Safety first is key when on away trips
Holidaymakers are often careless with their belongings when in ‘vacation mode’, writes
SECURITY AND HEALTH
Find out about health precautions in the countries and areas you are visiting
Get a letter from your doctor for medications you are carrying Bring a medical aid kit Don’t leave your belongings in the car. Avoid dark or non-tourist areas at night Don’t leave your drink unattended
MONEY
Inform the bank where you are travelling to and provide dates, so it will not suspect fraud when it receives alerts that the cards are being used in a foreign country.
Apply for a multi-currency cash passport online to use when purchasing goods and to make cash withdrawals
Ensureyou are insured for unfortunate eventualities such as lost luggage, emergencies, and loss of valuables. Do not carry large sums of money Always have local cash Use your credit card rather than your debit card as it provides you with fraud protection.
Look at your bank and credit card statements online during heavy shopping periods
Look for signs of tampering on the ATM before using it and report anything suspicious
Hide your pin when using your card
ELECTRONICS Bring a charger adaptor Install applications to help retrieve a lost phone or tablet Be careful what networks you connect to Set your cellphone up to avoid international data roaming
LUGGAGE AND DOCUMENTS Keep all emergency numbers and travel documents in a safe place Make two copies of your travel documents in case of emergency and leave one copy with a friend
ADDITIONAL Learn at least 10 phrases in the language used at your destination
Research local customs
Manners are universal
Pack a good book
BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
Test your house alarm well in advance. If there is a fault, call a technician immediately to make repairs. Also make sure that flapping curtains or roaming pets will not activate your alarm’s motion sensors while you are away.
If you are leaving a key with your neighbour, ask him or her to clear out your post box regularly and turn the lights on at night. It is also quite simple to set up manual timers on certain lights so they turn on and off automatically. Inform your security company that your neighbour has a key in case of emergencies.
Cancel all newspaper and magazine deliveries for the period you will be away. Consider asking a friend or family member to house it for you or ask them to stop by the house regularly so that there is some activity. If you have a house sitter, remember to let your security company know.
Never advertise you are going away. If possible, pack your car behind closed garage doors or out of sight of the road. Also resist the urge to update your status on social media to say you will be away.
Make sure that tempting valuables are packed away and cannot be seen from any of the windows. – Sources: First National Bank, Travel Zoo, Oakhurst Insurance and Fortinet