Concerned about your safety while traveling abroad?

Being the victim of a crime while traveling abroad would undoubtedly put a damper on anyone’s vacation. The U.S. State Department occasionally puts out warnings making us aware of the dangers of traveling to certain areas of the world because of the threat of violence against U.S. citizens. Most of the time it seems that those warnings are valid when you take into consideration that some of the areas we are warned about experience a high level of terrorist activity.

But I am not talking about those very few in number violent hotspots in this article. I want to address the constant warnings or news stories that keep making headlines for such places as Mexico, Aruba, and now even the Bahamas. Our media is quick to pick up on a story of a U.S. citizen being attacked while on vacation in some of these popular tourist destinations. In regards to Mexico, most stories are not even about Americans being attacked as much as they are about drug related violence in the towns along the U.S./Mexico border. Sensationalism is a major issue when it comes to our media reporting such events. There is a teaching in the Bible that says a man should not try to get the stick out of another person’s eye while he has a large beam in his own eye. That seems to be true about American Journalism. Our media seems to be one that likes to point out the trouble in other areas of our world while ignoring the major trouble right in our own backyard.

This sort of problem bothers me because of the fact that so many listen to such reports about a crime in “XYZ” Country and then decide to no longer vacation in that area of the world. An entire Country’s economy can be devastated by what our media reports when it shines such a negative light.

Now I am not saying that we should not be aware the potential for crime in various tourist areas, but I am saying that we need to sift through the hype and realize what the facts truly are before rushing to judgment or decision.

So let’s get down to the facts about crime for a moment. First…do you know where the U.S. ranks in the world when it comes to assaults? Out of every nation in the world, the U.S. ranks 6th! That is right…6th. Do you know where Mexico ranks? 20th! They rank lower than Great Britain, Canada, Australia and even Jamaica. When was the last time that you saw someone in our media write a story about the dangers of traveling to Australia or Great Britain? Wonder how many foreign media outlets are writing stories warning travelers of the dangers of traveling to the U.S.?? There have been stories recently about assaults against tourists in Nassau in the Bahamas. Cruise lines even started warning their passengers about getting off the ship while in port in Nassau. Do you know where the Bahamas rank in overall assaults? They are not even on the list. Guess where the U.S. ranks in total crime? If you guessed 1st, you are correct. That is right, more crime happens right here in the good old U.S. of A than any other nation in the world. Even if you break the statistic down to a per capita basis, the U.S. still ranks 8th. Mexico again comes in 39th well below the U.S. But we like to ignore those stats and jump on other countries when one of our own becomes a victim of crime inside their borders and put out travel warnings that may take a huge toll on those who live modest lives and who rely on tourists coming to visit their small part of the world.

So what is the moral of this story…be a smart traveler. Be vigilant no matter where you are. Don’t cut down side streets if you are not familiar with an area. Stay in populated areas or choose to go on guided tours. Keep your belongings close to your side and locked up. Appear that you are sure of yourself and where you are headed, or in other words, don’t look like a “tourist.”

And don’t be quick to take the media’s version of a story or report and keep things in perspective. You are in as much danger living and visiting areas of our own Country as you are traveling abroad. So get out there and don’t let fear rule your decisions and experience life through travel.

If you would like to see the statistics for yourself…you can click here.

Tips For a Less Stressful Holiday Travel Season

Family memories are what the holiday season is all about. It is a time for us to take a break from the stresses of life and remember the things that make life more meaningful. But for some...their holiday will get off to a less than relaxing start and the sad thing is, most of the troubles that come with holiday travel could have been avoided. I hope these tips in this short video help you have a more enjoyable holiday season if you are among the thousands that will be flying to and from their holiday destination.

Stay in the Moment

How many of you are like Clark W. Griswold when it comes to travel? Do you have a checklist of your must-see items and every minute of the trip scheduled down to the “T?” That sort of vacation planning makes me think of the Griswold’s in National Lampoon’s “Vacation” movie. Clark had everything planned out that he wanted his family to see so much so that the schedule trumped any sort of enjoyment at those sites.

Are your vacations like that to some degree? Does the schedule become so rigid that you fail to fully take in the things that are seeing and doing on your trip? If that is the case, here is my tip for you...stay in the moment.

Looking back at my years of traveling and the different locations I have visited, the things that I remember the most are those moments when I was fully engulfed by my surroundings. For example, I have been to Jamaica. Now you would think that the beach or the lush tropical rainforest would be the things I remember the most about that beautiful Country. I remember them and how beautiful they were, but that was just part of the trip. One of the most memorable moments on that trip was the ride my wife and took with our private driver to the resort. His name was Perry. He was full of life. He helped us get a vision of his country through explaining the Jamaican philosophy through speech and music. That short 30 minute ride made me see his homeland and his people and we will never forget Perry and it was a moment where we were fully engaged and not just watching things pass by out the window of his car. Time seemed to move much slower during that trip even after we arrived at the resort.

Other examples include standing in a small town at the base of Mt Fuji and watching the uniformed school children make their way from school to home. Our ultimate stop naturally was the half way point up Mt Fuji, but that small travel break in that tiny Japanese village brings back such a vivid memory and it was one where I stopped and just observed life going on around me. That does not mean that I do not remember or cherish my time actually up on Mt Fuji, but it shows that the journey held as much importance as the destination because I allowed myself to stay in the moment no matter where we were during the trip.

Are you seeing my point? So many get caught up with getting to each destination so they can check it off their list that they lose sight of the journey itself. Stay in the moment no matter where you are on your trip. Maybe it is a side trip in a small town to eat a meal on your trip. Stay in the moment and look around and you might be surprised what you will see that will make a lasting memory. I promise you that if you slow things down to that level, your trips will end up being less stressful and much more enjoyable and memorable.

Do you have moments and memories like that from your trips? If so...I would love for you to share them so please comment and become a follower of my blog as well.

Don't Be Rude!

Ok...this article as been a long time coming. I have written on the subject of staying calm while traveling and how important it is to not lose your cool when things don't go your way. Sometimes losing your cool may be justified when those in charge lack any resemblance of care when you are calmly trying to get them to recognize your reservation or accommodate you somehow because the airline canceled your flight etc. But please recognize the difference between losing your cool and being just plain rude.

Honestly though, this article is not addressing the times when things have gone awry on your travels. Nope, unfortunately I am addressing those travelers who feel it is socially acceptable to be rude just because you are "so and so" from "XYZ city" or country. Let me make this perfectly clear...rude behavior is never acceptable. NEVER! I don't care who you are and where you are from, no worker at any hotel, resort, or on any cruise line or tour bus deserves to be treated rudely.

Let me give you an example of some of my observations while traveling around our country and abroad. Mr. or Mrs. Tourist sits down at the resort restaurant in Mexico. Said tourist then begins to yell orders at his or her server from several feet away while server is trying to listen to and understand another group of foreign tourists at a table across the room. The poor server is trying to understand some of the worst examples of our English language while orders are being thrown at him or her with not even a simple thank you or a pleasant "pardon me." Mr. or Mrs. Tourist somehow has forgotten that they are the visitor in a foreign land and expect everyone around them to speak and understand as they do and to jump at their beck and call. That is just plain rude in my book.

So many times we like to complain about ABC foreign city and say they have such rude citizens blah blah blah. When, in reality, we (U.S. citizens) can be some of the most rude travelers I have ever seen.

I have witnessed foreign travelers in Japan turn up their noses as they read a menu and then have the gall to ask someone who can barely understand every other word..."don't you have something with chicken in it?" Or they get mad at the Japanese server because their eggs were not cooked exactly like the way we are used to here in the U.S.

Please remember when you are traveling abroad (no matter where you are from), you are the visitor. You are the foreigner. You are the guest and show some manners for Pete's sake and represent your own Country with respect and humility. No one deserves to be treated rudely ever! You, the traveler, are the one speaking funny when you are in a foreign country so remember that and speak slow and be courteous if you are not easily understood and think about how others feel when they come to your Country and have a hard time communicating in your native language.

Do you have some examples of rude behavior that you have witnessed during your travels? Share them with me. Thanks for reading and please leave a comment, even if you disagree.

The Real Cost of a Cruise

I can say without hesitation that the best overall vacation a person can take is cruise vacation. My first cruise a few years ago made me forever a cruise enthusiast and addict. It is great way to see different parts of the world all in one trip and only have to unpack one time.

A cruise can also be one of the most affordable ways to "get away" from it all. Notice though that I said it “can be.” A cruise can be extremely affordable if you understand what is involved with a cruise and know what costs are above and beyond the advertised cruise fare. That is my purpose with this post. It is not to sell you on cruising as a form of vacation, but it is to help you understand all costs involved.

In some of my previous “travel tips of the week” episodes, I have addressed different aspects of cruise vacations such as excursions, which cruise to select and even cabin selection, but I have yet to address the topic of understanding cruise costs. If you are a first time cruiser, you need to know what the TOTAL cost of the cruise will be.

So first of all, unless you live within driving distance of a cruise port, you will need to add airfare to your cruise cost. Airfare will naturally vary depending on where you are flying from and to so make sure you look into the cost of your flight before making a decision on a certain cruise.

Second, assuming you will be flying to the city where your cruise will begin, you will need to add in the cost of getting from the airport to the pier. These costs are called “transfers.” Again these costs will vary depending on which pier you cruise out of. Some port cities have airports very close to the pier so the costs are less while others (like Port Canaveral) are at least 45 minutes to an hour away from the closest airport and costs will be higher in that case. Transfer costs also vary depending on the type of transfer you choose. Some like to hop in a cab and use taxis for their transfers while other vacationers prefer something like a private SUV or car service, which will add to the costs. You will have a variety of options when it comes time to pick your transfer, but make sure you get those costs factored in again before you decide on a particular cruise.

Third, I always recommend for my clients who are flying into a port city to fly in the day before the scheduled cruise departure date. That will give some flexibility to the schedule in case of flight delays. The last thing you want to do is schedule a flight in on the departure day of your cruise and then hope everything goes according to plan. The cruise will leave even if you are not on board on time so give your self some space for error and arrive the day before. So with that said, you should also then add in the cost of a pre-cruise hotel stay. I will again not give any pricing info since hotel costs are so varied from city to city.

Fourth and finally, you should always consider adding trip insurance to the cost of your vacation. A cruise line will usually not offer you any form of a refund if for some reason you need to cancel your trip at the last minute. Trip insurance can offer that extra peace of mind after you make that final payment for your trip. Again…make sure you understand this...the cruise line will leave without you. If something delays your flight or comes up at the last minute that keeps you from getting to the pier on time, you will NOT be able to convince that cruise line captain to wait just for you or your family. Cruise insurance, depending on the carrier and the policy purchased, can help you out when the unforeseen happens so make sure you consider it and calculate it is to the total cost of your cruise.

I hope I am helping you see that there are external costs that have to be added in so that you understand the true cost of a cruise vacation. In future posts, I will be addressing more about the costs of a cruise including costs that someone can incur once the ships leaves the pier and the vacation begins so please stay tuned...

Travel Tip of the Week...Understanding the Real Costs of a Flight

The Mexico You Should Know

Misinformation, over-hyped, false information, ignoring of facts...these are the reasons why tourism in Mexico has plummeted over the past several months. Too many tourists and travelers listened to the misinformation and sensationalists who took things out of context and reported things such as the H1N1 virus and drug cartel wars as being much worse and more widespread than they truly were. The facts were being ignored because it did not make as good of a news story as the over-hyped, inaccurate news stories did which were filling up mainstream media.

It is a fact that the drug wars were mainly isolated in non-tourist border towns near the Texas and Arizona borders...thousands of miles away from the vacation destinations like Cancun, Los Cabos, Mazatlan etc. The H1N1 virus has proven to be more widespread than anyone ever thought it would be and did not originate in Mexico. In fact, the Mexico government did a great job addressing the virus outbreak and had it contained quickly. Those 2 media stories were sensationalized to the point that tourism in Mexico suffered a major setback.

No one should overlook Mexico as a possible destination for their next vacation getaway. It is a Country filled with something for everyone. If you are a adventure traveler...the vast mountain ranges and beautiful river gorges are a must see. In fact, Mexico boasts of the hemisphere's largest series of canyons such as the Copper Canyon region. It is in the top 5 of the world's most bio-diverse nations on earth. There are over 29,000 archeological sites in Mexico.

If you love traveling to places which offer a rich history and diverse culture, then Mexico should be on the top of your list; a place where you can see the ancient ruins of the Mayans or follow steps traveled by Spanish explorers. If you want a place to just get away from it all, there is no better option than the gorgeous palm tree laden beaches of Mexico. The people are warm and genuine. The food in every region of Mexico is some of the best in all the world. Their music speaks of life and joy and teaches you as much as it entertains.

I could go on and keep giving you reasons why Mexico is fast becoming my number 1 destination for any form of vacation. But I will let you see it for yourself.