Travel Tips

Just some information when preparing to travel... fromCNN.com/Travel

Staying safe while exploring the world
..."If you're not willing to take chances, then you better stay home or go to safe places with hand rails and training wheels," said Suzanne Swedo, author of the recently published "Adventure Travel Trips" guide....


1. Prepare before you go
Planning ahead is key to staying safe when you're traveling, experts agree. That means reading travel guides, roaming the Internet, poring over local newspapers online and simply learning the lay of the land....


2. Blend with the locals
If you want to stay out of trouble, avoid acting or looking like a tourist. Criminals prey on easy targets, and a tourist is just that, said Melissa Klurman, an editor at Fodor's Travel Guides.

"I think that when you stand on a street corner with a big map and a camera around your neck, maybe people will be nice and try to help you, but you've also sort of lost the edge that might help you not attract negative attention," she said.
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"If you're in Italy, that means not wearing jeans and sneakers every day," she said.
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And, like a defensive driver, pay attention to what's going on around you....


3. Let others know where you are
Travelers always should let someone know where they're going to be and where they can be reached. Leave an itinerary for your entire trip back home, and if you're going to be leaving the hotel for more than 24 hours, let the concierge know when you plan to return....


4. 'Inspiring as well as troubling'
Just because a place has a reputation for danger is not necessarily a reason to ignore it....

Read more at http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/03/02/safe.travel/index.html