Planning a Remote Adventure? These 4 Tips Can Help You Stay Safe
For as long as you can remember, you have had an adventurous spirit. While your friends plan safe-yet-kinda-bland vacations to theme parks and tourist towns, you prefer to head out to remote areas of the world to explore. Of course, preparing for these types of trips takes a bit more planning and preparation than tossing a swimsuit and some t-shirts and shorts into a suitcase — going off the beaten path requires thinking about safety. To stay as safe as possible when traveling to a remote location, check out these tips:
Switch to T-Mobile
Even if you have every intention of going off the grid during your adventure, it is still wise to have a way to stay in touch with people back home and/or call for help if need be. A great way to do this is to switch to a powerful cell phone carrier like T-Mobile that will allow you to call and text from virtually anywhere. Your smartphone will connect to every Wi-Fi connection like it’s a T-Mobile tower, and you can connect even when you are out of the range of cellular service. While you are on your way to your destination, you can also use your T-Mobile powered smartphone for in-flight Wi-Fi and texting; if the plane is equipped with Gogo you can enjoy unlimited in-flight texting, picture messaging and access to T-Mobile Visual Voicemail.
Do Your Homework
Prior to leaving on your journey, spend some time researching where you are going and learning about the health, safety and security precautions you will need to take. Also read up on the laws, customs and cultural traditions of the places you are headed — this includes local laws and rules about drinking alcohol. The last thing you want to do is cause any misunderstandings which can lead to a confrontation or legal issues. If you are working with a travel agent, they can help with this info; you should also leave a full itinerary of your trip with your travel agent, a close group of friends as well as the local authorities in each area you are visiting. Also, check the interactive CDC website for info on health conditions around the world and shots that you may need to get prior to leaving.
Pack Plenty of Supplies
If your trip will involve traveling to super remote locations — even for a day — be sure to pack plenty of provisions. Bring along foods from home that will not require refrigeration; these include beef jerky, granola bars, nuts and dried fruit. Bring a portable first aid kid along with a flashlight; your phone may have a built-in flashlight, but a traditional one is also good to have on hand. Bringing bottled water from home can be cumbersome; at the very least pack water purification tablets and read up on how to purify local water at your destination. At high elevations the boiling point will be lower and so the tablets may be the only way to make the water safe.
Bring Your Medications from Home
If you take medication on a regular basis, make sure you bring along enough for the duration of your adventure, as well as extra doses to cover any delays in your travel. Carry your medicine in your carry on bag; this way you won’t risk being without it in case your luggage is lost, and temperature sensitive drugs will not be freezing or heating up in the belly of the plane.