilson.
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To your good health |
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Gammaglobulin and Hepatitis
We'll assume you don't head off to the Third World without a gammaglobulin shot to improve your resistance to hepatitis A which is a water-borne infection. (Hopefully you'll never get hepatitis B, which has a high mortality rate.) These days, however, consult your doctor first, and be very careful where you get the serum. Gammaglobulin is a blood-based product and there have been cases of HIV and hepatitis B being passed by donors. You should be OK in the UK as all donations are now heat-treated and this is thought to kill the AIDS virus.
Gammaglobulin injected with a sterile needle gives some protection for up to six months but less each day from date of injection. Renew every 30 days if possible while you are away - try and obtain the serum from home and ensure that it is refrigerated. If you get a booster of gammaglobulin along the way, the serum will probably be expensive, assuming you can even get hold of any. Check the expiry date on the box and make sure that the serum has been kept in a fridge. The serum should be transparent, not cloudy, and insist on a new needle, even if you have to pay for it. (Hepatitis B, much more dangerous, is mainly contracted through dirty needles.) If you get hepatitis, see a doctor as fast as possible, and fly home for treatment if you don't feel confident about the local hospital. Travellers have died in some hospitals, not so much from hepatitis as from the insanitary conditions prevalent in some Third World medical facilities. As soon as you get symptoms of hepatitis, rest, eat fruit, vegetables and protein foods, and drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids. If you're wondering how you'll know if you've got it - don't worry. You'll feel sick as hell, completely exhausted and your urine will turn a dark colour. If anyone tells you that gammaglobulin injections are a waste of time, note that there is plenty of circumstantial evidence that it does offer some protection. So does being in tip-top physical condition all the time, a factor which militates against travelling too cheaply, unless you pay extra attention to diet and exercise.
Finally, some people are immune to hepatitis A, so gammaglobulin could be a waste of time. A simple, cheap test of immunity is available.
AIDS
Casual sex is increasingly risky throughout the world. While syphilis and gonorrhea are still great dangers, the greatest is that of AIDS. In countries like Uganda, an estimated 10 million people are thought to be infected, and in Bangkok, a horrifying proportion of the prostitutes. The simplest way to avoid exposure to risk is not to have sexual encounters with anyone you suspect might be in a risk category. If you can't resist temptation, then take the sensible precaution of using a condom.
Water - Is it safe?
Don't believe any hotel personnel who tell you the water provided in jugs in your room is boiled, unless you've seen them boiling it. Almost without exception, even in the best hotels, this water is only filtered and therefore certainly not free of all bacteria. Filtered hotel water is probably safer than the hotel's tap water, however. If you want to be really safe, boil the jug water in your room using an aluminium mug and a plug-in portable heating element, available from most large appliance stores. Boil for at least 20 minutes. Very few microbes are resistant to this much boiling. It is advisable to use a chemical steriliser as well, as pollution is often chemical these days and boiling alone will not purify it.
If you don't trust the local water enough to drink it, don't wash your hands in it either, especially if you're likely to be eating with your hands. Keep your mouth tight shut if shaving in risky water and use bottled or boiled water to brush your teeth.
Drink from a bottle with a straw and avoid glasses that could have been washed in unsafe water. Remember that ice in many countries is probably made from untreated water and can contaminate a safe liquid. And avoid salad as this is almost certainly washed in untreated water.
Purifying water
If you plan to make water drinkable without boiling it, I suggest you use tincture of iodine rather than the commonly available chlorine tablets. Chlorine, if exposed to 100F of heat for even one day, loses half its potency. Also, it has a shelf life of only two years and may already have been in the pharmacy that long when you buy it. With tincture of iodine, use five drops per pint of clear water, or 10 per pint of cloudy water. (Adding a few drops of lemon juice will improve the taste.) Leave the solution for half an hour before drinking. A half-ounce bottle of tincture of iodine will purify about 20 pints of drinking water. You should not use iodine if pregnant or suffering from thyroid trouble.
There are many water purification filters available. The best contain a silver as well as a charcoal screen, but no filter will remove all types of microbes. The only way to obtain totally safe water is to filter it and then boil it for at least 20 minutes. If in doubt, try to obtain bottled water with a sealed cap, or bottled drinks of reliable provenance and with caps that are definitely factory-sealed.
Food - Is it safe?
In the tropics, expensive hotels are no guarantee that food is not contaminated. Avoid cold dishes at buffets: the food may well be yesterday's leftovers. A cheap brochette of meat on a street stall, well-cooked over charcoal while you watch, may be safer than hotel meat left around for flies to settle on it after cooking, or worse still, hotel food re-heated after previous cooking. Only have milk in drinks if it has been boiled, and ice-cream is notoriously dangerous. All fruit should be peeled - by you.
Avoiding traveller's tummy
More traveller's tummy problems arise from over-eating or from unaccustomed ingredients such as new spices than from eating infected food. The problem is often compounded by liberal quantities of alcohol. Eat less than you would at home, especially unfamiliar dishes, and give up alcohol totally if you can. It is now the curse of the expatriate, as it was once the curse of the colonial. If you must take a package holiday (outside the mass market destinations, it's not a lot cheaper than travelling independently, whatever you might have heard), take a half-board option if there is one. Full board provokes gluttony, and intestinal upsets follow all too often. Don't let fear put you off eating 'foreign' food, but neither should you forget the pills.
Pills and inoculations
Travel agents vary in the degree to which they will help you with vaccination requirements. Apart from the occasionally mandatory inoculations (generally cholera and yellow fever), travellers in the tropics should be fully protected against polio, tetanus, typhoid and malaria. There are several pills available as prophylaxis against malaria. Contact a specialist in tropical medicine to find out which is recommended for the area you plan to visit, and remember to continue treatment for at least 30 days after your return home. Malaria is endemic in most tropical countries, and many varieties are becoming immune to different prophylactics. Be wary of Larium though! Many people who take it are badly hit by side-effects. Your local GP will not be up to date, so specialist advice is essential.
The mosquito problem
Mosquitoes need not be the bane of your tropical nights. If you don't have a mosquito net, there are alternatives. Do not use the light at all in the room you will sleep in. In other rooms, use light moderately after sundown. Spray the room with an aerosol fly-spray an hour before going to bed. The well-known green chemical anti-mosquito coils are effective. If this product poses a threat to your concept of clean air for breathing, you can smother yourself in various insect repellent lotions, a messy business. You may find, as a friend of mine did, that if he travelled with his wife, she attracted all the mosquitoes and he was unmolested. Mosquitoes are attracted to perfume, shaving lotion and even the smell of soap, so I suggest you leave the perfume at home and use only odourless shaving cream and unscented soap.
Air-conditioning
Air-conditioning in the tropics is a mixed blessing. It is now known that certain disease-carrying microbes thrive in the extractor ducts of air-conditioners. The advantages of a cool night must be weighed against the suffering of an unpleasant illness. You may also wake up with a sore throat if you use an air-conditioner. Ceiling fans may be a better bet. Sleep with windows and doors open to create as much of a cooling draught as possible. Sleep naked on top of a clean sheet if it's very, very hot.
Eating to stay healthy
The careful traveller can get a good balanced diet of protein, fat and carbohydrate on a fairly low budget. Bread is usually safe to eat anywhere. Brown rice is a reliable source of roughage (fibres) and starch. Charcoal-grilled meats and fish cooked on a spit in front of you are generally safe to eat and high in protein. For proteins with fat (preferably vegetable not animal), eat yoghurt (or curd in India and Sri Lanka) as milk may not be pasteurised. Hard cheese is usually safe everywhere. All foods contain some vitamins and minerals, but the traveller should make sure of eating some fresh fruit and vegetables (well-cleaned) to round off his or her diet in this area. Bottled soda water may not be what the doctor ordered for good health, but reputable brands may be the safest bet for liquid in certain places. A fresh young coconut opened up in front of you is a good bet also for a safe source of liquid. Not water melons, as there are reports that they are sometimes injected with water which may be dirty to make them swell up. Mineral and vitamin supplements should not be necessary with a really balanced diet, but as the traveller can rarely achieve this ideal, take along a supply of multivitamin capsules, and some mineral tablets. I suggest additionally some fish liver oil capsules and vitamin C to take as a general booster (it's also useful taken in larger quantities as an antidote to severe shock.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics have proved a blessing for many Westerners travelling in areas where their health is constantly at risk. However, antibiotics (always finish the course if you start) do have a downside risk. Germs can develop resistance to a particular antibiotic, so the wise traveller packs courses of two different general antibiotics in case he or she needs to take two separate courses during a trip. Some people are allergic to certain antibiotics. Antibiotics may deplete protective intestinal flora, so after a course, one should take plenty of yoghurt or curd or a lactobacillus tablet to help replenish these. Never take a course of antibiotics unless you're sure you need to. If a bout of diarrhoea lasts more than 48 hours, seek medical help. It could be something more dangerous than 'traveller's tummy'.
Basic medical kit
*Painkillers: Always carry soluble aspirin (in foil-sealed packs) which is an excellent painkiller and reduces inflammation associated with sunburn (just be careful about the water you dissolve it in). Aspirin should not be given to children aged less than twelve, and take paracetamol syrup for young children. Both paracetamol and aspirin reduce fever associated with infections. Adults who cannot tolerate aspirin because of ulcer problems, gastritis or asthma should instead take paracetamol (not paracetamol/codeine preparations). To avoid potential embarrassment or difficulty with customs officials, stronger painkillers should only be carried with evidence that they have been prescribed.
*Cuts and grazes: A small supply of waterproof dressings (e.g. Band-Aids) is useful and a tube of antiseptic cream such as Savlon-especially if travelling with children.
*Sunburn: British travellers frequently underestimate the dangers of sunburn and should take particular care that children do not get burnt. Protect exposed areas from the sun, remembering the back of the neck. Sunbathing exposure times should be gradually increased and use adequate sunblock creams (waterproof if swimming), particularly at high altitude where UV light exposure is higher. Sunburn should be treated with rest, plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and paracetamol or aspirin. Those who burn easily may wish to take a tube of hydrocortisone cream for excessively burnt areas.
*Motion sickness: If liable to travel sickness, try to sleep through as much of the journey as possible and avoid reading. Also avoid watching the horizon through the window and, if travelling by boat, remain on deck as much as possible.
Several types of medication give potential relief from motion sickness when taken before the start of a journey, and sufferers should experiment to find out which suits them best. Antihistamines (e.g. Phenergan) are popular, especially for children, but should not be taken with alcohol. Adults should not drive until all sedative effects of antihistamines have worn off. Other remedies include Kwells (hyoscine tablets), Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) and Stugeron (cinnarazine). Scopoderm patches, only available on prescription, release hyoscine through the skin for up to three days. Hyoscine taken by mouth or by skin patch causes a dry mouth and can cause sedation.
*Constipation: The immobility of prolonged travel, body clock disruption, dehydration during heat acclimatisation and reluctance to use toilets of dubious cleanliness all contribute to constipation. Drink plenty of fluids and try to eat a high-fibre diet. Those who are already prone to constipation may wish to take additional laxatives or fibre substitutes (e.g. Fybogel).
*Diarrhoea: Although this is a common problem, it is usually self-limiting and most travellers do not need to carry anti-diarrhoea medication with them. Diarrhoea reduces absorption of the contraceptive pill and women may wish to carry supplies of alternative contraceptives in case of this.
*Female problems: Women who suffer from recurrent cystitis or vaginal thrush should consult their doctor to obtain appropriate antibiotics to take with them. Tampons are often difficult to buy in many countries and should be bought before travelling. Periods are often irregular or may cease altogether during travel but this does not mean that you cannot become pregnant.
*Insect bites: Insect bites are a nuisance in most parts of the world and also transmit a variety of infections, the most important of which is malaria. Personal insect repellents will be needed by most travellers and usually contain DEET (diethyltoluamide). Liquid formulations are the cheapest but are less convenient to carry. Lotions and cream are available and sprays are the easiest to apply but are bulky to carry. Sticks of repellent are easier to carry and last the longest. All these should be applied to the skin and to clothing adjacent to exposed areas of skin, but should not be applied around the eyes, nose and mouth (take care with children).
DEET dissolves plastics, including carrier bags, so beware. An alternative to DEET-containing repellents is Mosiguard Natural. Marketed by MASTA, this is made from a blend of eucalyptus oils and is as effective as repellents based on DEET. It is more suitable for people who are sensitive to DEET.
When abroad, try to reduce the amount of skin exposed to biting insects by wearing long sleeves, and long trousers or skirts. If a mosquito net is provided with your bed, use it. Permethrin-impregnated mosquito nets are effective and can be purchased before travel to malarial areas. 'Knock-down' insecticide sprays may be needed, and mosquito coils are easy to carry. Electric buzzers (that imitate male mosquito noises) are useless and candles and repellent strips (containing citronella) are not very effective. If bitten by insects, try to avoid scratching, which can introduce infection, particularly in the tropics. Eurax cream or calamine lotion can relieve local irritation, and antihistamine tablets may help those who have been bitten extensively.
Antihistamine creams should be used with caution as they can cause local reactions, and some people prefer to use weak hydrocortisone cream on bites that are very irritating. Hydrocortisone cream should only be used if the skin is not obviously broken or infected. Increasing pain, redness, swelling or obvious pus suggest infection, and medical attention should be sought.
*HIV prevention: Most HIV infections are acquired sexually. All adults should consider taking a supply of condoms. Travellers to countries with limited medical facilities should consider taking a supply of sterile needles and syringes so that injections required abroad are not given with re-usable needles of doubtful sterility.
Personal supplies of syringes and needles can make customs officials very suspicious, and condoms are not acceptable in some countries-particularly the Middle East. To avoid problems at the border, it is worth buying these items as part of a small HIV/AIDS prevention pack which is available from many medical equipment suppliers.
Larger 'HIV prevention packs' which include blood product substitutes are rarely worth carrying.
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Maps - the good and the bad |
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Where to find maps
Few major Western cities have map retail shops stocking a comprehensive range of Third World maps. In fact, there are probably not more than 30 such shops in all of Europe and North America. If you have access to such a shop, use it. Stanfords, in Covent Garden, is one such shop - the largest of its type in Europe. Getting good maps of many developing countries is often extremely difficult in the country itself. Tourist offices will often supply free maps, but being free, they are often superficial. Airport shops may stock maps, but these are often pictorial and decorative. Petrol company maps are often good and should be free, but are often sold at ludicrously high prices, especially in West Africa. However, they may be worth the expense. Marine charts are useful for islands and coastal regions. Embassies and high commissions are possible but unlikely map sources.
Car rental company maps
Maps supplied by car rental companies in developing countries are often inaccurate. You may also find that they only show paved roads. This is so that you won't take their car onto rougher roads, where the vehicle is more likely to suffer undesirable wear and tear. In most places, you're not going to get much in the way of travel unless you get off the major roads, so arm yourself with good maps, preferably before you leave home.
Coastal charts
If you plan to visit small islands or coastal areas and are having difficulty getting good maps, you could find marine charts very useful. They are often out of date when it comes to land features like roads and airports, but are otherwise extremely accurate, and essential for thorough island-hopping. British Admiralty charts are probably the best marine series covering the world. Military maps can also be extremely useful and with perseverance you may be able to obtain these through embassies or high commissions, especially if you are mounting an expedition or some kind of official visit which the country in question supports/approves.
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Some essentials to pack |
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Suitcases and backpacks
Buy suitcases for durability and lightness, not a smart appearance. They'll be less prone to pilferage at airports than expensive-looking (and often heavy) suitcases and it doesn't matter if they get thrown 40 feet down a chute by the luggage handlers. Best of all, travel light with a backpack. This leaves your hands free and you can walk for longer distances with your baggage in a pack, especially in hot climates.
Electricity adapters
Don't leave home without an electric plug adapter kit if you have an electric shaver. There are several compact versions available. You'll probably spend a lot of time using the light bulb part of it. Unless you've got a light beard, don't use a battery shaver. You'll take longer to shave in humid climates and battery shavers may not last the distance. Braun make the best portables. Rechargeable portables are also not much use if you have a thick beard.
Emergency lighting
Electricity cuts occur frequently in many countries. Always carry a small torch or a candle and matches with you.
Film for your camera
Buy film before you leave home. It will almost always cost more in a less developed country. Though equally, it may be very cheap in the highly industrialised countries of the Far East. As for developing, get it processed at home, unless, again, you're in the Far East. You risk losing film if you mail it home from the Third World. Give it to someone heading for your country and ask them to mail it there for you, or wait until you get home, if you're not away for more than about six months. However, avoid extreme heat and humidity as they can damage film (put it in the fridge where possible). Humidity may even encourage growth of fungus on the film surface.
Clothes
If you're travelling rough in hot climates, wear dark clothes. Although they will be hotter, they don't show the dirt so quickly, and it's depressing wearing obviously grubby clothes. Thin, loose clothing is best in hot climates since perspiration does not evaporate off the skin so quickly. Wear cotton or other natural fibres - never synthetics.
Keeping records
It is useful when travelling to keep a record of vital information and to keep this list separate from your valuables in case they are lost or stolen. Numbers of traveller's cheques are obviously important but it's a good idea to note the number of your air tickets also, since it may simplify matters if you lose them and have to sign an airline indemnity form before they can be replaced. Remember to mark off traveller's cheques as you cash them. If you lose any, your claim will be more plausible if you can document it fully. Also keep a record of your passport number (and date of issue), the place of issue and date (and number if applicable) of any visas in your passport relating to your trip, your (international) driving licence number, dates of inoculation against yellow fever, cholera, etc. (as applicable), and for good measure, your blood group. It may even be worth taking photocopies of all your documents, passport included, to help with identification. You can often hand these over and ensure that the precious originals stay in your possession. A few spare passport photos will be useful if applying for new visas, permits, etc.
Some travellers carry medical information engraved on a Medic Alert disc worn as a bracelet or necklace, in case of emergencies. Your name, your next of kin and their address can also go on such a disc. This is particularly sensible if you are suffering from conditions such as diabetes or epilepsy, if you have a heart condition, or are allergic to common treatments (e.g. penicillin or tetanus shots).
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Money matters |
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A common currency fiddle often takes place near borders or airports. You find yourself in a situation where you must have local currency and there's only one place to get it. And the commission rate on changing your traveller's cheques is enormous.
I experienced something similar when I drove from southern Senegal into Gambia. I checked out of Senegal at the frontier post (paying the requisite bribe, there called a vehicle tax, designed in reality only for commercial vehicles carrying a load). No bribes at the frontier point with Gambia a few miles down the road, and so I blithely drove on a few more miles to the ferry that crosses the main river to Banjul. Well, the ferry desk had it all worked out. They weren't interested in dollars, only local currency. But the 15-year-old boy beside me would kindly oblige. His mark-up was a mere 50 per cent above the official rate, and the ferry service didn't run cheap for a car and two passengers. So back to the desk. Would they not take dollars this time? Sorry, and did I still want to catch the ferry because it was due to leave right now and they were holding it up for me (not surprisingly as there were only two cars)? It was Hobson's choice, and I reluctantly handed over $40 in US currency to pay what should have been nearer $25. Moral: arrive in a country with some local currency. If you must pay over the odds, have enough single dollars, deutschmarks or whatever so you don't have to change more than is necessary because you only have big bills.
Never change money at borders unless you do so at a border bank in a country where, by law, all banks, hotels, etc. give the same rate of exchange. (This is very rare but is the case, I believe, in Nepal.) Shop around, and always change money at banks or bureaux de change. Be on you guard if changing money with a street money-changer who has no stall. You could save five per cent overall on a long trip by shopping around and on say, $5,000, that's $250. First ask the bank or money exchanger if there is a service fee. If there is, that exchange rate may not look so attractive. Hotels usually charge two per cent to five per cent more than the bank rate, but shops may give you the bank rate or better if you're buying something from them. In that case, the rate becomes part of your bartering armoury.
Where to buy currency
A country's currency can usually be bought more cheaply in neighbouring countries than in the country itself. Some 'soft' currencies are bought and sold internationally and may be found in Europe and North America (sometimes heavily discounted), if you know where to look for them. Small change is useful for tipping and paying taxis on arrival. If you arrive armed with some local currency, you may be able to avoid rip-off airport rates and even get a better deal than if you change money in town after arrival. But be careful and check first, it is often illegal to import or export more than a tiny amount of a nation's currency, e.g. in Nigeria.
Currency black markets
Countries where the currency gets too soft develop a black market, euphemistically called the 'free' market. The only advantage to the tourist of the official rate is that if he or she is prepared to accept it, it's the same everywhere - airport, hotel, town, whatever. A book could be written about dealing in currency on the black market. If you feel rich and you don't want to rip off a developing country that needs foreign exchange, don't do it. You might also keep yourself out of jail at the same time.
International editions of Newsweek publish open market and official rates of exchange for about 15 countries with soft currencies. If you do decide to buy at the free rate, do so legally before you enter the country, assuming you can find a bank or dealer trading in the currency you want. The rate won't be as good as the free rate inside the country, but it should be better than the official rate. If you take in illegal currency, however, and get caught with it (whether or not you declare it on a currency form), you could be heading for a hard time. The dealing bank that sold the currency might be just as much of a government informer as a street tout offering you a black market deal after arrival in the country. Likewise, if you buy the currency in a neighbouring country, especially if large sums are involved, caveat emptor.
One of the cheapest places to buy currency (cash, or traveller's cheques in the currency you want if it's a hard one) is often your own country before you leave, not the country where the currency comes from.
Beating hyperinflation
Some countries have endemic hyperinflation, and if you plan to buy currency where, for example, the annual inflation rate is over 100 per cent, it pays to buy little by little, as the trend will always be in your favour if your money/traveller's cheques are in a hard currency. In this instance, buying the currency beforehand to get a better rate may work against you. In places with high inflation, it is wise to shop around for the best currency deal as rates will vary considerably. Make sure the notes you are getting are current. Countries with hyperinflation have a tendency to start all over again with new notes every few years, and the old ones may not be worth much as collector's items. If you change a little every day, you should find that hyperinflation ensures you of a little more local currency each time for one unit of yours.
Exchange control
Most countries with a thriving currency black market have stiff exchange control formalities for overseas visitors. These usually involve declaration of foreign funds on arrival and departure, and exchange only through authorised agents at the official rate. All transactions must usually be marked on an official form. On exiting, you may be asked to show that you exchanged enough money 'officially' to cover the cost of your visit.
As there is invariably widespread poverty in soft currency countries, your conscience may dictate against any black market exchanges. If you take the risk, be warned that a money changer may be a government informer (the same applies to drug dealers). A few dollar bills, undeclared, may be useful for making small purchases at a black market rate of exchange without actually handling any local currency at all.
Changing currency back again
Beware of leaving a country with too much currency that is worthless outside its country of origin. Exchange back to a hard currency may be legally impossible. Usually, it's limited to the amount you have exchanged from hard currency in the first place, and original exchange receipts are required. Don't count on the airport bank being open when you leave, and expect a rip-off rate of exchange back to hard currency. It's unlikely you'll find a bank counter after you've gone through emigration control.
Money by cable transfer
In theory, if you want money quickly while travelling and there are no handy ATMs that take your cards, you cable your bank at home and ask them to remit money by cable transfer to a bank of your choice wherever you are. If you think two weeks is fast, that's OK. If you want it any faster, be prepared for disappointment. Your bank is unlikely to have a branch of its own in Ouagadougou. Branches go through associated banks who go through affiliates who go through representative banks and so on. That's already good for a week's delay. However, banks make their money by holding on to your money, not by giving it to you. So for every day they delay your money, they're getting a loan interest-free. If they do this consistently, as a matter of policy, as virtually all banks do, it can add up to a tidy interest-free float for the bank.
That's not much good to you, flat broke, queuing every day at the counter to get your $500 or whatever. The delay is often blamed on a mistake made by the sending bank (never the bank you're calling in at daily, fighting your way through the line of locals). Often a mistake really has been made. The moral is not to use a telegraphic transfer to really offbeat places. Losing your Amex traveller's cheques in such a place won't bring you much joy either, so if you lose them, try to do so in a major city.
Departure tax
Always keep enough local currency aside for airport departure tax if applicable. Check the rate on arrival. Many countries do not charge tax for children, but some do, even for infants (e.g. India, Nepal, Maldives). Visas and airport departure taxes can cost a travelling family a lot of money. Often, the poorer the country, the higher the rate. However, some countries wishing to encourage tourism leave rates low or even abolish them. They may even drop the visa requirement altogether for favoured nations.
Bribery
One rule about bribes is that they should never be called bribes. Another rule is that in many countries bribery is not as common as a lot of your reading might lead you to believe. Like jet lag and Delhi belly, bribery dramas are a favourite of travel writers.
The distinction between a bribe and a tip genuinely does blur in many places. The best distinction may simply be that one you pay before and one after, but that over-simplifies the situation. Some people are more likely to be called on to cough up than others. A lot depends on how you look and on your behaviour. Where there's no doubt at all as to what is wanted, the amount is likely to be very little, maybe anything up to $20, so it could be wise to pay up. Occasionally, but rarely, you might want to talk your way out of it. More often, the penalty will become more severe as you attempt not to be taken. Never call a bribe a bribe, but whatever you do call it, be upfront about it and bargain if you think the rate is too high.
In Liberia, before the revolution 20 years ago, the police were expected to live off bribes as much as salary. Since most of the locals were either too poor to have ready cash or so rich (and influential) the police wouldn't approach them, only the expatriate community was left to fork out. Stoically, these people came to regard bribes as an extra tax, in a country where taxes were low anyway, and salaries for expats were high, given that Liberia was classed as a hardship post. The terminology is worthy of a study in itself - 'Let's harmonise' means 'Let's get down to talking business about how much "cool water" you're going to cough up.'
In the Middle East, men secure big contracts by acting as 'commission agents'. In Nigeria, I've seen bribes for officials written into a multi-million dollar contract in the form of beach houses where the officials would live to supervise the carrying out of the contract. For you, the traveller, the scale is a good deal smaller, but the principle is the same. If, as a bureaucrat, you can make a traveller pay at no risk to your life or your job, then any traveller is fair game. If you're on the paying end of the operation, just make sure you've cleared the way with talk of a fee, a (fast) service charge, a tip, a fixed penalty, a commission or whatever before you actually try to pass on money. Preferably the transaction should be witnessed. Then you minimise the risk of being arrested for attempted bribery, the penalty for which is usually having to pay a bigger bribe.
Bribery may be necessary in some countries when getting flights confirmed or reconfirmed, getting on over-booked flights at airports, and getting visa applications through quickly where application is made in a developing country for entry into another developing country. Otherwise, try to avoid bribery at all costs. It could become grounds for arrest in itself.
Traveller's cheques
Traveller's cheques are great - if you lose them. The trouble is, in years of travelling, I've never lost mine or had them stolen. With most (but not all) types, you pay a flat one per cent insurance fee on purchase. When you come to cash them in, rip-offs abound. Exchange margins in the Third World usually vary between three per cent (mostly banks) and 15 per cent (mostly hotels in isolated locations). Often (but not usually in South America) there is a separate rate for bank notes, generally about three per cent worse than the traveller's cheque rate. This is because of the high cost of insuring cash for evacuation through the bank clearing system. Because of this difference, traveller's cheques are usually a better financial bet, in spite of the one per cent insurance levy, and of course you may just lose them or have them stolen. Most Third World currencies will probably not be available in your own country, but check. If a currency is available, you may be able to buy it far more cheaply than when you get to that country, especially if it is a soft currency. Hard currencies, notably European ones, can be bought more cheaply in your home country, whether you purchase cash or traveller's cheques in that currency. Overall, traveller's cheques are still your best bet, American dollars are the best international currency, and euros are generally bad news.
Keep your traveller's cheques receipt and a list of their numbers separate from the cheques themselves and leave a second list of the numbers with a friend at home. Then you'll save yourself a lot of hassle if they are lost or stolen, since you are obliged to document purchase. Note separately the number of each cheque cashed.
If travelling as a couple, purchase joint traveller's cheques. Both of you sign these cheques at time of issue, but either may sign for encashment. Each person should carry a separate list of the numbers of cheques cashed and uncashed.
Always carry some of your traveller's cheques in small denominations (say $5 and $10) for 'topping up' your reserve of local currency without having to cash more than you'll need. Many less developed countries, eager for hard currency, make it difficult to change local money back to hard currency, and you'll probably lose five per cent at the very least in the change back. Usually you must show all your official receipts, etc. to prove that you obtained local currency with hard currency in the first place, and did so with an authorised dealer, and not on the black market.
Some countries limit the amount of currency you can convert back to a fixed maximum percentage of the amount changed in the first place.
ATMs, widely available in the developed world, are increasingly appearing in the developing world too. They are the most common way to obtain money abroad, and often the cheapest. Eventually, traveller's cheques will all but die out as ATMs become more universal.
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Travel Rip-offs |
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Avoiding theft
Your money, like your camera, is a prime target for theft. Consider keeping your money separate from your passport and other documents so that if you get your money stolen, the rest doesn't go with it. Most petty thieves are not interested in stolen passports.
If you're staying in some place where you don't want to leave your money and passport, and you don't trust staff at the front desk (assuming you're in a hotel), try taping your valuables to the back of the drawer. Or take a small padlock and chain, so you can lock your possessions into a cupboard.
Petty theft is endemic in some countries. Watch out for thieves operating in pairs. One of the oldest ploys in the book is for an accomplice to attract you attention, loudly and ostentatiously (for example by trying to sell you something) while the thief empties your bag, wallet, etc. Watch out for anyone who could be trying to distract you, especially in busy markets. This is a good reason to avoid street money-changers with no stall. Fortunately street theft is usually restricted to towns.
Reporting theft
If money or property is stolen, make sure you get a written police statement, or at least a letter from the hotel (if the theft occurred there). It's unlikely the police will help you get the money/property back. They don't usually at home, and they almost never do abroad. But without that letter, your insurance claim might well be turned down. Don't travel without insurance unless you're super-rich and can afford the losses.
Carrying valuables
It isn't hard to guard against theft. Put zippers on all your pockets or use velcro, as the sound of opening can serve as an alert. Don't put valuables in back pockets or carry them in bags. Buy a well-made wallet designed to fit onto a strong belt, or use a pouch under your shirt, attached round your neck.
Postage rip-offs
Never post a letter by giving letter plus money for stamps to a hotel clerk or even the guy behind the counter in the post office. Small amounts to you may represent quite a lot for them. Put the stamps on letters yourself and watch to ensure they are properly franked. If not franked, or franked improperly, they may be removed later and sold again - the money for the stamps having been pocketed. Needless to say, your letter will not arrive if this happens.
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Visas - a bureaucratic jungle |
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Basic problems
Allow plenty of time to get visas. Some countries may not have diplomatic representation in your own country. UK residents wishing to visit Mauritania, for example, need to apply through Paris for a visa. Think twice about sending your passport abroad in cases like this. You may well never see it again. Some diplomatic missions make life almost impossible for applicants, e.g. Libya and Nigeria in the UK. Some countries simply do not want independent travellers. If a country is known to be difficult, consider using a visa agency. The extra cost will be justified by the lack of hassle.
Multiple re-entry
Ensure that your visa is valid for multiple entries within a fixed period in case you want to use a country as a hopping off point for another country, and then come back to the first country. For example, many travellers to Nepal travel out and back via India, necessitating two entries into India. Most visas are good for one entry unless you specify multiple entries, in which case the fee is usually only slightly more - and getting a multiple entry visa allows you to change your mind. There's obviously no penalty if you enter only once on a multiple entry visa.
Joint visas
Travel on a joint passport with your wife and you can save on visa costs by getting one visa between you for each country. However some countries, e.g. Nepal, charge extra for a second person on the same visa. Visas can be expensive, especially if bought in Europe or North America.
Picture for visas
If you're going to need a lot of visas, take a supply of portrait photos of yourself with you. You'll need plenty, and it may be difficult and expensive to get photos while on the road.
How long to apply for
When applying for a visa, always apply for the maximum period available, the visa to commence a short period before your anticipated arrival date. This way you allow yourself some flexibility and may avoid the cost and hassles involved in getting an extension.
Exit visas
A lot of travellers are surprised to learn that as tourists they may need an exit visa. A country like Togo in West Africa receives many foreign tourists (mostly German) and requires an exit visa on departure if you stay longer than 10 days and are not travelling with a tour group. Consider the fact that to get an exit visa you usually need a tax clearance from the local tax office, amongst other things, and you'll see that it could mean a rapid change in your itinerary.
My flight out of Togo was postponed 24 hours, taking me over the limit, and I took my chances at the airport without an exit visa from the Togolese government. Fortunately, they knew the flight was delayed. I made it. You can do a lot to bend bureaucracy, but don't abuse this skill or use it to demean the people of a developing country, even officious bureaucrats. I once smuggled a Ghanaian car into Togo. The car wasn't mine, and the only paper to go with the car was a receipt for an insurance payment, but it worked, supported by a sheaf of official-looking papers that had nothing to do with the vehicle.
You may even need a laisser-passer from the police to move from one district to another, and some regions may be off-limits. Never travel out of town (or in town for that matter) in a developing country without your passport. Road blocks and spot checks help to keep the police, the military and the secret police busy and out of mischief in a good many countries.
Adding up the cost
Visas are usually valid for a certain length of stay, and there is often a date limit for entry into the relevant country. This is usually about three months from date of issue of the visa but may be much longer. If the traveller is going to visit a number of countries over a period of months, it may be impractical to get all necessary visas before departure. It may also be impossible to obtain visas for those countries with no diplomatic representation in his own country. (Cape Verde has no British legation - Rotterdam is the nearest.) So visas may have to be picked up en route. Visas cost money, but the cheapest and often easiest place to get a visa is in a contiguous country (especially near much-used local border crossing points), provided the two countries are on friendly terms. If you rely on this method to get visas, and it looks as if there could be delays, offer to pay a small service charge 'to speed things up'. Don't ever offer too much or you could end up being held over a barrel (hopefully just figuratively) until you'd paid a lot. In the world of dash, tips and bribery, the rich pay nothing (they have a thing called influence), but the not-so-poor are usually obliged to cough up more than the poor. If you're rich and influential, fine. But if you're not, the poorer you look, the better, as long as you're clean-cut, well-dressed and polite. In some countries, you're automatically a drug-addict or a hippie if your hair is over a certain length. In Penang if you fitted this description you used to get SH (Suspected Hippie) stamped in your passport.
Getting visas for some countries is a hassle that stops not far short of torture. (Try telling the Nigerian Embassy you want to go to Lagos for a beach holiday in the sun.) If you buy a visa in your home country, you don't have any choice as to how much you pay for it. Visas can be expensive (especially for some African countries) and as the same visa may vary in price from one country to another (though this is not necessarily so), you can save money by choosing where you buy it. On the other hand it may be hard to find out in advance what a visa for country X would cost in any of half a dozen different places without actually going to those countries to find out, and some countries are now insisting that you buy your visa in your home country. Again, check before you leave.
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Immigration - How to get by |
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Basic hassles
Some developing countries can give you a pretty hard time at the airport immigration desk. Delays are the main hassle, so get off your plane before the pack if you can. If you can't, be patient. There's no point in losing sleep over it. Most countries require you to fill in a landing card for immigration. If you get the form on the plane, that's fine. If you get it on arrival, then be first in line for immigration by memorising your passport number, place and date of issue. The briefest of details for place of birth (put country) and address will do, and thus save time.
Some countries require that you show 'sufficient funds' before immigration control will let you through. You may have less money than the country considers desirable. A trick that may work is to carry an American Express (widely recognised) traveller's cheque in Japanese currency for, say, 10,000 yen. The theory is that you may fool the immigration official (choose a remote border post if possible) into believing you're rich when he sees the large number written on the traveller's cheque. He probably won't know the exchange rate. Better still, carry ten 1,000-yen cheques. If you need to impress officials with your wealth, the thicker your wad of notes or cheques the better, so in that case you should go for small denominations.
Getting through faster
Many larger (and some not so large) airports ferry arriving passengers from aircraft to terminal on buses (often a distance of less than 100 yards). If you want to be first off the bus and into immigration, be last off the plane and onto the bus. It will probably mean standing on the bus (yes, maybe for as long as five minutes) but could save a long wait in the immigration queue.
Form filling
Many Third World landing cards have a 'place to stay' space to fill in. The chances are you don't know where you'll be staying. Don't leave this space blank. Unless you look really impoverished, put the name of the most expensive hotel in town (check a list beforehand). If you haven't got a hotel name, look around and choose one from the hotel advertisements which may well adorn the surrounding walls. Or pub British Embassy if you know there is one. If you're stuck, smile at the immigration officer and ask his advice for a good place to stay. If you arrive by air in Varanasi from Kathmandu, the immigration officer will be offering to arrange a place for you to stay before you've even reached his desk.
You will find there's a lot of paperwork to get through in some countries, India being the classic example. Do not dare to leave a question blank when filling in bureaucratic forms. Even putting 'no answer' may be running a risk. Fill in all blanks without ever being facetious. For 'occupation', don't put journalist or photographer, even if you are one. Missionary and student may look suspect, too, in some places. If you've got a job that may suggest spying possibilities, put academic. Usually the word won't be understood, but if it is, you can always bluff that you're some kind of teacher. Teachers, nurses and doctors are relatively safe professions if you aren't among the lucky few who can put diplomat and prove it with a diplomatic passport.
The longest form I ever had to fill in was a prerequisite for entry to Manyara National Park in Tanzania. If it weren't for the fact that I think it was a disguised market research questionnaire, I would be wondering to this day why the Tanzanian government would need the names and addresses of my parents before letting me in to see the elephants.
Crossing borders
Never assume that an exit point from a country is at the border. It might be in a town a couple of days' travel back from the border, and to have to make the trek back if you make this mistake is not a pleasant proposition. Where this happens (mostly in Africa), you may find the next country will check for the exit stamp before letting you in, so don't assume you can jump borders. While it may be feasible, it could also mean a few months in jail or a lot of bribery, or both.
Influence
The offbeat traveller will often come up with the feeling that it would be useful to have local friends in high places to control the pressure he feels from petty officialdom. One of the best substitutes, if you can't have the real thing, is an official-looking letter, preferably on government paper, signed by an official in the country's government, as senior as possible. The national chief of police is just about the best bet of all, but the important point is that the letter must have an official appearance - lots of stamps and seals. The next best thing is a letter from the country's embassy in your own country.
Information desks
Many Third World airports have information desks for visitors. These may be unmanned (Madras), rude (Dakar), indifferent (Haiti), helpful (Santa Maria, Azores), or very helpful (Reunion). These desks can be useful for maps, transport and accommodation information. Not all are run by the government or airport authority, as you will find out if you fly into Colombo and are dragged to the tourist information desk that turns out to be run by a local travel company. Maps are usually free at airport information desks.
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The art of the air ticket |
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Airline ticketing and airline reservations are two different operations. This is an all important distinction. In theory it means that you can make a reservation by phone and not worry about getting your ticket until you reach the airport. In practice, in many less developed countries, the distinction is not observed and you may have problems if you book over the phone and then turn up at the airport one hour before the flight and expect to get your ticket issued at that point. As a rule of thumb, rely on an airline to take a reservation and ticket later only if the airline office taking the reservation has a computer. (Ask them on the phone.) You can always make your own reservation with an airline and then get the ticket issued by a local travel agent.
With the growing use of online reservations through the internet, all this is changing and increasingly e-tickets, issued at the airport, will become the norm. The downside with online reservations is that you always pay when you book. This way you can't just make a reservation and pay later at the airport. Mind you, if you book with a travel agent, you normally have to pay at the same time anyway.
Basic ticketing problems
In theory, at least, reconfirming is necessary for all international flights if you stay more than 72 hours in one place. In practice, it is advisable to reconfirm however short your stay, as airlines with no computer record of your itinerary may assume your stay to be over 72 hours and cancel your reservation if they don't hear from you. Forget the IATA rulebook. It wasn't written with Third World airlines in mind, and though most of them do know the rules, they rarely play by them. Knowing a government minister or a senior executive in the airline may help a lot if they give you a hard time. Throwing the IATA rulebook at them will not. So when there's a lot of pressure for seats, and a lot of money being waved at airlines reservation staff with a penchant for the good things in life, you'll be wise not only to reconfirm your outward (or return) flight as soon as possible but to do it in person, making sure your name is put on the passenger list, preferably with your ticket number against it. Then get the reconfirming office to stamp your ticket as added evidence in case they claim to know nothing about you when you check in.
Reservation status
An IATA airline ticket has a status box on it. There are three possibilities for the flight shown: 'OK' for confirmed status, 'RQ' for on request, 'WL' for waitlist. 'RQ' means that the flight might or might not be available. Keep in touch with the airline and if the 'RQ' flight comes up 'OK', make sure the airline endorses the ticket with a validation sticker indicating the 'OK' status. Likewise if you're waitlisted and make 'OK' status. If you get news on the phone that you've gone from 'WL' to 'OK', do not assume you will get on the flight. If the airline is looking for someone to 'bump' (offload), having overbooked, you may be that person, if you haven't in the meantime had your ticket endorsed. They'll know your status is 'OK' but, if it suits them, will look hard at your ticket and pretend they know nothing of the 'OK' status confirmed by phone.
Airlines will often ask for a contact phone number (for example, if you've got a flight sector waitlisted or on request), and will assure you they'll contact you if 'OK' status comes up. Some will do so. The majority won't, so it's up to you to keep contacting them, preferably in person.
The miscellaneous charges order
A Miscellaneous Charges Order is a coupon issued by an airline worth the indicated amount in a designated currency in cash or services. Most MCOs are issued by IATA carriers and are usable on any IATA airline. It's a bit like carrying money in the form of a traveller's cheque, though you could have to wait many months to get reimbursed for a lost MCO, and with some Third World carriers, you might never get a refund without the help of a lawyer. All MCOs are limited to a maximum in value per MCO unless the MCO is written for a specified flight, in which case there is no limit on the amount. However, an MCO is normally written in the currency of the home country of the issuing carrier. If you wish to use this MCO anywhere other than in that country, the MCO would be converted into the currency of the country where it is to be used at the then prevailing rate of exchange (with a percentage on the exchange rate for the converting carrier, which may or may not be a foreign office of the issuing carrier). This means that the value of an MCO, like cash itself, fluctuates daily against other currencies. As with a traveller's cheque, therefore, you are gambling against the future rate of exchange when you buy an MCO. They do, however, provide a flexible alternative to the onward ticket required by many countries as a condition of entry. Never, however, get an MCO issued in a soft currency.
Alterations in your plans
Unless you are travelling on a 'fixed date' ticket such as APEX, you may be able to change return dates (or onward dates in the case of multiple flight tickets). Airlines the world over are notorious for not answering telephones, assuming you can even get to a phone. Their offices are closed on weekends and public holidays in most places. Neither are they noted for quick service if you visit their offices. To make life easier in case you decide to change your return/outward flight, carry up-to-date details of alternative flights so that you can plan your own changes, quoting dates and flight numbers. Beware, however, of out-of-date information. Many small carriers take months to supply new schedules to CRS (Computer Reservation System) companies such as Sabre, so try to pick up the relevant airline's current timetable (if you can!) on arrival at a foreign airport. Times change frequently; flight numbers less often. Airlines based in temperate zones usually have summer and winter schedules while those in the tropics (especially if operating only locally) usually only have one flight schedule all year round. Armed with flight information, you'll still have to make phone calls or queue up for hours in many countries. But knowing what you want will save a lot of time and hassles if the airline's staff are busy (or pretending to be!).
Rewriting a ticket
If a multiple flight ticket has to be rewritten, this task is theoretically the job of either the carrier which initially issued the ticket (or on whose 'paper the ticket was written', to use the jargon), or the carrier which was to have flown the next sector, if you are changing to another carrier. Increasingly, it is accepted that the ticket can also be rewritten by the carrier you are switching to, since this is the airline which stands to gain most from the change. In practice, getting a long and detailed ticket rewritten in a Third World country is not only difficult, but sometimes impossible, given the complexities of fare recalculation. If possible, try to avoid this situation if you do not relish the idea of a nervous breakdown. A lot of work may be involved and some carriers may break IATA rules and find some way of charging you money (often destined for a back pocket) in return for the service.
Saving money on tickets
Much is written about finding the cheapest air ticket for your purpose. It's true that a little knowledge can save you a lot of money, and that an airline or travel agent or website will not always steer you to (or even know about) the cheapest fare for your needs. A full fare annual ticket is still the most expensive way to travel, but it can be the best bargain of all if properly utilised, not just because you can switch flights and carriers (not always easy, however), but because the mileage allowance system offers you considerable opportunity to stop at various points en route, and some slightly off the direct route, at little or no extra cost. A book could be written about how to get full use out of full fare tickets. One word of caution: IATA is no longer quite so generous. If a multi-sector ticket has to be rewritten, there may be a charge for this. Even if no extra miles are involved, the rewriting carrier may require you to pay the difference between the fare paid and the sum of two separate tickets, one up to the point of rewriting and one from point of rewriting. The sum of the two will almost always be more than the original through fare.
Sometimes it is cheaper to buy two one-way air tickets than a return ticket. The vagaries of currency exchange rates makes this possible, so if you do plan to fly somewhere, check, using the Overseas Airline Guide (online at WEXAS.com and Travellerline.com) whether it would pay to get an outward ticket only as far as the point of turn-around, or a stopover on the itinerary, and buy the rest of the ticket from there. On a long trip with multiple stops, it might even be cheaper to buy tickets in three or more places, taking advantage of exchange rate fluctuations occurring while you are travelling. There are dozens of ways of saving money on air tickets and several books are devoted to this subject.
Travel budgets are usually tight, especially where air fares are concerned. If you want to fly between two Third World countries, remember that flying cost per mile is usually higher for international flights than for domestic flights. It may be less convenient, but you can save money if you fly to the airport nearest the frontier, cross the border by local transport and then fly on again. That way you only pay domestic rates per mile. You may even fly overseas sometimes at low domestic rates if the end destination is technically a part of the mainland - for example, from Calcutta to the Indian territory of the Andaman Islands, which are much closer to Burma than India.
The onward ticket
Countries insisting that on arrival you must show adequate means of support also generally require you to show an air ticket out of the country. Sometimes only the onward ticket is required. Such demands may at first seem an expensive proposition if you plan to leave by surface or boat and are on a tight budget. If you are required to show a lot of money, a letter of credit may go a long way.
Usually, the more obscure the place of entry, the less money you can get away with showing. The air ticket, however, is a piece of paper that's wide open for imaginative travel ploys. Maybe you actually plan to leave by air. If you don't, it may seem easiest to fly out of the country to the closest (and cheapest) nearby country, but there you might have the same problem. Or you could buy an air ticket and count on cashing it in later. If you do this, make sure that the ticket is fully refundable at any of the airline's offices in the hard currency in which you paid for it. And ensure it's transferable so that if you do decide to use it, you can do so on another carrier if you want to.
However, most airline tickets are not all that refundable, especially if they're for short hops. A ticket written in dollars on say Delta Airlines 'paper' (the airline term for 'ticket stock') ought to be refundable in dollars at any Delta office. Such refundability may be overridden in some countries, though, (those with very soft currencies) by local exchange control regulations, especially if the ticket was bought for dollars in some other country. But if you use an onward ticket to get past immigration in this kind of country, you could always cash it in for local currency at the official rate of exchange, thus using it as a kind of traveller's cheque. Major international carriers will usually not make a deduction when a ticket is cashed in (if the ticket is classed 'refundable'). However, some smaller airlines will charge from a little to a lot, and may give you a hard time. Don't be put off by excuses about processing or fall for the 'We'll mail you the refund' ploy. That's the best way to kiss your money goodbye (though you may make someone happy).
But the real answer to the problem of the exit ticket lies with the MCO (Miscellaneous Charges Order), an airline voucher which can be issued in amounts from US $1 to US $350 (over that and you simply get a second MCO). An IATA carrier's MCO can be traded between carriers (Unless endorsed to issuing carriers only) if it is denominated in a hard currency (it is usually in the currency of the country where issued). It may also be valid for any airline services, or usable for a specific flight or flights marked on the MCO, in which case the $350 limit does not apply.
Most immigration officials won't even know the difference between an airline ticket (which it closely resembles) and an MCO with a flight out of their country written on it. They are unlikely to check up on the reservation, which the airline may have insisted on making before putting it on the MCO. This way you satisfy immigration requirements, but now you're wondering what the point of an MCO like this is, compared with an actual refundable ticket for the flight in question. The answer is that there is no point.
If, however, you buy an open MCO, valid simply for services worth X amount, you can then travel with a number of separate travel agencies or airline letters, each stating that you are booked on flight Y out of country Z. As long as the amount of the MCO covers the cost of the most expensive of these flights, you can then travel into various countries showing the same MCO in each, plus the appropriate letter. Almost always, it will do the trick. If you ensure that all your flights are to nearby countries, you might get by with an MCO for as little as $100, instead of carrying around a whole load of expensive onward tickets.
This system exploits not only the general ignorance about MCOs among both travellers and immigration officials, but also the fact that not many travellers understand that ticketing and reservations are two entirely separate functions. That is how you are able to make a flight reservation on the phone and then get your ticket at the airport on departure. Or why you can make a series of airline reservations round the world and get the airline to put them in writing (even on one piece of paper if necessary) without ever buying a ticket. If they do press you to purchase a ticket, insist on the reservations and say you'll get your local travel agent to write the tickets.
For the same reason, it's also possible to multiple-book yourself on several flights of different, or even the same, carrier if you're not sure which flight you'll be catching. Airlines don't like this, but they cannot spot it even if they have a computer, provided you make separate calls for each reservation and they don't check to see if you're already booked.
To get back to MCOs. Keep a record of your MCOs number or better still, photocopy it, in case it is lost or stolen. And do the same with your air tickets. They should all be treated like traveller's cheques. If you lose an MCO or air ticket, some airlines will make it difficult for you to get a refund, possibly not before the document has expired (one year from issue) provided no one has used it or cashed it in. If they have, it's your loss, unless it's covered by your travel insurance. Where you do get a fairly prompt refund (or replacement) in the case of a lost ticket, you will usually be asked to sign an indemnity form guaranteeing to refund the airline should the missing ticket be refunded or cashed in. It's important then to guard your air tickets or MCO just as carefully as your traveller's cheques.
When you are required to have an onward ticket out of a country before you can get in, you may also need an onward ticket even to get a visa for that country. If so, the MCO strategy applies here too.
Reconfirmation
If you reconfirm an onward flight by phone in the Third World (assuming you can get through), you run the risk of believing you're on the flight manifest because your reconfirmation has been acknowledged. Don't count on it. When flights are full out of Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), few independent travellers get into the air until they've paid the unofficial 'fee' to the local Air Tanzania reservations manager in Arusha. (If you pass that hurdle, beware being hassled by inebriated airport security guards at Kilimanjaro Airport as you try to get some sleep while awaiting your flight delayed a mere 12 hours). The lesson is that if you want to reconfirm an onward flight, do so in person. You may be able to do this at the airport on arrival (e.g. in Mauritius), but generally will have to make a trip into town to the airline office. Ensure that the ticket number is noted when you reconfirm, and if possible also have them stamp the relevant ticket coupon. Check that the flight time is still the same, and be as courteous as possible. That way, you're less likely to get 'bumped' if the flight is full. Full revenue (i.e. non-promotional) tickets are normally valid a full year, and these days, airfares are likely to change every few months. Your chance of getting on the flight is better if you've visited the airline office. It is up to you to set your priorities and choose one routine or the other. Reconfirmation is necessary for APEX tickets. Just as you cannot change your return flight date without penalty, the airline cannot give away the seat it has contracted to sell to you for the specified flight. In theory, at least, this is true of all advance purchase tickets on scheduled services.
Currency fluctuations
To prevent people getting air tickets cheaply by taking advantage of currency fluctuations and buying with a strong currency in places where the local currency is weak, the airlines periodically bring out currency adjustment tables which, at the time the tables are worked out, make any ticket equally expensive wherever you buy it. The advantage for you in this system is that while currencies change daily, IATA can only bring out adjustments every so often. In a world of wildly fluctuating exchange rates, big savings can be made by knowing this fact. In the past, Greece, Egypt, Ireland and the USA have all been popular places for buying tickets cheaply, as was the UK at one time. If you're your own currency expert and happen to be doing a world trip, you can save yourself a lot of money by following the exchange markets on the one hand and the IATA currency adjustment table on the other. Not a game for the beginner, however, as much skill is required.
A ticket or an MCO is written in a particular currency and if refundable, is a financial instrument with a particular value. Remember that if you do plan to cash in a ticket or MCO for another currency, it will be worth more or less according to the movement of the currency it is written in against the currency it is encashed for.
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Airport Check-in |
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Basic problems
As every traveller knows, it is very easy to fall foul of airport check-in staff, as flights get delayed, overbooked etc., and tempers get correspondingly frayed. Airport staff are not beyond making life difficult for disgruntled passengers, and have their own forms of revenge, apart from making the awkward customer the first to get bumped (off-loaded) if they've overbooked, or the last in line if he or she is flying standby. If you're awkward enough, they may, however, make sure you get on the flight just to get rid of you.
Lost luggage costs airlines and passengers a lot of money. Much of it is stolen, but most is simply lost through inefficient handling. The baggage routing is on the labels attached to your luggage at check-in, but only the end destination is shown on your receipts. So make sure the right labels get attached to your luggage and that the routing is accurate, particularly if checking in at an unusual time, when it could be sent on a different flight to the same destination. Say you leave London Heathrow for Santa Maria in the Azores via Lisbon. The routing is marked LIS/SMA but your baggage receipt shows only SMA. It may, of course, happen through carelessness or ignorance that your luggage gets labelled LIS only. Or it may get marked SMA only and not get on your flight to Lisbon at all. Or it may end up with all kinds of wonderful routings. Check the routing yourself on the labels before the luggage goes down the hatch.
Baggage overweight
While most airlines don't charge for overweight luggage (although they're entitled to), a few do. If you are over the permitted limit and, when checking in, find that the carrier does charge for overweight, you can avoid paying the extra amount by finding someone with luggage weighing under the limit. If the combined weight of your luggage and theirs averages out at the limit or under, no excess is payable. This is called 'pooling your luggage' and is an extension of the principle that a family's luggage is weighed on the basis of the combined allowances of the family. Most airlines accept the principle of pooling baggage, and some even encourage it.
Although you are officially only allowed one piece of hand baggage, no more than 18x14x6 ins in size, you might be surprised at how much you can take into the cabin of an aircraft. If you have a lot, put it aside (where it won't be stolen) while you check in. I've got away with 70 pounds of overweight this way, but I wouldn't recommend you to try this much if the luggage is bulky. If you do take a lot of luggage on board, stow it well away, preferably under seats, where it won't be a hazard in emergencies. If you travel light, you can even take all your luggage in the plane with you (the only way passenger luggage is now taken on some US commuter flights) and save yourself a lot of waiting at the luggage pick-up and customs on arrival. You can be the last on the plane and first off. In theory, an IATA airline cannot give away your reserved seat unless you've failed to show up by 30 minutes before departure time. In practice, this is often cut to 15 minutes, so if you have no baggage to check in, you can save a lot of time at both ends.
How to influence people
In a standby situation in a Third World country, the Western traveller is often at a severe disadvantage if competing with local people who may know the check-in clerk. In this situation, there's not a lot you can do, although smart clothes and a polite attitude can help. Speaking the local language and carrying a letter in that language from a senior official in the government or on the airline may help. What the letter says doesn't matter. Whom it is from is what counts. Having small children (especially babies under two who don't occupy a seat) moves you a few places further up the pecking order. Looking unshaven, poor, long-haired, and wearing jeans and a T-shirt are all guaranteed to send you to the end of the line.
Flight delays
If you arrive late for a flight and the flight is already delayed, you may still be able to get on it if you have no luggage and your seat has not been given to a standby or wait-list passenger (any time between 30 and 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure time). However, if you have luggage and it is after the flight's scheduled departure time, baggage handling for the flight may be closed, even if the flight is not due to leave for several more hours. Airlines have a nasty habit, devised by their personnel in their own best interests, of usually checking in passengers on time, even if the flight is running several hours late. So if you call the airline by phone and find the flight is going to leave three hours late, you may still have to check in at the original time and just hang around the airport those extra hours. If you're lucky enough to get a helpful airline employee when you call up (who's even willing to tell you the flight's late at all), ask if you can check in late and how full the flight is. You may be told late check-in is possible. If the flight is full, however, be there at the original check-in time, whatever you are told.
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Fly now, pray later |
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Your chances of crashing
Your chances of being involved in a plane crash are pretty remote. Driving in a car is a good deal more risky. However, if you are involved in a plane crash, the chances in favour of survival are extremely limited. Civil aviation disasters make news headlines and the thoughts of most air travellers turn readily to the possibility of a crash on take-off, landing or in turbulent weather. If your thoughts do tend to dwell on your changes of survival every time you fly, you might like to consider that prop planes are considerably more dangerous than jet aircraft. Most modern passenger jet aircraft have a good safety record. However, some airlines do a better servicing job on their equipment than others, and some are better than others at pilot training. Among major airlines, Aeroflot has the worst safety record, and the airlines of certain former Soviet republics flying Russian aircraft, have a particularly bad record. However, the accident rate in civil aviation has actually improved considerably per passenger mile flown in the last decade. Qantas, for example, is notable for an outstanding safety record.
If you want to pick your flights according to aircraft type, you'll find that the OAG (Overseas Airline Guide) lists aircraft type against each flight.
Most air crashes are due to pilot error, not aircraft deficiency or faulty servicing. The most common form of pilot error is landing short of the runway.
You may choose to fly more safely by avoiding airports with a bad safety record. In the USA, Los Angeles is considered by pilots to be the most dangerous major airport. Many airports have sophisticated radar navigation systems to aid pilots on take-off and landing. Those that do have such systems (mostly European airports) are considerably safer than others. At present, many Third World airports do not have such systems.
Know the aircraft layout of emergency exits. It just may save your life. However, the lifejackets routine is left over from 50 years ago, and, as far as I know, in the history of civil aviation, there has been only one crash on water where passengers had time to put their lifebelts on and get out of the aircraft. Old rules die hard.
Shortening the journey
It may be faster to fly eastward than westward; planes flying in an easterly direction can take advantage of the eastward-moving 'jet stream'. This is why London to New York is usually slower than the reverse journey. However, flying westward and leaving in day time allows you to have more daylight flying time. Conversely, you could fly westward in continual darkness by leaving after nightfall. Flying east gives short nights and short days and flying west gives long nights and long days.
Cabin comfort
If you're more than six feet tall, you'll know to your cost how uncomfortable most flights can be outside first class. Aircraft have a number of emergency exits and here the seats often have more leg room to create more space in case of emergency.
There are ways of improving your chance of getting extra seats to stretch out on when flights are not full. Boeing 747s are a good choice since you can stretch out fully if you get the centre row of seats to yourself. If seats are on a 'free seating' basis, try to get on first and put hand luggage on the seats you wish to claim next to you. If there is a seating allocation for the flight, try to arrive early (check-in usually begins two hours before departure time) and get a window seat in the row nearest the rear. If you're told the rear seats are reserved for crew, go for the next available seat from these. Certain crew on long overnight flights like to keep the rear of the plane for themselves so check-in staff try to avoid giving away seats at the rear of the aircraft. Don't be fooled by the 'smoking or non-smoking' request. Actually call the number of the seat you want. Most passengers allow themselves to be guided to the seat the check-in clerk wants to give them. In the back, where the cabin crew sit, you have a better chance of a row to yourself, not to mention better service and a statistically better chance of survival in a crash.
On long overnight flights, you may not get as much sleep. By the time the movie has ended, there's usually not much time until breakfast is served. You can only get blackout eyeshields free in first class, but if you buy some before you leave home (try a pharmacy), you'll find it a good cheap investment. A Don't Disturb sign is also useful but not always available on a flight. Take along a hotel Don't Disturb sign with a pin affixed and attach it conspicuously to your seat when you're trying to sleep. You may even be able to avoid breakfast and get two hours more sleep but this is unlikely as the flight captain will usually blast everyone awake with 'Good morning' on the speaker system just before breakfast is served.
The sound of babies crying can keep you awake all night on a long flight. Baby cots are generally situated at bulkheads (frontal partition walls) in modern aircraft. Avoid choosing seats close to bulkheads at time of seat allocation.
If you have a choice of carriers for a long flight, ring up all of them and ask them how full the flight is that you are interested in. They are often reluctant to give such information away, so be as charming and persuasive as possible. The emptier the flight, the more chance of an empty adjoining seat, and maybe even the ultimate trip - four seats in a row on a Boeing 747 - better even than first class. However, a few airlines with Boeing 747 aircraft are known to have armrests which don't fold away. You'll have to find out for yourself which they are. If all things are equal between two or more carriers, instead of tossing a coin to decide on one, phone them both and ask what movie they are showing, if such things matter in your life.
In-flight do's and don'ts
For a comfortable flight, eat as little as possible, drink nothing but water (take a flask), loosen all clothing, take your shoes off, wear too much clothing and peel off layers as you get too hot), and walk up and down frequently to stretch your muscles. Do not drink alcohol, do not eat much airline food, do not watch the movie, do not take sleeping pills or tranquilisers. Do take a good novel that you are already half way through when you get on the plane. Drinking water helps to combat the dehydration of pressurised cabins.
Refuelling stops
For many air travellers, there's nothing more disagreeable than a middle-of-the-night stop where everyone has to get off the plane. Even if you're allowed to stay on board, you'll still have to wake up and put up with cleaning people coming on board, unless it's only a refuelling stop. In Dubai, when you have to get off your plane in the middle of the night, you have to go through a security check when you get back on board.
So the number of stops en route may affect your choice of airline. Your travel agent probably won't give you this information unless you insist on it, and neither will the airline if you book with them direct.
In general, the more major a carrier, the fewer stops it will make. Third World carriers tend to make more frequent stops on flights out of Europe, often stopping once or twice in Europe to pick up or offload passengers. In the USA this type of flight with multiple stops is known as a 'milk run'. For those who enjoy a peaceful trip, it is best avoided.
Many major long haul carriers actually use their lack of en route stops as an advertising point if it reduces flying time. And type of aircraft can affect stopovers too.
Cabin crew
There are no foolproof rules for getting service from cabin staff. Some are good, some are bad. Us airlines score poorly on this front, and Asian carriers come out best of all (especially Thai International, JAL, SIA, Cathay). In the end, it doesn't really matter all that much, unless you're having a heart attack or the flight is running an hour late and you need to get the pilot to radio ahead to get your connecting flight delayed for you.
What can you expect a steward/stewardess to do for you in flight, apart from supplying meals, drinks and the name of the in-flight movie? A good stewardess (or steward) should be able to administer simple first aid competently (heart massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, for example); to give you details of accommodation and transport at your airport of disembarkation; to supply you with unlimited water, soft drinks or fruit juice on request; to tell you what the next menu will be; to get you aspirins, band aids, reading matter, pillows, blankets on request and without undue delay; to speak at least two languages reasonably on international flights (including his/her own). All this may seem a lot to ask of stewards and stewardesses in a packed Jumbo jet full of screaming children.
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Car rental - the pros and cons |
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Choosing a rental company
Local rental companies are usually cheaper than the big international companies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar). However, I reckon the big companies, which are usually franchises, are worth the extra cost since you can make reservations in advance. Confirmation of reservations is usually efficient with Hertz, the company I generally use, except for destinations with an endemic shortage of vehicles, e.g. Barbados. Expect great variation in quality of vehicles and service. Top for both in my experience is Reunion, the French departement in the Indian Ocean.
Methods of payment
Pay by voucher or credit card. Prepaid vouchers, preferably full value, are available from the rental companies in most Western capitals, or from travel agents. The problem with paying cash is the need for a large deposit, maybe US $1,000. This may mean signing away traveller's cheques for that amount on arrival, and being refunded in local currency (less the cost of the rental) on departure, with all the attendant exchange problems that this may involve. Nowadays, a credit card is normally used as the standard form of deposit.
Checking the vehicle
Always check that the rental car has a fully inflated spare tyre, and an effective jack and lug wrench before you take off.
Make sure all the locks of the rental vehicle are working, and that the boot lock works if there is a separate boot. A locked boot is often the best place for your valuables. If the vehicle is a five-door one, leave valuables concealed or otherwise hidden, as well as ensuring all doors are locked.
Saving money
Most car rental companies rent out on a 24-hour basis from time of delivery. So if you arrive in a place in the evening and leave a few days later in the morning, it may pay to order delivery of the vehicle where you are staying the day after your arrival, and use a taxi to get to your accommodation. That way you save a full day's rental. This assumes that taxis are inexpensive and that a full day's rental is chargeable for more than 12 hours' use of the vehicle. Many rental companies have full day rates only, and those with half day rates and/or hourly rates usually ensure that you pay the day rate if the vehicle is retained more than 12 hours. All-in unlimited mileage deals are usually only a good deal if you plan to cover a good many miles in a short space of time. Knowing this, rental companies rarely offer such a deal in less developed countries unless the country happens to be a small island.
A favourite rental company rip-off is to fill the fuel tank is just on the full mark, and charge for a full tank. The tank is still about a gallon short of fuel when the needle reaches the full mark.
If you're renting a car in a very hot country, consider filling up with fuel early in the morning, while the temperature is still relatively low. Gasoline expands as it heats, and by buying early in the day, you get as much as five per cent more fuel than you would at midday for the same cost.
If you want a rental car bigger than the smallest grade, try reserving the smallest if you're travelling in high season. Like hotels, the big car rentals make a practice of overbooking, and if they've given away the car you ordered, they will usually give you a larger car at the rate for the smaller vehicle. That way you could get the car you wanted at a cheaper rate. If the smaller car is available, you might, however, have to take it if no bigger model is available. If you do get a bigger model at the price of a smaller one, remember that you will pay higher petrol costs. With the price of petrol so high in most countries, this becomes a major consideration when choosing a model to rent.
Insurance
The big rental companies offer two kinds of insurance.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) covers the renter's liability for any collision damage (not just third party), between the first dollar and the 'deductible' amount. This is about $500 in most countries.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) covers the renter, not a third party (such as a hitchhiker), who should be covered by the liability insurance which may be included in the rental fee. The renter's own home insurance may also provide cover in this situation.
If you do pick up a hitchhiker and you don't have the insurance which covers him, get him to sign a paper saying he will not hold you liable for injuries if an accident occurs.
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Staying places |
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Travelling without accommodation reservations
Some people won't go anywhere without prior hotel reservations. I rarely book a place to stay in advance. For one thing, advance booking usually means pre-payment and if through the vagaries of travel you don't arrive at the hotel on the day, you lose your money. For another thing, chances are you'll be booking in advance for a hotel you've never been to before. That's taking a risk, unless you're going to a large chain hotel with uniform standards and you're sure the hotel's location is suitable for your needs. If you do pre-book, only pre-pay via a reliable agent (such as WEXAS), who will give you a voucher to show the hotel. (Many hotels throughout the world will not honour an agent's vouchers if the agent is not well known to them.) If you pre-pay without using an agent, send a cheque to the hotel or pay the hotel's own office in your home country. The latter's voucher should be acceptable. In practice, most hotels will accept a reservation without pre-payment if you give them a credit card number and guarantee to pay for the first night, especially if you phone or fax them, thereby suggesting you are a businessman and your credit is good. So never pay more than one night in advance, and if possible, do not book in advance. At worst, this policy may cost you a little more for a taxi. If the first hotel you go to is full, try to get this one to book you into another. Show them your business card. (Always have a business card whatever you do. It impresses a lot of people most of the time.) If all the hotels are full and you can't get into the YMCA or the local youth hostel, throw yourself at the mercy of the cab driver. At worst, he might let you sleep at his place for the night (for a consideration). Nine times out of ten you won't have to go this far and you'll have a wide range of accommodation to choose from. Even if space is tight, in the Third World there's almost always someone who will put you up, usually at a price, sometimes for nothing. The world is full of hospitable people, and for many poorer people, it's a privilege and a pleasure to entertain an overseas visitor. If you accept hospitality from such people, do not abuse the privilege. A small present will often be appreciated where money would only give offence.
If you arrive in some Third World country and are desperate for a place to stay, try to find the local school teacher. They may offer to put you up or find someone who will, since they are often the only person who speaks English, or possibly French or some other language that may constitute a linguistic point of contact.
Keeping warm
If it's likely to be at all cold where you're going (many tropical places can get cold at 3 a.m.), and you'll be staying in hotels, take a light compact down-filled sleeping bag with you. Otherwise you may get cold in the many cheap places where you can't get extra (or any) blankets to go with the bed you've booked for the night.
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