Travel Woes

By Christina VanGinkel

From drinking water to being stranded in an airport, travel woes are varied. Knowing upfront what some of these things are that can go wrong, is often the best way to avoid such pitfalls in the first place.

Drinking Water No's

If you are traveling a few cities over, or across the globe, avoiding drinking any amount of beverages that are made from un-boiled or un-bottled water can help keep you feeling healthier than if you do. Water is necessary for life, yet it can also harbor disease and germs. Even going from drinking well water to city water, or vice versa, can be enough of a knock on our systems to leave us running to the bathroom every few minutes. If you are flying, stick with bottled water or beverages too. A glass of water from an airline could have potentially come from so many different sources, all depending on where that plane has recently been, it is just not worth the risk. It is important to drink water though, just make sure it is bottled or has been boiled. For long flights, be aware that you can dehydrate rather quickly, so using moisturizers for your skin along with drinking bottled beverages can help you feel overall healthier at the end of the flight.

Stuck in Traffic, Airports, Train Stations and More

Airports, bus or train stations, and even traffic, all have the potential to be backlogged. You might find yourself sitting in a terminal or stuck in traffic for hours longer than you ever imagined. Once, on a car trip to Colorado to visit family, my husband and I, along with two of our three children, ended up in a major backlog of traffic outside of Denver, when a car sheared off the back axels of a semi, and traffic in the area became a congested mess. Life Flight was called in, and the accident victims were soon on their way to help, but cleanup of the accident occurred only after investigators arrived on the scene. Nearly five hours passed before traffic was able to proceed anywhere close to a normal pace. Thankfully, as we were already in the midst of an extended car trip, we had snacks, games, and reading material. I am sure though that many of those around us in other vehicles were not as lucky. A lesson we learned from this was that even if you are taking a short jaunt, if it involves being on an expressway or freeway, where backing up, or turning around are not an option, then take along a few things to pass the time if any sort of lengthy delay should occur.

No room at the Inn

You never want to think about it, but it does occur. You arrive at your destination, and the person behind the counter looks at you and says they have no record of your reservation. Sure, you probably have your credit card that the reservation was reserved under, but by the time, they track it down via that information, a major sized headache can be settling in. Keep all reservation numbers on your person, and if any reservations were made over the phone write down who you talked to and when. While hotel staff is trying to figure it out, tell them you will wait in the bar or restaurant, and inform them that you expect them to pick up the tab while they figure it out, as they are the ones inconveniencing you. I do not suggest that you run up a huge bill, just that you keep comfortable while they straighten their error up.

Medical Information Musts

Be prepared for accidents or other medical emergencies. While no one wants to entertain the idea of being sick or hurt when on vacation, having with you all your medical cards and information on yourself and your travel companions can be a huge advantage. Make sure someone else in your group knows where the information is stored, and in the event, you are traveling alone, be sure to keep a card in your wallet or purse with all identifying information that a caregiver might need to provide you with the best medical attention they can. Insurance cards, allergy information, medication list etc., should all be with you at all times.