Safety in Travel in Africa Countries

Tips for Travel-Africa
Let's begin by first explaining to those of you who may think that Africa is one country. Africa is a continent, with many countries. The only part of the continent which has the name of Africa, is South Africa. So if you are ever offered a free trip to 'Africa' please make sure you ask which country in Africa. The following basic tips have to do with anyone, but especially females, who are planning a trip to any of the countries in Africa. It is especially important to take advice from many different forums prior to any sort of travel to a country which you are unfamiliar with; have never been to before; may be traveling alone; and/or know absolutely no one who lives in the country.

1. Not Advisable to Travel Alone

Despite the fact that this is just plain old common sense many people just do not heed the advice. You need to understand that you are in a foreign country. Regardless of whether you are in a major city, like Nairobi, or out in the wilderness with an overland group, you are always susceptible to unscrupulous characters and vulnerability.

2. When Travel is with a Group

Your group leader should advise you of any and all rules pertaining to the area you are in at the time. If they do not, then you need to ask questions. You should be advised of any no-go areas within the city, and you need to abide by them. You will not be given special treatment simply because you are not a national of the country, ignorance is not a remedy.
• Again, never travel alone away from the group. Always go in pairs at the very least.
• Always have contact information with you, in your bag and on your person.
• Always ensure that others know where you are going and when you plan to return. More importantly, if you are able, call your group when you arrive at your destination and again when you start your return.
• Do not carry expensive items in a manner which will make you a target. You are already an obvious tourist, which means you are a target, but do not have loads of gadgets hanging all over your body advertising that you have expensive equipment. It doesn't impress anyone; it just makes you an easy mark.
• Do Not pull all your cash out of your pocket to count in public. You really shouldn't carry large amounts of cash. If you do the first thing you need to know is that most of that cash should be kept either in a safe at your hotel, or in a safe located in the vehicle used for the group travel. Again your group leader will have the proper method. If you insist on having the cash on your person, then split the money up in to several small amounts and carry them in different places on your person, not just your wallet. Note: Please do not have those fanny packs, or butt-bags hanging on your person with your wallet and valuables inside. Seriously, I know it's convenient, but again not a good idea. If you insist on using one, then use it for diversionary means only. Keep your sweeties and gum inside.
• Always be aware of your location, and people around you. Basically notice people around you, the faces, and if someone seems to be hovering around you and your movements. Many people put on blinders, again the tourist euphoria syndrome, thinking that they go unnoticed. The truth is that when it comes to career criminals, you have already been spotted.
• Do Not think or assume that every person is trying to get one over on you, or is trying to steal from you. Just be aware, be safe and be cautious and simply follow some basic guidelines to ensure that other know where you are at all times.

Budget Traveling in Europe

When traveling around Europe with the Eurorail pass, remember traveling at night can save you the expense of a hotel room. Many trains traveling at night also have a car that has beds for this specific reason. Buying a ticket for the sleeper car is alot less expensive than a hostel or a hotel room. Plus, when you wake up you will be in a new city or country not having wasted a day.

Good Tips When Visiting Rome

Hence, gaining proper orientation to the hustles and bustles of the city can dampen the anxieties and worries that a traveler like you traveler must be experiencing. Arm yourself with the right information to survive your much-awaited Rome holiday.

To pack the right clothes, you need to check the weather in Rome. Rome is usually filled with sunny days the entire year. The best time to travel to Rome is during the months of April and May when the sky is clear and blue. The height of summer runs from the month of July to August, which is usually uncomfortably hot for most European and American tourists.

In the past, the anatomy of the great city of Rome is not without telephones. However, as the locals grew independent of local phones, public phone booths nearly became extinct. It would be wise to carry your cellular phone. Otherwise, you need to buy prepaid phone cards to the nearby tobacco (tabacchi) store. Also, you need to remember that phone cards won't work if you are meaning to call a friend that is located outside Italy. You need to buy another kind of phone card, the one intended for international calls.

For all coffeeholics, Rome is no Starbucks. Local coffee does not come in sizes but in thimbleful cups of rich and aromatic black liquid. When you are planning to try out the local restaurants, if you are somebody who is used to associating good service with promptness, you need to make a lot of adjustments in Rome. Local restaurants are not used to people rushing over meals. Also, there will always be a problem with intimidation. Local restaurants do not usually entertain guests in English but in Italian language. To avoid intimidation, learn some usually Italian phrases. Just try to be calm. When you are waiting on an authentic Italian food, every minute is sure worth it.

Getting around the city is mainly by foot. If you are to travel to the nearby areas, then a train ride or bus is perhaps the most practical choice. But of the two, buses usually have a more extensive network; it can get you to places without much effort. Also, before riding the bus or train, be sure to have exact change or tickets first to save you from the humiliation. Many of the biggest and most popular tourist sites in Rome are concentrated in one area so there is no need for a taxi to get there. Taxis can be summoned by calling 06.3570, 06.4257, 06.6645, 06.5551 or 06.4994 but be prepared to be put on-hold.

There should be no much trouble getting around Rome if you have sought a nice place to stay in Rome. Usually, a first-time tourist would ask for a hotel accommodation. However, returning tourists usually favor renting holiday apartments over the crammed space of hotel rooms. Not only are they more charming, holiday apartments are usually found within the vicinity of the city's hot tourist spots. One more thing about Rome apartments for tourists is that they are cheaper but they give you more of the privacy you needed to fully enjoy the city at your own pace.

About the Author
You really need more than a year to see all Rome has to offer. So make sure you book your Rome Accommodation in the city centre. book Rome Apartments,Apartments in Rome

Travel the Eurail Train Network like a Pro!

Eurail trains can whisk you across countries in a matter of hours. Imagine the excitement of going to sleep in one country and waking up in another. Perhaps you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner in 3 different countries. Yep I've done it all via the european rail system or Eurail. What you've heard is true! It's a huge transportation network unlike anything else. All different types of trains and each has it's own personality. My goal is to give an overview of what it's like to travel Europe as the Europeans do - on the Eurail system of trains. Imagine traveling without hotel reservations. You wake up this morning and say, "Where should we go today?", but instead of deciding on the attraction that you're going to see, you are deciding on the culture that you're going to immerse yourself in today. Sounds scary to many but for many adventuresome souls it's the ultimate freedom!

-No tour group to meet in the hotel lobby at 7AM
-No 6 hour bus rides
-Leave anytime you please and stay as long as you like
-Don't miss your favorite site because it's not on the itinerary - You write the Itinerary!
-Freedom to do what you want, when you want,where you want and how you want

You might say, "it's not that easy" and you're probably right but it's not as difficult as it sounds either and traveling without restrictions is 100 times more rewarding. It just takes an attitude adjustment and a little bit of involvement on your part.

Attitude Adjustment

Check your Ego at the Door! - Nobody cares about your Gucci bag or your rolex watch. In fact, displaying your wealth makes you a target in big cities. Most Europeans have a better fashion sense than we ever will and their stuff isn't knockoffs.

Kindness and Respect begets Kindness and Respect - There's a reason for the term "Ugly American" and we have decades of pompous Americans who think that the world revolves around them to overcome but luckily many of our European friends are more understanding than we are. Imagine this. It's "gift time" at the Clinique counter where you work or the monday after a holiday weekend at your office and a 58 year old woman comes running up to you at 5 minutes before closing, opens her mouth and says,,,,,"Pouvez vous svp m'aider?". You look at her with a blank stare thinking "WTF? I just counted out my register and I am starving on this diet". You do everything in your power to put her off for the last 5 minutes so you can get out on time for once. You might even walk away looking for someone who understands her. Finally, the announcement is made. You say "Sorry, come back tomorrow" and sprint out of the store. The moral? People are people everyone. They don't hate you, they just have lives besides you.

When in Rome, attempt to speak the language - One of the best tips that I can give you is to learn how to say, "Excuse me, do you speak English?" in the language of the countries that you will be visiting. That one phrase shows that you realize that you are in their country. If they speak English, great! If they don't, they will often attempt to find someone who does. If all else fails, they will generally try to determine what your awkward words and hand gestures mean.

Shut Up! - Screaming is not the European way, except perhaps in Italy. So don't go into their country in a pushy, loud, 'I'm the cat's meow" way. Example: one busy afternoon, my ex and I were sitting in our seats on the Paris metro speaking softly about something. The doors open and 4 Americans sit in the seats across from us. After a few minutes, one of them addresses us with an embarassing loud, "Hot damn, Americans! We're gonna take over this country!". I can't tell you how mortified we were as all of the people in the car looked up from their books or magazines at us.

Be a Cork On The Ocean - When traveling across Europe ala carte, nobody has forged the way and you aren't paying anyone to handle problems that will inevitably arise, so Chill! This trip isn't about showing your friends how many European landmarks you've taken photos in front of. It's about being an explorer, a free spirit and experiencing things that few people dare to experience. Sh*t will happen! Bank on it! But remember that what seems like today's crisis turns into tomorrow's story. With a little preparation, you can overcome about any situation that will occur. I have lost my passport while abroad, been accidentally separated from my travel partner and slept on the streets of Milan but I had a contingency plan to address each possibility and you will too if you stick with me.

Involvement on Your Part

Book Your Own Tickets - When you take a group tour, your tickets are part of a package for which you pay dearly. You're gonna have to book your own airfare and Eurail passes but I am here to help and in future articles you will learn all about how to get more for your money when booking a European vacation.

Read and LISTEN - If you're gonna do this, listen to those that have done it before. The number one thing that most people won't heed - advise on luggage and packing! My job is to share what I've learned the hard way. I may advise you to do things that you don't think are necessary. Maybe you have a friend that has talked to people that have backpacked Europe and you are tempted to listen to them. If your friend has backpacked Europe 29 times, then I'd listen to them. Otherwise, I'd stick with the plan.

Carry Your Own Bags - You need to know up front that this is not a 5 star holiday. There is no valet to carry your bags. This is adventure travel and you will need to be fit enough to walk around large cities and use public transportation. I can dispel the notion that backpacking Europe means walking across the continent and sleeping under the stars. The best way that I can explain it is that you will:
-get off an airplane
-get your "ONE" bag
-get on a train
-arrive at a cool city like Amsterdam
-go to the Tourist information office (at the train station) find a hotel
-take a bus, cab (if you're splurging) or walk to your hotel
-check in and drop off your bag
-go sightseeing via an underground system, bus or your own two feet.

Sleep On The Train - The availability of sleeping accommodations on European trains varies from private rooms on the Orient Express to seats that recline on the Spanish state railway system. For those true adventurers, sleeping on the Eurail will allow you to:
-maximize the number of countries and cities that you can visit
-save thousands of dollars in hotel and restaurant costs
-meet and become friends with people from all over the world
-journal and plan the next days fun
-make love on a train (LOL)

You're on Your Way

If you can put your mind in an open state and commit to doing the footwork that it takes to travel Europe like a free spirit, then you are already on your way because the excitement begins now. As you continue to research and plan your trip, you will feel the excitement of anticipation. Each and every day before you step onto that plane, you will learn something new. You will make preparations, shop for supplies, and make decisions regarding your itinerary. There is much to learn and in my upcoming articles, you will learn everything that you need to know including booking, packing, getting around, favorite sights, safety, suggested itineraries, Cork's favorite places and parties and lots of other stuff.

About the Author
Cork is a seasoned traveler who has visited 16 countries numerous times on her 27 backpacking adventures. http://www.unique-vacation-rentals.com/

China Travel Tips

Survival China Travel Tips and Tricks

These China Travel Tips, Survival Techniques, will help you get around and make your trip to China easier, so you will be able to experience the real China with a little less stress.

China is an odd beast that needs to be respected; the major cities, Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian, all have their own personalities.

Some complex situations that you think would be an organizational disaster turn out to be great and you wonder afterward what all the fuss and worry was about. Then the simplest of tasks can turn out to be a major calamity.

This is when you have what we call here a “China day”.

These days come and go and are part of the experience of everyday travel in China. One needs to have an open mind when travelling China. It is a place with thousands of years of history and culture that is trying overnight to adapt to Western ways of living.

You need to have a very open mind when you Travel in China.
I have listed below a few China Travel Tips that will make life that wee bit more bearable on your Travel China experience.

China Travel Tips – Be Toilet Wise

• Never expect a clean toilet 100% of the time.

• Be prepared; Carry some tissue.

• You may have to use a squat toilet, again if you know this before hand it is not a shock. If you don’t know how to use a squat toilet, try the following experiment at home.

While holding onto something for support with both hands, lower your body down into a low squat position, so that the cheeks of your bottom is almost touching your heels or the back of your calf. Now, let go with your hands. See if you stay in this position for at least 1 minute. If you fall backwards or you cannot get up, then a squat toilet could be a problem for you! Practice, you will be happy you did.

• If you see a clean toilet, Go… it may not come again for a while.

• There are many public toilets around the cities, usually the ones you pay for are OK, (RMB .5), the others best to stay away from if you can. You will soon notice them as you walk around the cities.

• Be warned that public areas like bus and train stations are usually what I class as “tough toilets”, however if gotta go you gotta go.
• Outside of the major cities, the toilet systems are old or have very narrow plumbing /pipes and get blocked easily. In these cases a small basket is usually beside the toilet, this is for your used toilet paper.

One of the best China Travel toilet Tips I can give you, is use hotel lobby toilets; these are everywhere and are always clean. Still they may not always have toilet paper. It depends on the class of hotel that you are using.

I do not wish to scare you. However, of all the China Travel Tips in all the other web sites I have read, this is a topic not often mentioned, but it is very important to us all.

So outside of the major cities conditions can be tough. But most of the time everything will be fine, especially if you book a tour; everything will have been checked out before hand. However even the best laid plans can go wrong, so be prepared, the toilets in the smaller cities, towns and villages can be scary.

China Travel Tips – The Food

• The food is great and the variety is overwhelming. Most of the time you get to choose what you eat, or you can recognize what you’re eating, however sometimes you do not get a choice. Carry a chocolate bar or something; this will keep you going until some food that you can recognize turns up. Drink bottled or boiled water, as the tap water is NOT safe to drink, this is for the whole of China. Even boiled water, while sterilised can contain a lot of minerals and iron deposits that you probably do not want in your system. The safest bet is to drink bottle water. Tap water in most big cities is OK for brushing teeth.

• Eating habits - Most Chinese people have a great habit of being very noisy when they eat and lunch and dinner times can be a wonderfully noisy celebration, food tends to go in all directions, its just part of being in China.

• People also smoke at the table while everyone is eating, so some restaurants get very loud and smoky.

• If you get stuck what to order as most of the menu’s are in Chinese just look at the table next to you and point to the dish you fancy and ask how much it is, this system works really well and know seems to mind.

• I have a basic menu that will help you order safe food, (no Cats or Dog) this will enable you to visit a larger selection of restaurants, not just the tourist ones with high prices. You can carry it with you and use it in the local restaurants where most will be able to serve what is on it. This way you will know what you are eating.

These local places are very cheap and the food it great. Contact me if you would like me to send it to you.

China Travel Tips – Taxis

• China Travel Tips- Taxis - Taxis are an experience that can have you griping the seat and gasping for breath; however you soon get used to it, after the first few rides, you’re an old hand.

• The taxis in Shanghai are, overall, quite good. Try to get the Blue, Blue’ish Turquoise, Gold and White taxis, these are the best… these are the four major taxi companies and are generally recognised by their single colour paintwork. The others are OK, just older and a rougher ride (the others also may have faulty metres). No drivers will speak English.

• Carry your hotel or accommodation business card with you, written in Chinese, this helps if you get lost walking around town.

• In all the taxis around the country you will see the drivers name and taxi registration number in plain sight. If you have any problem, or if you think you have been over charged etc, just take this number down, make a big fuss about it, and the driver then should wake up and fix whatever problem you have. Even better is to take the receipt. This has all the trip details on it and you can ring the taxi company if you want to take things further or if you’ve left something in the taxi.

• The government takes rip-off drivers in all cities, Beijing and Xian especially, very seriously and if you complain they will lose their license. This is their livelihood. So far I have had not one driver in 3 years that has not backed down and we have then agreed a price for the trip or solved our problem.

• In Shanghai, it is common practice for taxi fare increases after 11pm. However, one can usually bargain for a 20% discount, which will get the fare back to the pre-11pm rate.
Be strong with the taxi drivers, never-the-less, keep your cool, smile and negotiate.

China Travel Tips – Shopping

• China Travel Tips - Shopping - China is a shopper’s paradise, Markets, Bargains; Top labels… anything and everything if you have the time. With clothes, the larger (Western) sizes can be quite hard to find, however in the major cities where you get a lot of tourist traffic, you can find them.

• Electrical gear, DVD’s, Cameras, stuff like this is not worth buying in China, Hong Kong is still the best place for this.

• Store hours in the major cities are from 10am to 10pm, 7 days a week.

• Visa card is still the best card to carry, with ATM’s in good supply all with PLUS access etc.
There is usually a surcharge for use of VISA, MasterCard or other forms of credit card.

• Wait on purchasing if you can, look around to get a feel for the prices. The Chinese are VERY experienced at selling and know that we halve the opening price when bargaining.
In the markets go for 25% of what they first ask; go so low that they let you walk away. This will give you an idea of the bottom price. The resulting end-price will probably be around 40% to 50% of where they started.

Whatever the market people say, they are used to pushing and haggling for best prices. Do not worry about being too hard, they are used to it and will not sell you an item unless they make a profit. Don’t be concerned with the apparently hurt body language when you go low – it is all part of the game. As soon as they have wrapped up your first purchase, they will try to sell you something more. Remember to keep smiling and having fun while bargaining.

China Travel Tips – Medical Treatment and Records

• Most hotels will have a doctor that you can see. In the major hotels English will be spoken.

• Always take a small first aid kit, cold remedy, headache tablets at the very least. WATSONS is a very large chain chemist. Most of the remedies, tablets etc, that you may require should be in these shops. These shops are all over China.

• There is a great network of pharmacy type shops; these are indicated by a Green Cross. There will always be a 24 hr Green Cross pharmacy in the city you are in. It is handy to carry a Phase book, as no one will speak English, however you will end up with something that will help.

• INPORTANT POINT – for most of the mass produced packet type medicines, the packaging will be written in Chinese on one side, English on the other. However in the shops you only see the Chinese side. Have a good look, turn the packs over, it gives you a lot more confidence knowing you can read the package.

• If you have a specific medical issue, take records, most of the Doctors will have OK written / reading English, even though their oral English will be poor.

China Travel Tips – Telephone

• Using the phone is as easy as at home. However the person picking it up will not speak English or have very broken English… the Major 4- or 5-Star Hotels will all be OK.

• What is worth doing is buying a Chinese Telecom SIM card, they are about RMB100 and with this you get RMB50 in calls, the other 50 is for the price of the SIM card; this SIM card will go into all major brand phones and work OK.

By doing this, people can reach you within and out of China if there is an emergency. If you have a couple of phones, you can short (txt) message each other (SMS). Also you are able to call your tourist guide, hotel etc if you have any major problems. It is a cheap way to keep in touch.

NB.Before you buy a Chinese SIM card, check that it will work in your Cell / Mobile phone. There are plenty of China Telecom shops that can help.

China Travel Tips on when NOT to move around China.

• Spring Festival, this would be the Chinese New Year time, around the end of January / Early February

• Early May; Labour day Holidays

• Early October; National Day Holidays

Of all the China Travel Tips National Day is the biggest one. Millions of Chinese travel at these holiday times of the year. Most are travelling back to home towns or visiting family. Hotels, trains, planes, cars, buses, and roads are all crowded to the maximum. Major congestion, everywhere.

Also travel fares are at their full price. No discounts are offered!
Stay in one place and enjoy where you are. It’s best and causes fewer hassles.

China Travel Tips – TV

• If you want to watch TV, most of the major hotels will have cable and if you are in the smaller places, the national channel, CCTV9 is in English. Over the last couple of years it has got a lot better, with some great China Travel Tips programs, news and views on people and places around China.

China Travel Tips – Airport Tax

• There is a “construction fee” at almost all airports.

Domestic flights RMB 50
International flights RMB 90 – which is to be paid in local currency.

Just recently, tickets are being tissued with the Construction Tax included; however make sure you have the Tax money with you just to make sure.

I hope some of these China Travel Tips will come in handy and will make your trip to China that little bit easier.

If you have been to China and wish to share your China Travel Tips, please feel free to contact me anytime.

John Mckenna
http://www.Travel-the-Real-China.com

About the Author

Hi I'm John Mckenna, I am from New Zealand and have lived in Shanghia China now for 3 years.

I own and operate http://www.Travel-the-Real-China .com my site provides experienced based Travel and Tour information on the wonders of Travel in China, the Real China, Ancient China, China at its very best


Written by: John Mckenna