Carefreetrip.com :: Travel Blog

Have you ever wondered what SARS is and if you should really be concerned about it? In an effort to make you a more informed, safe traveler Carefreetrip.com say YES!

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, called SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before the SARS global outbreak of 2003 was contained. This fact sheet gives basic information about the illness and what CDC has done to control SARS in the United States.

Guidance for the management of SARS exposures in healthcare settings, as well as infection control precautions for SARS patients and their close contacts in household settings, is provided in Supplement I, Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The following guidance is provided for persons (other than healthcare workers or household contacts) who are traveling to areas where SARS cases have been reported. These recommendations are based on the experience to date and may be revised as more information becomes available.

Before you leave:

• Assemble a travel health kit containing basic first aid and medical supplies. Be sure to include alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene.
• Inform yourself and others who may be traveling with you about SARS. Information about SARS is provided on CDC’s SARS website.
• Be sure you are up to date with all of your shots, and see your healthcare provider at least 4 to 6 weeks before travel to get any additional shots or information you may need. Information on CDC’s health recommendations for international travel is provided on CDC’s Travelers’ Health website.
• You may wish to check your health insurance plan or get additional insurance that covers medical evacuation in the event of illness. Information about medical evacuation services is provided on the website of the U.S. Department of State.
• Identify in-country healthcare resources in advance of your trip.

While you are in an area where SARS cases have been reported:

• As with other infectious illnesses, one of the most important and appropriate preventive practices is careful and frequent hand washing. Cleaning your hands often using either soap and water or a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub removes potentially infectious materials from your skin and helps prevent disease transmission.
• To minimize the possibility of infection, observe precautions to safeguard your health. This includes avoiding settings where SARS is most likely to be transmitted, such as healthcare facilities caring for SARS patients.
• On the basis of limited available data, it would be prudent for travelers to China to avoid visiting live food markets and to avoid direct contact with civets and other wildlife from these markets. Although there is no evidence that direct contact with civets or other wild animals from live food markets has led to cases of SARS, viruses very similar to SARS-CoV—the virus that causes SARS—have been found in these animals. In addition, some persons working with these animals have evidence of infection with SARS-CoV or a very similar virus.
• CDC does not recommend the routine use of masks or other personal protective equipment while in public areas.

After your return:

• Persons returning from an area where SARS cases have been reported should monitor their health for 10 days.
• Anyone who becomes ill with fever or respiratory symptoms during this 10-day period should consult a healthcare provider. Before your visit to a healthcare setting, tell the provider about your symptoms and recent travel so that arrangements can be made to prevent potential transmission to others in the healthcare setting.
• Close contacts of a person with known or possible SARS should follow the recommendations for SARS patients and their close contacts.

Travel safe, travel smart, travel informed! Visit the CDC’s SARS website for more details.

Travel is a fact of life, whether for business or for pleasure. For many business people, frequent travel is a frequent event. Over time, seasoned travelers have been able to come up with ways to simplify being on the road. However, in today’s changing economy, many people are experiencing job and career changes. As a result, the friendly skies are full of those who are new to business travel and finding themselves overwhelmed and exhausted. Here are ten steps to make your travel simpler and less time-consuming.

1. Make a list of all the products you use throughout the course of an average day. (shower gel, deodorant, shampoo, moisturizers, hair spray, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, etc).

2. Take your list with you to the store and purchase one of every product on your list in a trial size. Also buy a small inexpensive hair dryer, a mini shower scrubbie and an extra small comb or brush. At the same time, purchase a travel case large enough to accommodate all these new items.

3. After shopping, put a handful of cottonballs, swabs and safety pins into three separate baggies. Pack your new travel toiletries and your baggies into your travel case and keep it packed this way and stored in your luggage at all times.

4. After you return home from each trip, refill your travel size toiletries then put the newly replenished bag into your suitcase until your next trip. You will never have to pack toiletries for travel, if you always keep this bag packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

5. Roll clothing into cylinders when packing. It takes up less space and it will help keep wrinkles down. Also, roll socks and underwear up and stuff them inside your shoes. Not only will it make more space in your luggage, but it helps keep your shoes from getting crushed.

6. Pack clothing that resists wrinkling, such as polyester blends, wool blends, microfibers, silk, and rayon. Avoid packing 100% cotton or linen when possible.

7. To avoid having to bring two pairs of dress shoes, choose one neutral color and build your wardrobe around it. Don’t bring outfits based on both black and brown, because then you’ll need both black and brown shoes and belts.

8. Bring one suit and several pieces to change its look. Men can wear the same suit with varying color shirts and ties. Ladies can create several different outfits from just one skirt, one jacket, a pair of coordinating pants, and a few blouses.

9.Call your hotel ahead of time to ask if they will provide personal items such as an iron, clothing steamer, and hair dryer. If so, you’ll have extra room in your luggage for other things.

10. Carry on your important documents, toiletries, medications, and one change of clothes in case your luggage gets lost. Traveling can be simpler and go smoother if you create an effective system and follow it consistently.

This article was written by Monica Ricci. Monica has been an organizing and productivity specialist since 1999. She offers onsite consulting, as well as motivational seminars and workshops, which teach effective organizing and simplifying and effectiveness strategies for home and work. Contact Monica at www.CatalystOrganizing.com.

There’s no need to trade off the exciting experiences that make a vacation in order to protect the destinations you value. You may find that you’ll be able to enjoy more of the beautiful sceneries, friendly faces and unique activities as a result.

Across all seven continents, from the dazzling city nightlife to secluded villages tucked away in quaint valleys and mountains, there are hundreds of ways you can spend your green vacation. See how changing the way you encounter new places can take your vacation memories beyond the ordinary.

Travel by train instead of plane. Not only will you gain more scenic views along the way, but you’ll also escape the headaches of long security lines and lost luggage. Destinations throughout Europe and Asia, for example, offer superior rail travel that allows you to save money and conveniently explore multiple countries and cities in one trip.

Opt for bus, rail and/or ferry transportation. Save money and gain convenience in getting from place to place. In your travels, you’ll find several city buses built for tourists, which make frequent stops at many popular shopping and dining districts, museums and theaters.

In the recent years, more transportation systems are actively pursuing alternative resources in an effort to preserve the earth. Numerous bus systems fueled by natural gas, hydrogen or biodiesel are rapidly becoming a part of everyday life. Europe recently revealed plans for the very first hybrid high-speed train, which was originally engineered in Japan and claimed to cut emission levels by 50 percent.

Discover new places by foot. Several of the world’s most enchanting sights are set off from main roads, hidden in remote valleys, at the base of a glorious waterfall or in other places only accessible by foot. Take advantage of many unforgettable ways you can capture amazing panoramic views and up-close experiences through hiking, bikingor canoeing to unique attractions.

Consider renting an eco-friendly car. If you need a vehicle for taking day excursions far from your hotel, think about using a car-sharing program like Flexcar or Zipcar, which offers eco-friendly cars with low fees and convenient pick-up and drop-off options. You can also reduce car emissions by renting a hybrid car or the smallest car that can comfortably accommodate you.

It Pays to Be an Educated Consumer
It goes without saying that the best kind of traveler is a prepared one. Just in the past decade, there have been many more travel options made available for responsible tourists, offering bigger ways for individuals to make an impact for the good for the environment.

Use environmentally responsible services. Hundreds of hotels have a linen reuse program, recycling bins for guest use, energy-efficient lighting, low-flow toilets and showers and alternative energy sources. Restaurants, tour operators, car rentals and other travel service providers are also finding new ways to keep up with travelers going green.

You can make a difference by helping save and protect your favorite travel destinations!

The Transportation Security Administration provides these tips when packing your carry-on for travel on your favorite airline.

3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is a security measure.

Consolidate bottles into one bag and X-ray separately to speed screening.

Be prepared. Each time TSA searches a carry-on it slows down the line. Practicing 3-1-1 will ensure a faster and easier checkpoint experience.

3-1-1 is for short trips. If in doubt, put your liquids in checked luggage.

Declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint.

Come early and be patient. Heavy travel volumes and the enhanced security process may mean longer lines at security checkpoints.

TSA working with our partners. TSA works with airlines and airports to anticipate peak traffic and be ready for the traveling public.

Business travel takes you away from home and loved ones and can cause all sorts of unexpected issues. Make your travel easier with these time-tested tips written by Marybeth Bond for iVillage that every business women should read.

1. Sleep smart
Dark circles under your eyes aren’t good for business. Many road warriors know that you can only use a certain amount of concealer to cover bags under your eyes to mask jetlag or poor sleep nights in strange hotel rooms. So carry eye masks and earplugs. Wax earplugs are better than the little foam ones. They are often sold as a swimming accessory and work well to mute noise, snoring and annoyingly chatty airline passengers. Invest in a blow-up pillow to sleep soundly on planes. They also prevent your hair from being flattened as you sleep.

2. Carry rations
The airlines are starving us! If your flight is delayed or has mechanical problems, you may spend hours on the runway or circling in the air while your stomach is screaming. Airlines offer little more than the tiny, salty rations of peanuts or pretzels for short flights. Carry a nutritious and filling power bar and an apple in your bag.

3. Wake up right
Hotel alarm clocks and wake-up calls can be unreliable. Pack an inexpensive sports watch with an alarm and a stopwatch. The stopwatch is useful for your workout on the exercise bike in the hotel fitness centre or to time your bubble bath. If you carry a pager, find out if it has an alarm function and learn how to use it.

4. Pack lightly
If you need to be dressed in business attire for a meeting the same day you travel, wear it on the plane. Always assume your luggage may be lost and be prepared. Don’t put yourself in the awkward and expensive position of being dependent upon taxis and tip-hungry porters. Pack the least amount of clothes and shoes you think you can survive on. You can wear the same mix-and-match outfits day after day. Leave room in your bag for the shopping treasures you can’t resist along the way.

5. Take dark clothes
They don’t show stains, wrinkles or dirt, and work for most situations.

6. Cut down on shoes
How many shoes does a business traveller pack? Too many, usually! If the shoe fits, wear it … don’t carry it. Wear the shoes you’ll need for business and pack one pair of trainers for walking, jogging or informal occasions.

7. Shop without guilt
Spend some money on yourself and buy presents and cards for your loved ones’ upcoming birthdays.

8. Communicate with home
It is unproductive to leave messages on answering machines. If you are travelling to a different time zone, you may wake a grumpy loved one in the middle of the night. The easiest and cheapest way to communicate home from most countries is via fax. Sending a fax costs less than a long distance call and you don’t have to deal with time differences. Leave your hotel fax number with friends and family. If you prefer email, set up free email accounts for your kids and send them notes and postcards.

Take metal items such as keys, loose change, mobile phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) out of your pockets. Put these in your carry-on, or in a plastic bag. This keeps lines moving and your experience more pleasant. Try to avoid wearing anything with metal, clothing, jewelry or other accessories that contain metal such as, heavy jewelry, clothing with metal buttons or snaps, belt buckles or under-wire bras.

Pack your coats and jackets in your baggage when possible. All coats and jackets that you are carrying must go through the X-ray machine for inspection. If you choose to wear an outer coat or jacket to the checkpoint, you will need to either pack it in your carry-on baggage or put it in one of the bins we provide.

You may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which alarmed the metal detector. If you are selected for additional screening, you may ask to remove your body piercing in private as an alternative to a pat-down search.

Remember that bumper sticker “Mean People Suck!”? Well this is even more true for travelers - Mean Travelers Suck! I am sick and tired of sitting next to, standing in line behind, or waiting for travelers who are mean and think they are entitled to something the rest of us aren’t. So listen up! We travelers need an attitude change!

Here is my list of the top offensive travelers and travel situations.

Airport delays. Stop acting like the entire mission of the airlines is to make you late for your business appointment or for the Broadway show you paid $600 a seat for. The airlines want you out of their hair as much as you want to be gone. Stop yelling at someone who usually is trying to do everything they can to help you. Its amazing how much someone is willing to help you if you use kind words like “Hello”, “Please” and even “Thank you”. Irritating the airline workers isn’t going to help you or the rest of us stuck in the same predicament you are. Take a breath, as my wife would say, and get over yourself!

Bluetooth headsets. If you need to use a bluetooth headset, then try to find a quiet place to talk. I don’t want to hear your conversation about how you are the greatest salesperson in the history of mankind, or that your oldest child just got arrested (true story) or that you need to change your travel reservations. For some reason bluetooth headset users like to talk overly loud leaving the rest of us wondering if they are talking to me or if they are just loud and obnoxious. Get away from the rest of us when using these things.

MP3 Players set at 30 dBs. Recently I was on a flight to San Francisco and an older female passenger was assigned the seat next to me. After the captain cleared the passengers to use their electronic devices, my passenger buddy pulled out her iPod and began listening to rap music at 30 dBs. Holy crap lady! Can’t you hear? By the way I have had a long day and rap music is not helping me relax in anyway. People! Control your music. I love loud music as much as the next person, but have a little respect for your fellow travelers.

Airline passengers who do not turn off their electronic devices, put up their tray tables, and/or put your seat back to the upright position. Okay Lenny, this isn’t rocket science. You agreed when you purchased your airline ticket to abide by federal law AND to adhere to the policies of the airlines. I don’t care if your cousins, brothers, friend told you that the plane will not crash if you keep your phone or iPod on. IT’S AIRLINE POLICY! Don’t question it, just do it so we can land without you demonstrating your idiotic behavior. You don’t have to agree with the policy - just DO IT!

Full Gear Backpacks. This one chaps me more than most. Have you ever just got situated with your bags in the overhead bin, already for push back when at the last minute a gent comes on board with a full gear backpack. First, how did the airlines even allow this to pass their “on-board” baggage policy? Second, if you have an extra large baggage be on time! For some reason the back pack owner thinks its okay to shove their “luggage” into an already full overhead bin and then complain that someone else’s bag is to big and bulky. I love the outdoors as much as the next person, but you have to leave your “outside” equipment outside. Try using normal luggage like the rest of us. And a note to airlines, enforce all of your policies not just the one’s you have time or have to.

Bottom line - we can all use my wife’s advice to “take a breath”. Be courteous to others who are in the same, or even worse, situation than you are. Also try to talk like you would to your grandmother not to your ship mate. Much of the current commotion for travelers could be avoided if we all get it through our thick heads that KINDNESS BEGINS WITH ME!

Passport Requirements & How to Apply for a Passport

A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. Only the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassies and Consulates have the authority to grant, issue or verify U.S. passports. For travel overseas and to facilitate reentry into the U.S., a valid U.S. passport is the best documentation available.

A valid passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Some countries may allow you to enter with only a birth certificate, or with a birth certificate and a driver’s license. Note, however, that rules established under the U.S. Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, require that all persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air, must present a valid passport to reenter the United States. (Until September 30, 2007, U.S. citizens who have applied for but not yet received passports can enter and depart the United States by air to Western Hemisphere countries with a government-issued photo identification and official proof of application for a passport. The proof may be obtained at http://travel.state.gov. This accommodation does not affect entry requirements of other countries, and U.S. citizens who are traveling to a country that requires a visitor to have a passport must still obtain one.)

If you are traveling by land or sea, make certain that you can return to the United States with the proof of citizenship that you take with you. U.S. regulations require that you document both your U.S. citizenship and your identity when you reenter the United States. For more information about U.S. passport requirements, see http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

Some countries require that a traveler’s U.S. passport be valid at least six months or longer beyond the dates of the trip. In addition, with the number of international child custody cases on the rise, several countries have instituted passport requirements to help prevent child abductions. (Mexican law, for example, requires a child traveling alone, or with only one parent, or in someone else’s custody, to carry written, notarized consent from the absent parent or parents if the child is not in possession of a U.S. passport.) Contact the embassy of the foreign destination for more information. A listing of foreign embassies and consulates in the U.S. is available on the Department of State’s website at http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/32122.htm. Foreign embassy and consulate contact information can also be found on the Country Specific Information for each country.

How to Apply for a U.S. Passport

Apply for your passport several months before your planned trip, and, if you will need visas from foreign embassies, allow even more time. Even if you don’t have specific travel plans, but have family living abroad or are waiting to find a bargain trip, it is a good idea to apply as early as possible. Information about applying for a U.S. passport may be found at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.

If You Need to Obtain a New Passport While Abroad

For information on obtaining a new passport if yours is lost or stolen abroad, see “How to Get Your Passport Replaced” below, under “Emergencies: Consular Assistance and Crises Abroad.” Also visit the Department of State website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/lost/us/us_848.html. Additional information is available at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1197.html.

Individual countries have their own standards of accessibility for disabled travelers. Some countries have nondiscrimination laws that help to protect travelers with disabilities, while other countries do not. Preparation before you go can help ensure that your planned destination will be accessible, safe and enjoyable.

Travelers with disabilities should review the Department of Transportation pamphlets New Horizons for the Air Traveler with a Disability and Plane Talk: Facts for Passengers With Disabilities . Both of these publications are available at the Department of Transportation’s website http://www.dot.gov. In addition, travelers with disabilities should review the information contained in the section above entitled Planning Your Trip: Learn About the Places You Will Visit, consider the following tips, and discuss the trip with a physician:

• Research in advance: Learn about planned stops and ask questions about services available. Consider the level of health care available, as well as local transportation needs to and from the airport, luggage assistance, and whether other help will be needed to leave the airport terminal. When making reservations, inform the travel agent or carrier of your disability and the equipment you use, and, if necessary, request a wheelchair be brought to the gate upon arrival and any other assistance needed while flying and at the airport. In all cases, ask that your needs and requests be documented as part of the reservation, and take down the name of the agent. That way, if there is a problem, you may be able to quickly show that you are entitled to the service you requested.
• Seek medical advice: Talk to your physician about the activities you have planned and your general physical condition, any immunizations that might be needed, and medications, whether prescription or over the counter, that you might need for your trip. Carry a letter from your attending physician, describing your medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic names of prescribed drugs.
• Your medications: If you take prescription medication, make sure you have enough to last the duration of the trip, including extra medicine in case you are delayed. Pack your medication in your carry-on bag, since checked baggage is occasionally lost. Always carry your prescriptions in their labeled containers, not in a pill pack.
• Documentation of immunizations: Take with you proper documentation of immunizations.
• Health and Evacuation Insurance: Make sure you have adequate health insurance coverage while abroad, including coverage of medical evacuation (not covered by most domestic policies). Note that U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States.
• Service dogs: Some countries have restrictions on service dogs. If you intend to travel with a service dog, be sure to check on possible restrictions with the embassy or consulate of each country you will visit. (This and other country information may be found on each country’s Country Specific Information at http://travel.state.gov). If service dogs are permitted, learn about quarantine or vaccination requirements. Find out what documents are needed, including international health certificates and rabies inoculation certificates, and if the documents need to be translated. Talk with your vet about tips for traveling with a dog, and how travel will affect the animal. You may also want to ensure that hotels will accommodate your service dog, and that there will be an adequate area for the dog to relieve itself.
• Maintenance on equipment: Have a maintenance check done on any equipment you will take with you, to ensure that everything is in working order before you leave. You may want to research the availability of wheelchair and medical equipment providers in the areas you plan to visit.
• Carry written plans: Carry with you your written itinerary and directions of where you wish to go. These can be shown to people who might be able to help you if you are lost. Another useful tool is a point-and-conversation guide.

The U.S. State Department provides these tips when you travel abroad -

• Register so the State Department can better assist you in an emergency: Register your travel plans with the State Department through a free online service here. This will help us contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization.
• Sign passport, and fill in the emergency information: Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.
• Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page: Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
• Check your overseas medical insurance coverage: Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.
• Familiarize yourself with local conditions and laws: While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. The State Department web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html has useful safety and other information about the countries you will visit.
• Take precautions to avoid being a target of crime: To avoid being a target of crime, do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money. Also, do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
• Contact us in an emergency: Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov. Also note that the Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas.