Although most trips abroad are trouble free, being prepared will go a long

way to avoiding the possibility of serious trouble. If you are travelling abroad

here are some of things you need to do to make your trip easier:

1. Check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice (call 0845 850

2829. for Public Announcements or Travel Warnings for the countries you plan to

visit. Public Announcements provide fast-breaking information about relatively

short-term conditions that may pose risks to the security of travellers.

2. Get a good guidebook and get to know your destination. Familiarize yourself

with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are travelling. While

in a foreign country, you are subject to that country's laws. Learn about the

countries that you plan to visit. Before departing, take the time to do some

research about the people and their culture, and any problems that the country

is experiencing that may affect your travel plans.

3. Get travel insurance and check that the cover is appropriate and check what

vaccinations you need 2 months before you travel. Also, consider whether you

need to take extra health precautions. Make sure your insurance covers your

emergency medical needs (including medical evacuation) while you are overseas.

4. Take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds such as traveller’s

cheques, sterling or US dollars.

5. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and

expensive jewellery and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary

credit cards.

6. While abroad, avoid using illicit drugs or drinking excessive amounts of

alcoholic beverages, and associating with people who do.

7. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when

you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.

8. If your travel involves passage on airlines with which you are unfamiliar,

you may wish to check their safety and reliability with a reputable travel

agent.

9. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas and do not accept

packages from strangers.

10. Ensure you have a valid passport that is in good condition and the necessary

visas, if required.

11. Make several copies of your passport, insurance policy plus 24-hour

emergency number, and ticket details. Leave these copies, your itinerary and

contact details with family and friends. Carry the other copies with you in a

separate place from your passport. This will facilitate replacement if your

passport is lost or stolen.

12. Ensure that your travel organiser or travel agent can provide sufficient

evidence of security for the refunding and repatriation of consumers in the

event of insolvency. This security must be in place by one of several Financial

Protection Organisations.

13. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you

can be contacted in case of an emergency.