Preparing for Travel Troubles

From seasickness to lost passports to bedbugs, here's how to deal with 5 things that can easily ruin your trip

Here’s what to do if disaster should strike on your trip

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst when you travel. Here’s how

From illness to lost luggage, travel hardships can strike at any time along your journey. Here are some solutions to the most common problems.

Seasickness

If you’re going boating or cruising on your next vacation, try popping 1,000 milligrams of dried ginger root before setting sail. You can find this at most health food stores. Another option is a product like Sea Bands. You wear them around your wrists and they use acupressure to ward off seasickness. This is also great for kids on car trips.

Montezuma’s Revenge

This traveller’s diarrhea can definitely put a damper on your vacation if you’re traveling to a Latin American country. To avoid this, of course try not to drink the water or have ice in your drinks, but before you depart, ask your doctor to prescribe something for you to take before you go or during your trip to prevent an infection.

Bedbugs

Unfortunately, infestations have increased by 71 per cent since 2001. Before you unpack, inspect the mattress and remove all the bedding including the mattress pad. Check the wall near the headboard as well. If you see tiny blood spots or brown insects that are less than a quarter-inch long, find another room or hotel.

Natural Disasters

We all know natural disasters are a real possibility, with hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoes grounding airplanes in the past. If you find yourself in a natural disaster situation while at your hotel, follow the lead of hotel staff. Most have emergency procedures in place.

Lost Passport

If this happens to you, report your passport lost or stolen immediately to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate. You’ll need to fill out all sorts of paperwork, so having a photocopy of your passport really helps speed up the process.

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Claire Newell is the travel media expert for Global BC, host of the travel series Operation: Vacation, best-selling author, spokesperson, wife and mother of two. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.