preparations

This section deals with the issue of what you need to do prior to jumping on that plane. Your standard travel insurance policy probably won't cover you for much, so read on! Have you considered what vaccinations you require for Cambodia?

insurance

Insuring yourself is a must. Whether you want insurance to provide accident, trip cancellation or stallment, lost luggage protection is up to you.  The coverage you require will depend on the extent of protection contained in any policies you already have.  Your house insurance may for example extend to cover your luggage whilst abroad.  Credit card companies may also cover your travels should you purchase the tickets with their cards. 

Remember to check all the necessary fine print and make sure your cover is sufficient. Bear in mind that if you're on a backpacker trip with only a few personal belongings strapped to your dad's old rucksack, is it really necessary to be covered for £20,000 baggage cover? Probably not. There are numerous policies available, but at the time of travel we found Boots Insurance the best deal in terms of value and discovered that it was also the most comprehensive (it even beat policies from leading student travel shops such as STA Travel and Usit.

Medical – Many countries do no have adequate medical facilities.  Ensure that you are covered in the event that you require to be flown out.  If you plan to partake in any 'DANGEROUS SPORTS' ensure that your policy covers this.  For some activities it may be wise to get specialist insurance (e.g. Divers can get superior cover from the Divers Alert Network (www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance ).

Trip cancellation - Say you have bought non-refundable airline tickets, made non-refundable hotel deposits and a family member becomes seriously ill giving you no choice but to cancel your trip.  Many insurance policies will now cover you for these eventualities.  Some even extend this cancellation to scenarios where traffic conditions are such that you miss your flight.

Lost Luggage - Airlines are limited to the amount they will compensate you should your luggage never make it off that carousel.  Insuring your luggage will therefore cover your loss above the limited amounts you would get back from the airline.  Check whether your policy provides for instant payments should your Samsonite goes astray.  Remember that in some cases the items you may be carrying are of limited value (e.g. RTW trip) and therefore may not warrant the extra policy cover charges.

Claiming - Should you wish to claim for any eventualities, which you wish to claim for when getting home, remember to keep receipts.

what vaccinations do I need?

Travel vaccinations are often overlooked when budgeting for RTW trip.  Jab combinations are possible, which will often prove cheaper than taking all jabs separately.  Remember to consult your local GP at least 3 months prior to your departure. Some vaccinations (hepatitis A, hepatitis B and rabies) require several injections over the course of weeks or months.

If you're heading to less-developed nations, ask your doctor about carrying syringes so you can provide your own needles in an emergency, or if you need additional vaccinations en route. For more vaccination information, check out the NetDoctor website www.netdoctor.co.uk

Here are cost examples of the most commonly required vaccinations:

Hepatitis A £60

Hepatitis B £125

Hepatitis A + B £110

Hepatitis A + typhoid £120

Japanese encephalitis £100

Meningitis £30

Rabies £100

Tick-borne encephalitis £80

Yellow fever £30

money

Credit cards – Visa, and MasterCard are the most popular cards internationally.  Diners Club isn't as widespread so backup with one of the others or leave it at home. Check what your credit card company charges to withdraw local currencies.  Visa and MasterCard charge a 1% currency conversion fee, yet many banks will add on 5% to your transaction.  One way to get round these charges is to use your banks ATM card where the money is withdrawn pretty much the same day from your account.  Indeed we have found that using your banks ATM card we often fared up to 5-7% better than using travellers checks (which will also cost you a bank fee).

Traveller’s cheques - Invaluable—American Express, Visa and Thomas Cook traveller’s cheques are the most widely accepted. Always carry some cash, in several different denominations (ones and fives are useful for tips and small purchases; twenties may cover airport departure taxes or be helpful when you don't want to exchange that $100 traveller’s cheque).

What to do with all that local currency? Remember if paying off hotel bills (or any bills for that matter) prior to leaving the country try and pay it off partly with any remaining local currency you have.  That way, not only do you give your credit account some rest, but you also save yourself from losing out at the usually bad exchange rates at the airport.  Alternatively, donate your local currency to the charity boxes you often find at the airport.

dangers and annoyances

Safeguarding your gear Put your money in several different places, including a money belt worn around your waist, under your shirt or even makes a credit-sized wallet to attack to your bra! Keep your most treasured valuables (ones you can't live without) with you, unless you feel completely confident leaving them behind. Lock your bag for air travel, keep essential items with you during bus travel, and consider bringing a small chain to lock up your luggage on night trains or in youth hostels without lockers. And anywhere you go, keep alert. Expect the unexpected! I was once robbed whilst asleep at Narita Airport, something unheard of in Japanese culture. It took some time convincing the police to complete an incident report form!

Safeguarding yourself - Trust your instincts - only choose accommodation you feel comfortable with and stay away from ground floor rooms or ones with easy access from the outside (i.e. a balcony). Ask to see a room before you take it - is it clean and safe enough? Look for the escape routes. Consider taking a self-defence course, let someone at home know your itinerary, and register with the closest overseas embassy if you're going somewhere unusual or offbeat. Also, act confident (even when you're lost) and pay attention to social customs (do women go out alone after dark?). I’d also recommend purchasing a personal alarm or combination alarm, which will protect your luggage and room as well. Don't carry too much baggage - it could compromise your safety and prevent you from keeping one hand free. If you're feeling weighed down by all your baggage and travel books, mail something home. Or consider it prime campfire starter.

Safeguarding your health - Malaria, TB, leaches and funny sounding diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, they're all possible nasties you may catch on a RTW trip. Get clued up and find out what to do to minimize the risks. Unfortunately it's likely that you'll need more than just a few jabs (indeed I'm still leaking like a sieve). Make an appointment with your surgery well in advance so that they can start the inflicting pain (NB these days is costs as much as £100/jab unless your local heroine addict offers them cheaper...). To avoid sickness, stick to the age-old adage, "boil it, peel it or forget it." Stay away from salads and raw veggies (unless washed in purified water), and fruits cultivated in the ground or ones that can't be peeled. Only eat fresh meat and seafood you've seen prepared in front of you, or in a kitchen or facility you trust. And be wary of tropical reef fish, especially in tropical areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans, since they may contain toxins. Water - only drink water that's been boiled (for several minutes, longer at high altitudes), bottled, treated with iodine drops or purifying tablets, or filtered and purified. The Sweetwater Guardian and Water Purifier and the PUR Explorer Water Purifier claim to filter out and kill practically all harmful bacteria and parasites. Stomach problems - eat plenty of yoghurt containing the live bacteria acidophilus, which helps prevent stomach problems; protect yourself from mosquitoes, which can transmit dengue fever (by day) and malaria (by night); and avoid swimming in still, freshwater lakes, streams, ponds, or rivers if there's any chance parasites exist. First-aid kit - pack oral rehydration salts and anti-diarrhoea tablets, among many other things, and include a small reference book, such as Stephen Bezruchka's "The Pocket Doctor: Your Ticket to Good Health While Travelling."

staying in touch

When you are travelling or backpacking around the World you are more interested in the places and people you are visiting, than keeping your family and friends up to date as to your whereabouts. But it wouldn’t be a bad thing to let them know you’re still alive once in a while and telling them that the weather’s a lot better than back at home!

Every corner of the world now has access to the www, so e-mailing friends and family is the easiest way to get them jealous. The bigger e-mail providers are yahoo and hotmail, though you won’t be able to get your JohnSmith@yahoo.com at either of them. Why not try some of the other e-mail providers such as totalise or BT's Talk21.

Usage of the internet doesn't stop when you're on your travels.  Whether you've got a handheld, a laptop or no PC at all, the internet is available in even the most inaccessible places.  To make your travelling easier, check out some of the online tools here.

Online Travel Plans www.onlinetravelplans.com - A ground-breaking new online travel service aimed at the global traveller. There are many features which include an itinerary (details concerning your travel and whereabouts), address book, travel log (personal log/diary of your travels, which can be made viewable to friends and family), medical log (record what inoculations you have had/need to have and renewal dates) and space for file storage (for photos, CVs etc).

further reading

For a more in depth guide to your RTW travel plans check out the Travel Library www.travel-library.com and the Travellers Lounge www.thetravellerslounge.co.uk which is  a backpackers guide to planning a round the world trip. Includes flight tips, weather charts, money...

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