Traveling While Pregnant: Tips For Safety and Comfort

November 19th, 2009 | Posted by ridgway in Travel Tips - (0 Comments)

Travel during a healthy pregnancy is safe and often provides a much needed distraction from the stress of preparing for a new baby. A few minutes of extra thought and preparation can make your journey relaxing and worry free.

If your itinerary will take you on the road, make sure to schedule a little extra time for bathroom breaks. Plan to stop at least every 90 minutes to stretch and move around. Be safe inside a car by wearing your seat belt low under your belly and sit as far back from the airbag as possible. If you are in an accident, even a small one, check with a doctor immediately. As a passenger, try stretching your legs, rotating your ankles and wiggling your toes to help aid in circulation. When traveling by bus or train by very careful when traversing the narrow aisles and corridors. Try to limit movement, if possible, to when the vehicle is stopped. Avoid trips that keep you on the road longer than 5 or 6 hours.

If your plans take you by air, check with the airline’s policy on flying while pregnant. Most major airlines allow travel up to 36 weeks on domestic flights and 32 weeks on international flight. If you are visibly pregnant a doctor’s note may be required stating your due date. Keep in mind the security requirements as you dress for travel and avoid wearing shoes that will require pregnant acrobatics to put on again.

For travel by sea, check with the specific cruise line for pregnancy guidelines. Most major cruise lines restrict third trimester travel. For long cruises make sure there is a medical staff available. Most boats carrying over 100 passengers will have medical personnel.

International travel planning should include checking with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website ( cdc.gov ) for disease warnings and vaccination information. Your doctor can help you determine which vaccines are safe for your stage of pregnancy and what diseases are particularly harmful. Prepare to heed warnings about local water supplies and check with your insurance company for instructions on seeking medical attention at your destination.

Regardless of your method of transportation, taking along a few extra items can make your journey more enjoyable.

- Always bring bottled water. If you are concerned about airport security, plan a little extra time and bring a few extra dollars to stop by an airport vendor and purchase some before boarding your flight. Being out of your daily routine can disrupt your normal water intake. Dehydration can cause many problems for a pregnant woman during travel but is very easy to avoid. Drink up!

- Pack some healthful snacks in the event that food is not available or is unappealing. A package of whole grain crackers, an energy bar or a low-fat cheese stick might make all the difference.

- Bring along ear plugs and eye covers to catch up on a little rest during the trip. A favorite pillow or travel-sized blanket can help you find more comfortable positions during a long drive or flight. Jetlag, time zone changes and fatigue can make anyone’s vacation less enjoyable. Take advantage of your downtime and rest.

- Antacids, breath mints or gum, a toothbrush and toothpaste, moist wipes and a waterproof motion sickness bag can come in handy in the event that nausea is your unwelcome travel companion.

- Medical information can come in handy even on short trips. A list of the name of your doctor or midwife, your blood type, allergies, medical insurance cards and any other information your doctor recommends you carry with you can be stored in your purse just in case. Make sure your travel companion has access to this information in the event of an emergency.

- Other essentials for travel include doctor recommended medications and vitamins, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, a camera, lip balm, hand lotion and a bathing suit that fits your growing body.

If you have the luxury of choosing when you travel, try to aim for the second trimester. For many women this is the most comfortable time as morning sickness is often less intense and energy levels are higher.

Keep your schedule light, your bags well packed, your body fueled and well rested and most importantly, enjoy your journey.

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Travel Safety Tips – Things To Consider When Travelling

September 13th, 2009 | Posted by ridgway in Travel Tips - (0 Comments)

Traveling is, indeed, one of the most indulging activities one could ever experience. People get to discover the most exciting beaches, the undiscovered taverns, and the virgin forests.

However, along with all of these great places are the risks of getting into trouble, especially if the person is not yet familiar of the new surroundings and environment.

Here’s a list of some safety tips that one can use when on travel.

1. Do the homework.

Like any kind of decisions people have to make, it is always important to know the area they will be visiting so as to familiarize themselves with the laws, locations of best tourist spots, and the kind of people they have to deal with.

Going to a place without having the slightest idea what it is all about is just as bad as going to the wilderness with beasts lurking everywhere and there’s no gadget to protect them.

2. Never travel alone.

Of course, there are times when people just want to be alone and unwind so as to shed off all of the hustle and bustle of urban living.

However, with the imminent danger lurking everywhere, it is better to travel with someone than to risk their lives travelling alone.

After all, people will never know what will happen next as soon as they arrive at their destinations, especially when it is their first time on the area.

3. Planning.

When traveling, it is extremely important to plan ahead. This will give the traveller enough time to decide on which things need to be on top priority and which should be considered at a later time.

Besides, when a person has enough time to plan things ahead, he or she will be able to think on things that will protect them when they are on travel already.

4. Always be prepared for emergencies.

It does not necessarily mean that people must be pessimistic on the way they plan their travels. It’s just that they have to consider any possible emergencies and be prepared for it.

As they say, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.

5. Be aware of hotel accommodations.

It is best to choose hotels that are equipped with the best innovative safety equipment. This is to ensure that travellers will be safe once they are alone in their room.

So, whether a person is traveling for the first time or for the nth time, it is still best to keep in mind safety travelling tips such as these one so that the experience will always be a gratifying one.

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9 Responsible Travel Planning Tips

August 2nd, 2009 | Posted by ridgway in Travel - (0 Comments)

Travel responsibly with these 9 simple travel planning tips.

1. Know what responsible travel is. Responsible travel simply means traveling with not only your own needs in mind, but also the needs of your destination. Responsible travelers realize that when they travel, they are entering someone else’s home, whether they literally visit someone or not. Responsible travelers treat others as those people would like to be treated, and they care for the environment in their destination as they would care for their own home and community.

2. Think: What exactly do you want to experience? You’re about to travel, and you’re looking at an array of possibilities: new people, intriguing places, and the hope of memorable experiences. What are you interests? What do you love to see, feel, do, taste? Why have you chosen your particular destination? Whom would you love to meet? What would make this trip really memorable for you? Once you know that, you can create ways to get the most of those very special experiences out of your trip.

3. Go surfing – and read! Do some searching online for resources specializing in sustainable travel, or responsible travel, in your destination. You can seek out resources on ecotourism, too; just be aware of the pitfalls of “greenwashing.” (See Number 4, below.) Some guidebooks can be very helpful in your planning, as well. Rough Guides and Lonely Planet guidebooks (as well as others) are oriented toward sustainable travel, and they give you a great overview and starting point for your planning.

4. Reach out and ask key questions. Once you know where you’d like to stay and what you’d like to do, get in direct touch with the people providing the services. Tell them it’s important to you to travel responsibly and that you’d like some information about their property or service. Have they received any eco-awards? Do they have an eco-rating? What is their environmental policy? You can also ask if they’ve received any “green” certification. There are several certification programs such as Green Globe and the EcoGreen Award; many more have been created by communities and countries around the world. The standards of these programs vary, and as yet, there are no universal “eco” standards. However, just by seeking out a hotel, restaurant or tour operator who has taken some steps toward sustainability, you’ll be making a better choice. But watch out for “greenwashing,” the whitewashing of goods and services that are not environmentally sound to make them look as if they are. Remember: Although a tour company may seem responsible, its practices may not be environmentally or culturally responsible. You can find out whether a business is environmentally and socially responsible by doing a little research — and asking questions.

5. Choose carefully! Your decisions are important. All your travel decisions are important: they add up to your total impact on your destination, both environmentally and socially. Choose carefully. Some businesses are certified, and some are not. Even without certification, they can state their policy on responsibility and sustainability.

6. Plan with the environment in mind. As much as we travelers love the call of the open road, we also know our transportation, if powered by anything other than ourselves, is contributing to excessive CO2 in the environment, and thereby to global warming. Being responsible travelers, we don’t want to do that. So think about offsetting the carbon emitted by your trip by purchasing carbon-offset credits. In fact, think about offsetting the energy you use in everyday living. You”ll be supporting programs that neutralize our use of fossil fuels, thus helping to reduce global warming. One such well-rated program is My Climate. Others include Native Energy and terrapass. Check them out and see which you prefer. For more information on carbon offsets and how they work, visit the FAQ page of Sustainable Travel International by clicking here. And don’t forget the local ecology. For example, will you be hiking through natural areas? Of course, you’ll want water to drink. How about bringing just one water bottle and a supply of water purification tablets? They work just fine, and your thoughtfulness will be a significant help to a local area that may not have the infrastructure to take care of the thousands of plastic water bottles left by visitors.

7. Prepare yourself: Learn some lingo If you’re visiting another place, whether at home or abroad, you’re visiting someone else’s home. That’s the fact. And the more you remember that, the easier it’ll be for you to make friends and contacts. So learn some expressions in the local language. You don’t need to be fluent. But there’s no doubt that your trip will be far more exciting, and people you meet will be far more interested in you, if you speak some of their language. For tips on learning language for travel, check out my 5 Sure-Fire Tips for Learning a Foreign Language, available at www.peacethroughtravel.net.

8. Prepare yourself: Learn the basics of the local culture How do people prefer to be addressed in the country you’re visiting? Do they shake hands? Do they bow? Do they drink alcohol? How do women carry themselves? How are you expected to behave toward a woman? These are all questions that are worth taking the time to answer. Your understanding of how local people behave and interact will add fun, adventure, and plenty of social interaction to your travel experience. A note on clothing: We all like to be comfortable when we travel, and as Americans we’re particularly used to dressing as comfortably as we like. Abroad, however, responsible travelers keep local mores in mind. As a rule, particularly in developing countries, dress conservatively. If it’s important to you to connect with people you meet, it’ll help to leave the shorts and sneakers at home; they both scream “Tourist!” Wear lightweight shirts (not T-shirts), lightweight slacks, and comfortable walking shoes, instead. Women, for travel in rural developing areas, think long skirts and covered shoulders. At the very least, be sure to have a shawl. It’s important to balance comfort with respect – and avoid the blatant tourist tip-offs.

9. Prepare yourself: Rev up your sense of adventure! Use the web, use your books, contact professionals – and then tap into your own passions and creativity. Venture off the beaten path. Get yourself thinking the way local people think. Leave your usual routine at home. After all, that’s why you traveled, isn’t it? And always expect the unexpected! Yes, the a/c might break down. You may not like the meal you ordered. You might get lost. But if you’ve done your homework – you know the lay of the land, you know what safety precautions to take, you have your maps and books, and you know what to expect from the people you meet – you’ll be fine.

And just think: Oh, the stories you’ll bring home with you!

Copyright (c) 2009 Linda Rivero

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