Travel emergencies and finding help away from home: If your vehicle breaks down far from help, turn on the emergency flasher lights (or parking lights or a directional signal in an older vehicle), and get the car well off the road if you can. Tie a white or red cloth to the handle of the driver’s door; raise the hood. Stay in the vehicle until help arrives. If you can’t get the car off the road, turn on the emergency flashers, set up flares if you have them, and wait on the roadside. If you’re traveling as a family (in a group), stay together. When someone stops to help, ask him/her to call the police, highway patrol, or your auto club at the next phone box or tollbooth. Request the same aid from all who stop.
Before your car is towed or repaired, ask for the estimated cost. Many towing companies won’t take checks or credit cards. If you’re short of cash, try contacting a relative, friend, or your bank to arrange a transfer of funds.
Getting medical help: If you or someone with you gets sick while traveling, go to the nearest hospital. Hotels and motels in major foreign cities and large resorts may have an English-speaking doctor on call. Otherwise, try the nearest U.S. consulate or military post, an American Express office, or the Red Cross. If you anticipate you may need a doctor, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT), 736 Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14092, will send you (for a donation), a list of English-speaking doctors abroad.
Lost luggage and other mishaps: If an airline misplaces your luggage, go to the airline desk immediately. Present your claim checks (but hold on to them), and fill out a claim form. If you need clothing or overnight suplies, ask airport personnel about reimbursement. When driving in a foreign country, make sure you have adequate insurance. If you’re involved in an accident or run afoul of the law, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Traveling with a handicapped child and/or spouse, planning a trouble-free trip: Book your trip early. Travel direct, at off-peak hours. Advise transportation companies and hotels of your special needs; ask what their facilities and limitations are. If your child or companion is in a wheelchair, find out, for example, the width of a hotel room’s entrance and bathroom doors, and whether there are grab-bars in the bathroom and access ramps where needed. Air travel: Airline procedures for handling the disabled vary. When making reservations, ask about restrictions on motorized wheelchairs and about boarding and deplaning procedures. Tell the airline agent whether the disabled passenger can stand or walk at all and whether he/she will be traveling with his own wheelchair or will need an airline wheelchair. A few days before departure, call the airline to check that the information you have given them is in its computer and is correct. Almost all airlines pre-board disabled passengers, so arrive early. Major U.S. airports have lavatories that are accessible to wheelchairs; most planes don’t. If your child & or companion can’t walk at all, he/she may have to limit liquid intake prior and during the trip; consult a doctor about this. Train or bus travel: Wheelchair accessibility in Amtrak trains and stations varies. Find out what services are offered at your departure and arrival points; book early. If your disabled child or companion can’t walk at all, you’ll have to carry him/her on and off a bus. Let the bus company know your situation when you book; arrive 30 minutes early. Ask about special fares for the disabled on Trailways, Greyhound, and Amtrak (a doctor’s letter may be needed to qualify). These and most airline companies permit guide dogs to accompany their owners free; however, check animal quarantine rules when going abroad. For further help, contact the Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH), 26 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11242.
Traveling with children, keeping young ones safe and happy on the road: When traveling by vehicle, insist that everyone buckle up. An infant or a child under 40 pounds or 4 years old should ride in a federally-approved safety seat strapped securely to the vehicle’s seat. Don’t carry a child on your lap or strap him/her with your seat belt. Make frequent rest stops in places where a child can run around and expend energy under your supervision. Bring along a supply of drinking water and nutritious snacks; baby foods, disposable diapers, and a potty chair, if needed; toys and games; blankets and pillows; disposable moist towelettes; and paper or plastic bags and changes of clothing in case of motion sickness or other mishaps. To avoid motion sickness, keep your vehicle well ventilated, stop often, and provide light, non-greasy snacks. Dramamine works well for motion sickness for adults; but if a child is prone to motion sickness, to be on the safe side, ask your doctor about medication(s). Babies under 6 months old are usually lulled to sleep by noise and motion. Amusing older babies and toddlers can be a challenge. In addition to familiar toys, pack some surprises and pass them out during the trip. Organize sing-alongs and guessing games; older children may like word games. An older child can help read maps or look after younger children.
Travel by air: Look for an airline that pre-boards passengers with children and which offers children’s meals and infant beds. Book early and request seats with extra leg room. Pack a light bag with snacks, moist towelettes, toys, and a change of clothing. To relieve ear pain during takeoffs and landings, have a child swallow, yawn, or chew gum; nurse an infant or let him suck a bottle or a pacifier. Give children plenty to drink during the flight. Childproof a hotel or motel room by removing safety hazards. Put tape over the lock of a bathroom door (to prevent them from being locked in). Limit sightseeing with children to 2 or 3 hours. Plan excursions to a zoo, aquarium, amusement park, and similar places.
Travel with pets, making your pet’s trip safe and pleasant: Before a long trip, have your pet examined by a veterinarian. Make sure that its shots are current. Ask the veterinarian for a certificate of good health and proof of vaccinations; carry the papers with you. If you’re going to a foreign country, consult its national airline or nearest consulate about animal health requirements. Check accommodation guides for places that accept pets; reserve early. Put an identification tag on your pet’s collar; for an extended trip, the tag should bear the name, address, and phone number of a friend or relative who can be reached easily while you are away. Prepare a travel kit containing a thermos for water, a water bowl and a feeding dish, food, a leash, flea spray, a brush, a blanket, and their favorite toy. Transport small dogs and all cats in a comfortable, well-ventilated pet carrier. If you’re traveling by vehicle, strap the carrier securely to the back seat; confine a large dog to the rear of the your vehicle with a metal grill, as sold at Petsmart; Petco, or other pet supply shops. Taking your pet regularly on short rides several weeks prior to a long vehicle trip may help it overcome motion sickness. If it doesn’t, ask your veterinarian about a tranquilizer (my mother uses an eyedropper of Nyquil & or Joseph’s baby asperin, for her cats). Don’t feed your pet for several hours before departure (3 hours for cats and puppies; 6 hours for dogs; longer if the animal tends to get car sick). During the trip, provide cool water as needed. Exercise a dog frequently on a leash. Don’t let a dog put its head out of a car window; flying particles can seriously injure an eye. At your destination, wait at least an hour before feeding your pet. Keep it leashed or in the carrier, away from other animals. Traveling by air: Because cabin space for pets is limited and airline policies vary, inquire and book early. Otherwise, your pet may have to go as excess baggage on your flight or, as a last resort, as air freight on another flight. Don’t ship your pet in very hot or very cold weather. Most trains and buses don’t accept pets. .
PS. Don’t forget to pack a compass, with one in the glove box as well.
