As local Caribbeans in Los Angeles gear up for the busy holiday season, it's time to check if the passport is up to date and the tickets have been purchased. If so, then it's time to ask a few questions and do some shopping for a few things that are of the utmost importance.
Do you need vaccines for your destination? You can hunt down this information online or by contacting a place that handles travel vaccines. A company known as Passport Health specializes in healthcare for travelers. They can give just about any kind of vaccine needed for travel to a foreign country. If you are not sure what kind of vaccine you need, they have all that information on hand. Call (714) 258-7196 or visit passporthealthusa.com on the Internet for more information.
Staying healthy is important, so it is recommended that you get your vaccine as far in advance as possible before the trip, just in case you have an allergic reaction. Find out as much as you can about your destination. For some destinations, you may need pills for conditions such as malaria, and you will have to start taking a few days before you leave. This is intended to get your body acclimated to different maladies that might exist in your destination of choice.
Next stop on the shopping route should be the pharmacy. Check and make sure that your prescription medications have refills. Sudden illness could ruin your trip, so plan ahead and refill your prescriptions. Do not count on filling prescriptions at your destination. The pharmacy might not carry the medication, or it might be called a different name. The pharmacist in your destination might not know the equivalent of your medication. Always pack your prescription and over-the-counter medications in your carry on luggage. In case you need the medication, you will be able to retrieve it on board the plane.
While you are seeing about the prescriptions, it is probably a good idea to get an extra pair of glasses for the trip. It is not fun if you lose, misplace, or break your glasses and have to squint for the remainder of your trip because you are nowhere near a store that sells them.
It is always best to be prepared for the unexpected, so do not overlook travel insurance. Travel insurance can reimburse you for trip interruptions or cancellations as well as emergency medical expenses or medical evacuation. They can also provide you with assistance in locating a doctor in the place where you are visiting or doing business. It would be wise to buy it from a third party insurance carrier and not from the travel agent or tour company who sold you the airline ticket. That way you are protected if the tour company happens to cease doing business before or during your trip.
Now it's time to pick out your luggage. The better the quality the longer it will last. Higher price does not mean the best quality. though. Pay attention to the important aspects of the luggage. Heavy duty ballistic nylon is the most durable of suitcase materials. The zipper should be sturdy and firm, the handle should be attached by a stud and stitching.
Everyone seems to be opting for luggage with wheels. If this is your preference, look for roller blade type wheels, which will roll a lot smoother than others on the market. There are a few brands that offer lifetime warranty on their luggage. If you plan to do a lot of traveling, those are the best kind to get. You will pay a little more in the beginning, but will save in the long run. If something breaks, simply take the luggage to a repair shop that has a warranty agreement with the company, and they will fix it free of charge.
To all the tall people out there, you do not have to stoop down to pull your luggage. There are some brands with longer pull handles. If you decide that the cute, duffle-style, brand-name bag is what you prefer, keep in mind that after you have stuffed it full, the absence of wheels makes for a heavy bag to haul on your shoulders down those long airline corridors. The big airports of the world require a long walk between the aircraft and curbside.
Miki Forrestier is contributor to Carib Press
Map for collage from caribbean-map.org
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