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| SPOTLIGHT | | Tropical
beaches and jungle, Wildlife, natural heritage and sun-kissed islands. |
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Traveling, exploring new places, discovering ourselves
is a joy and a learning experience not to be missed. Being open to adventure and
off-the-beaten-path travel is part of the experience. And yet, it's only common
sense to know what to expect and take some cautionary steps. Some of these suggestions
apply to travel anywhere, and some only to South America. Enjoy your travels,
but be safe!
When away from home, there are some basic safety tips:
Documents and Visas:
Carry
them with you. If you are stopped or detained by the police, you will need to
prove who you are. If you're worried about having your passport stolen, carry
it in a hidden pouch under your clothes.
Copy all your documents and
leave a copy at home.
Email all your details, itinerary, passport number,
name of embassy and visa, to your own email address, so if you lose anything,
you can visit an internet café, log in, and get your details.
Travel:
Travel light! Unless you are going on a cruise and will
unpack once for the entire duration, you are better off with a smaller amount
of baggage.
Pack what you can carry yourself.
Pack with the
expectation that you will acquire more during your journey.
Pack your
own luggage and do not let it out of your sight.
Do not ask other people
to watch your luggage or agree to watch someone else's.
Never, never,
never carry packages for someone else.
Make sure you know what you've
packed in each piece of luggage. Place your name, address and telephone number
inside each piece.
Use luggage tags, but make sure they are covered.
{li]Invest in travel insurance. You may not like the cost, but if you need it,
you'll be glad to have it.
Money:
Leave most of your credit
cards at home.
Know your credit card numbers: whom to call if lost or stolen.
Use traveler's checks.
Carry your cash in different pockets, or in a
hidden wallet on your body. A money belt is a good investment.
Do not put
your wallet in a fanny pack, a backpack, or in a purse hung over a shoulder. These
are very popular with pickpockets.
Don't count your money in public. Have
a small amount in a convenient pocket for cab fare, bus fare, tips, etc.
Be cautious when using automatic teller machines. If you use an ATM in a public
area, pick a well-lit machine and be aware of anyone who may be watching you.
Keeping in Touch:
Decide on an itinerary in advance and leave
a copy with family and friends.
US citizens can register their travel plans
with the Department of State either before they leave or during their travels.
U.S. embassies and consulates assist nearly 200,000 Americans each year who are
victims of crime, accident, or illness, or whose family and friends need to contact
them in an emergency. When an emergency happens, or if natural disaster, terrorism,
or civil unrest strikes during your foreign travel, the nearest U.S. embassy or
consulate can be your source of assistance and information. By registering your
trip, you help the embassy or consulate locate you when you might need them the
most. Registration is voluntary and costs nothing, but it should be a big part
of your travel planning and security.
If you're going to be in a country
for more than two weeks, register with the nearest embassy or consulate. If a
search is needed to find you, this will be the place authorities contact.
Keep in touch along the way. Let people know of changes to your itinerary.
Use email, text messaging and the telephone.
If on an overnight or longer
stay away from your hotel, let the front desk know your stops, expected time of
arrival and departures.
Arrivals and Departures:
Try to arrive
in daytime.
Choose your own taxi. Do not be cajoled into accepting a ride
from an unmarked cab.
In an airport, where possible, check in, go through
whatever security measures and go to your boarding area.
Staying
in Hotels and Hostels:
Your choice depends on your budget and personal
preferences, but choose sensibly.
Take a rubber doorstop to use on your side
of the locked door.
Ask for a room near the elevator or stairs.
Valuables:
Keep them hidden.
Leave your good jewelry at home.
If you must take some, check it into the hotel safe. Don't wear it while
touring.
Medications and Prescriptions:
If you take prescription
medicine, get a note from your doctor stating the medication, doses and a refill
prescription.
If you are diabetic, make sure you carry a note on your person
with instructions should you need help.
Do not try to take extra with you.
Many customs and police officials might consider this drug trafficking.
Take
your own first aid kit. In addition to bandages, topical ointments, sanitary needs,
condoms, etc. painkillers, antiseptic wipes, etc., take along motion sickness
remedies. | |
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Top Beaches |  |
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Carmel Beach | | Carmel Beach, for one,
is a tranquil cove of blue water bordered by soft white sand and cypress-covered
cliffs (the tides are deceptively strong and dangerous, so be careful if you chance
a swim). | | |
| Hermosa
Beach | | Have fun with volleyball, paddleball
or beach ball, while creating a golden tan or toning up. Surfboarding, skateboarding
or boogey boarding are all here. | | |
| Long
Beach | | As you drive along the coast
of Long Beach, don't be fooled by the sight of the bright pastel islands just
off shore; far from natural, they're actually oil-drilling platforms in disguise. |
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| Surfrider
Beach | | Surfrider Beach here was the
surfing capital of the world in the 1950s and early 1960s, as seen in the Beach
Blanket Bingo movies of Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon (the surf is at its
best in late summer). | | |
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Malibu | | Malibu, at the top of the bay
twenty miles north of Santa Monica, is a whole other world, its beach-colony houses
owned by those famous enough to need privacy and rich enough to afford it. |
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Zuma Beach | | Five miles along the coast
from Malibu Pier, Zuma Beach is the largest and most crowded of the Los Angeles
County beaches. | | |
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Point Dume State Beach | | Adjacent Point
Dume State Beach, below the imposing promontory of Point Dume, is a lot more relaxed. |
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| Pismo
Beach | | Just outside San Luis Obispo,
on Pismo's 23-mile stretch of prime beachfront, flip-flops are the shoes of choice
and surf wear is the dominant fashion. It's all about beach life here, so bring
your bathing suit, your board, and a good book. | |
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Ocean Beach | | Ocean Beach, six miles
northwest of downtown, rivals Pacific Beach in its surfing and party atmosphere,
although Ocean Beach has a more down-to-earth, bohemian feel, and is replete with
excellent secondhand music shops. | | |
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La Jolla | | A more pretentious air prevails
in La Jolla, an elegant beach community just to the north that mystery writer
Raymond Chandler once described as "a nice place - for old people and their
parents." | | | |
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