Archive For The “Trips” Category
About 48 percent of all business executives who make more than 13 trips a year say that their primary concern when traveling is staying safe. Business travelers should take precautions to stay healthy while traveling along with using caution to protect themselves from dangerous situations. It is essential that travelers know what to do in various scenarios. Businesses should create a written plan covering the most common scenarios along with what they expect their employees to do in each case when traveling overseas.
Staying Healthy When Traveling Overseas
Travelers can take several precautions to help them stay healthy when traveling overseas. All employees should be washing their hands on a regular basis. Encourage your employees to drink bottled water. When setting up travel itineraries, read reviews of restaurants as choosing top-rated restaurants often helps one avoid food contamination. Within reason, allow employees to use part of their travel budgets to stay active or house employees in hotels with good fitness facilities. A company’s travel budget should pay for recommended vaccinations wherever they choose to send your employees. Employees should have access to the latest travel health warnings from a reputable organization before leaving.
Employees should have a list of the best hospitals and emergency clinics in the area in a folder when they travel. The name of these facilities should be written down in the local language helping employees share the information with taxi drivers and chauffeurs if needed. Furthermore, it is a great idea to write down any health conditions in the local language. Teach employees that they can contact the local embassy for more help. Many companies pay for travelers’ insurance on their key employees or offer it at a greatly reduced rate.
Staying Safe Physically When Traveling for Business
Staying safe on the road begins with booking the right hotel. After checking a hotel’s reputation, then book a room between the third and sixth floors for your employee. Rooms located on the first floor are more prone to being broken into while those above the sixth floor are harder for emergency responders to reach. Teach employees that if their room number is announced when they check-in that they should immediately ask for another room. In addition, encourage travelers to carry their own hotel safety devices with them.
Someone at the company’s headquarters should have immediate access to any employee’s travel itinerary. Employees should be taught who they can contact 24 hours a day seven days a week to receive help if they feel like they are in trouble. A file should be created with copies of the traveler’s passport and tickets. The employee should give this to someone at the office before embarking on their travels; they should also give it to a trusted family member or friend along with emailing a copy of it to themselves.
After they leave, employees should be encouraged to carry all their important travel documents, credit cards and cash in different locations. The safest spot to carry these important items is in front pockets as it is much harder to pick a front pocket than a back. Employees may be tempted to turn their back for just a second if the documents and money are in a pocketbook.
Staying safe while traveling on corporate business begins with staying healthy. Take precautions before leaving by getting the right vaccinations and reading about the area. Drinking bottled water and hand washing can help prevent many illnesses. Encourage employees to make copies of their travel documents and to carry all important papers and money in separate locations. Ask employees to choose hotels based on their safety ratings.
When you are traveling, the last thing that you want to think about is your health. For many of a vacation is, well, a vacation from everything. We eat what we want, and we do what want to do. As a diabetic, however, there are certain things that you should keep in mind.
For most people, traveling itself does not pose a health risk. The problem most arises from a lapse in judgment. If you are receiving dialysis make sure you are not skipping a treatment.
To keep yourself in good shape, following these tips will help plan an exciting and healthy trip.
- Research Your Destination – It is important to know what medical offices are available. Call your insurance company to ask if you can use and where. You may want to get travel insurance. Also, if you are in a foreign country, learn the language to be able tell someone you are diabetic.
- Bring Devices in Carry-on Luggage – If you are carrying testing strips, pumps, shots or other medical equipment, pack them in a small bag or in you carry-on luggage. This will ensure that they are not lost, and they will be available if needed during the flight. In addition, make sure you have enough supplies for the entire trip. Don’t assume you will be able to find them.
- Know Your Eating Schedule – Your schedule will fluctuate and most likely you will not be eating on a normal schedule. Have snacks handy to keep your insulin level steady, and try to plan to eat at a normal time if possible. When you are on a flight, ask the airline for healthier options ahead of time.
- Watch What You Eat – Desserts, soft drinks and alcohol are readily available at most vacation spots, especially if you are on cruise or Disney vacation. In the moment, it is easy to indulge, and that might be ok, sparingly. Remember it is not just the obvious foods to wary of; overeating should be a concern. It’s a vacation, but still, you need to watch your calorie and carbohydrate count.
- Understand Your Insulin Needs – When flying the air pressure in the cabin in the plane will affect your insulin dosage, especially when taking off or landing. It is best not to use your pump during these times as too much may be delivered. For those traveling cross country, the quick journey across time zones may also cause problems. You should adjust for this aspect. Ask your doctor for the best plan.
- Carry Hand Sanitizer – While this may seem simple, it is one of those things that most people forget. At a theme park, the beach or in a hotel, you will encounter germs. Your hands will be dirty. If you need to test your glucose levels, hand sanitizer will quickly clean dirty hands before you prick your finger.
While this list is not all inclusive, these tips will help you have a better trip and keep your diabetes in check.
We have all been there. The flight is cramped, noisy, and hot. What makes it worse is that the snacks and food are bland. Then, you notice the people in the first-class cabin looking comfortable. You could be envious, but then there are ways that you can be as content, even in coach. If you follow these steps, you can feel first class in the main cabin.
- Pick a Good Seat – You may like a certain seat, but it may not be the best option. If you are looking for more room, the aisle seat may be best. Yes, the exit row is roomier, but it doesn’t have storage space for your person item. For those who love to nap, the window seat would good for you.
- Sit Over the Wings – Turbulence can be annoying to some and scary to others. Sitting in the middle of the plane over the wings offers the smoothest ride.
- Dress Comfortably – While you may want to dress for the business meeting before the flight, it is better to wear comfortable clothes that can be layered. This way you will be prepared for temperature variances, and you won’t be uncomfortable in stiff or tight clothes.
- Buy Disinfectant Wipes – Flight attendants do their best to clean between flights, but they don’t have time to wipe everything down. Since the person in the seat before could have sneezed or coughed over the area, bring some wipes to clean the tray, seat, belts and arm rest.
- Bring Water – The pressurized cabin will dehydrate you. Drink water before the flight, but bring a bottle of water on the flight with you. This way you can avoid a dry mouth or headache due to being dehydrated.
- Take Noise Canceling Headphones – The plane can be loud. Noise cancelling ear phones will drown out the side noise, allowing you to focus on your movie or music. You can even pretend to be listening and just have peace and quiet.
- Pack Your Own Blanket and Pillow – The ones provided are not as sanitary as you may want. Plus, with some airlines charging for them, you can save some money.
- Buy Your Own Snacks – Buy a healthy snack or even a delicious meal before you flight. This way you know that you will have something you like to eat during the flight.
- Have Your Own Entertainment – Some airlines are removing seat-back screens to allow passengers to bring their own devices. Companies like Delta offer apps with free movies and TV shows you can watch during the flight. If your flight doesn’t offer this, bring your own movie on your tablet or phone to watch.
- Stay Close to the Airport the Night Before – Avoid the hectic rush. Stay the night at a hotel close by the airport. You might find it to be a less chaotic morning, and you may be able to sleep later and get more rest.
While most of know you need to carry travel size liquids in a clear quart-sized bags, there are other things that we don’t think about. Neglecting to prepare for regulations and procedures will cause you a lot of headaches. If you are traveling there are certain things you should consider before flying.
Know if your carry-on is too big. The airline will check, especially on a full flight. Gate agent may measure your bags, but seasoned agents can spot a large bag by eye. Keep in mind that even if it is the right size, you still may be asked to check it on a budget airline or a flight that is at capacity. The general rule is that your carry-on should be under 22 inches high, 14 inches wide and 9 inches deep. You also allowed a personal item such as a purse, laptop/tablet bag, or stroller.
Items to Avoid Packing
Be sure not to pack items that are prohibited for your carry-on items.
- Liquids – You can bring 3 oz. or less of various liquids that fit inside one quartz-sized clear bag. Water, drinks or perfumes bought in the secure zone of the airport are allowed on the plane. All other liquids should be placed in your checked baggage.
- Weapons
- Ammunition and Fire Arms
- Axes
- Sharp Objects
- Tools
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smart Phone
- Pepper Spray or Mace
- Razor Blades – Packaged ones are OK in checked baggage, and blades on a razor are Ok if sheathed. Straight razors are not allowed.
- Knives
- Spray Cans
- Fuel
- Some Alcoholic Beverages
If you have any questions, please check with your airline or the TSA to make sure you can carry an item on board the plane.
Check Documents Too
Before your trip, be sure to make sure you have all your documentation in order when traveling to another country. Use the following checklist to help you.
- Make sure your passport is still current. You need to have at least six months left to travel.
- Check to see if the country accepts your driver’s license if you are going to rent a car. You may need an international driver’s license.
- Some European countries require what is called a vignette, which is a road tax sticker. When reading a car make sure this is included, or you may get a ticket in the mail.
- Bring the right credit cards. Some banks are giving you credit cards without raised numbers. Some car rentals places and store in Europe will not accept this type of card. Make sure you have at least one card with raised numbers.
- A “no fee” or a free special issuance passport will not allow you to travel any but the country where your spouse is stationed at for the military.
- Be sure to check with the health department. You may be required to receive certain vaccinations to travel to specific destinations.
If you have children and intend to fly by plane, you should make the necessary arrangements for your journey. You should first consider the age of your child, since most airlines do not host kids who are less than a week old. Children might develop health complications while traveling, especially during landing. They might develop ear pains that can easily be countered by letting them drink a beverage or chew some gum before landing.
Immunization and Vaccines
You should also make sure that your children are immunized or vaccinated, and this will depend on applicable rules at your destination country. Proper adherence to the required procedures and prescriptions in respect to vaccines, like yellow fever, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and meningococcal disease, should be followed. Some vaccinations are not suitable for children of certain age groups, and it is advisable to seek medical information.
Avoiding Hygienic Diseases
Another major problem for children is diarrhea and gastrointestinal diseases. They are a result of touching or interacting with dirty objects. This condition makes children become dehydrated faster than normal healthy kids. It is, therefore, recommended that one should control the type of food that the children eat. Fruits should be thoroughly washed and peeled before eating.
It is also good to carry your food, so as to avoid the temptation of having to buy foods from outside vendors which might be infected. Foods such as fish and meat should be immediately eaten after preparation and one should also use purified water to cook or make ice. Make sure that your children’s teeth are thoroughly brushed, including disinfecting their toys and hands too. Oral rehydration is required in case of dehydration.
Other Health Hazards
Children are also vulnerable to parasites, because they are often in contact with the ground. Always make sure that they wear shoes to protect them against the parasites. They can also easily contract rabies, because of their exposure to animals like dogs.
In case they have been bitten, promptly treat the wound with clean water and soap and assess if the wound needs further medical attention. Sunburn is also common among children. Apply high protection sunscreen and avoid direct sun exposure. It is also good to use hats and sunglasses to reduce exposing your children direct to the sun.
Preventive Measures
When visiting a malaria prone area, take preventive measures by giving your children prescriptions that are most appropriate for them. Try as much as possible to avoid mosquito-infested areas.
You can also use sprays after noting all the safety requirements. It is also a good idea to have a first aid kit with you that consists of things like band-aids and disinfectant solutions, protective ointments, fever medication, high protection sunscreen and other necessary equipment.
Statistics obtained from numerous studies have proved that cruising is the safest form of transport. In contrast to the popular belief, road transport bears the greatest risk after even the air transport.
Before embarking on a cruise, there are some key factors which have to be taken into consideration. These include the safety protocol and procedures, the criminal risks associated with it and the health concerns during the travel.
Passenger’s security measures
The passengers should be aware of both, their personal safety and the security of their luggage. It is crucial for any passenger to be familiar with the safety equipment that is installed in a water vessel. That includes their precise location and their use as a safety measure.
In addition to that, they should have sufficient knowledge of the safety protocol observed in the case of an emergency. Often, the travelers are advised to take part in safety drills before embarking on such a journey.
Moreover, the passengers should be made aware of the potential criminal risks that they might encounter. They should be conscious of their surrounding at all times and the people around them. In instances where valuable items are involved during the transportation, arrangements should be made so that they are stored in the lower decks within the safe storage units.
Taking such measures is critical in warding off other persons who may have malicious intentions to the other passengers.
Health related concerns
The travelers should also take a keen interest in their health. First and foremost, a traveling insurance should never be overlooked. Its essence is pronounced in the case of a medical emergency that may involve evacuation. It is important that those who are on medication, by the time of travel, to have consulted with their physicians beforehand.
They should not forget to carry their medication with them as most of the medicine in the ships are for emergency purposes and not specialized medication. Most cruise ships these days have medical doctors who can provide guidance in case of any related problem.
Sea sickness
Sea sickness is a normal condition experienced by some people, due to the rocking motion of the vessel. It should not be a cause for alarm whatsoever. It occurs to people who may be sensitive to motion. It is characterized by being nauseated and in some instances dizziness.
It is a common occurrence in adults than children. The condition can be controlled by sitting next to a window to get fresh air. Any mentally intensive activity should be avoided during the period, as it can alleviate the condition. It is also important not to fix the eye on a particular object but rather gaze at the horizon.
Finally, all the passengers are advised to take interest and learn some basic laws of the country they will dock. In cases where the ship does not process group visas for the passengers, each one is advised to acquire one even if he/she has no intention of getting off the ship. This information can be obtained by consulting with their traveling agents.
When it comes to business traveling, there is a lot to be put into consideration, not as it is opposed to when you are traveling for vacation. In case you are traveling for business for the first time, it’s vital to note that cost does not play a crucial role as much as your time. In case it is your first time, or simply it’s been a while since you took a business travel, the following is a step by step guideline on the preparations you need to make.
Preparations which are essential prior to making the trip include gathering information on your company’s travel policies, booking, and packing.
What is a Company Travel Policy?
A great company travel policy is used for the protection of companies’ employees while traveling, to reduce the small business travel expenses, and to limit clients’ legal liabilities. It should be developed by starting with the booking of any trip and ending with paperwork the company’s employees file after their return.
To establish a travel policy, a set of rules are developed to guide the company’s travelers. These guidelines must be communicated regularly to these employees. The guidelines should show the preferred providers, per diem rates, the service class to choose, and other basic guidelines. Also, some specifics must be addressed wherever applicable. For example, companies don’t want their employees spending all day at an airport in which is not their final destination. In such cases, the company may want to specify a layover if it saves the company over $300 off the air flight. This is just an example. In reality, many small businesses won’t require an employee to spend several more hours in a city that’s on its way to Fargo to save just a few dollars.
Airlines & Negotiated Rates
Negotiating airline rates is becoming more difficult these days due to airlines consolidating, the narrowing of routes, and the limited discounts available that would protect the airlines already shaky bottom lines. Nevertheless, negotiating airline rates can still be done with thorough data.
When working on negotiating with airlines, the company’s manager must be able to demonstrate a significant level of travel volume to even get an airline to answer the phone for negotiations. The manager must also be able to shift and control that volume to the preferred airline. Once those foundations are established, he/she must be realistic in setting negotiations that are based on the company’s travel program. And if the manager is not experienced in these types of negotiations, he or she may need to consult experts to assist with this process.
There is a true saying that better preparation prevents poor performance, and this can be applied with the negotiation process as well. The following are certain steps companies should adhere to for more propensity of success with this negotiation process:
- Gathering as much information as possible concerning the travelers’ patterns– this can be retrieved from corporate cards, a third party consolidator, the travel management company, or through online booking tools. From there, the manager can determine the airlines used most frequently, the airlines serving the needed route, and the pair of cities the company’s travelers go between the most. There shouldn’t be any overlooking of low cost carriers or foreign carriers that are less known. Also, the U.S Department of Transportation would have free information concerning the airline market share.
- Determine the right point of contact at the airlines for negotiation– for big companies with large travel programs amounting to several million dollars each year, the airlines’ corporate sales directors may work with them. However, smaller programs may deal with sales managers or regional corporate account execs.
- Search for the company’s program benefits to use as a selling point for airlines– different things can be used, such as the ability to shift a significant level of the company’s travel volume share to a single airline, and possessing a high volume on a route that is not a traditional busy route.
- Determine which types of discounts would be requested from the airline– for less established programs, aiming for backend rebates would be helpful once a specific volume is established by the company, for instance. Another example could be obtaining direct discounts on special classifications of airfare.
- Being persistent– different things can done to achieve the company’s goals. For example, tapping into inside and outside resources of the company to assist with negotiations, and talking with multiple airlines, the travel management company, and the company’s procurement department are other tools to use. And when talking with multiple airlines, it’s imperative to be careful of nondisclosure agreements within contracts.
- Consulting the legal team before signing the contract– asking the company’s legal department or an expert attorney to review is imperative before signing any contract.
- Managing the airline program to ensure smooth sailing of the next negotiation– this is done by communicating to the travelers about the policy and the preferred airlines, by considering to make it mandatory for travelers to travel booking to the discounted airlines, and by monitoring compliance.
Corporate Travel Services for Business Travelers by Ryanair
The corporate travel services for business travelers by Ryanair is known as business plus. The ticket price for this plan starts at $78.50 (69.99 €), and it includes free changes on the travel day. Business passengers will have premium seating, but it’s subject to availability. Fast track security will be accessible for these passengers at selected airports as well. Also, passengers are able to take a free 10 kg cabin bag along with a small carry-on and a free 20 kg check-in bag. Business passengers also don’t have to go through queues because a dedicated business plus desk will be provided at the airport. Passengers will, however, have to pay for food and drinks regardless if they board on first or last. Ryanair is offering this business class service to all its flights as it pursuing to gain a larger portion of the corporate travelling market of Europe.
Ryanair has been following their competitor, EasyJet. Both of them have been adding new destinations in order to win over more business passengers and to improve the frequency of flights. They both know that passengers these days want different things. It’s no long the lounge, free food, and free drinks. It’s not to spend all day at the airport, but to spend more time at the meetings, and to have more value for the money.
Having said this, Ryanair’s chief marketing office, Kenny Jacobs, assured that the business plus fair would always be more affordable than the flexible business fare from another carrier. And even though there would be no installation of different seats and no curtains, the business passengers would be located at the very front and back of the planes to ensure these passengers can easy and quickly get on and off the plane.
Know Before You Go – What’s your Company’s Travel Policy?
In case you work for a company that does not have a lot of employees, it is highly likely that your company has a travel policy. The policy is very vital in determining how much you can spend during your trip and where you can spend it. How stiff your company policy is, will vary, but the most common policies have preferred hotel chain, airline, and car rental partner. Of course, there are exceptions for traveling with clients, billable travel and special events.
Booking
Booking for travel differentiates from personal travel in the case that, when you are traveling for business, time is of the essence. Direct costs can be made for things such as hotels and airline. In cases where you are not working, there is also an opportunity of cost charged.
Packing
When it comes to what you pack for a business trip, the weather will not necessarily be a determinant. There is a great need to look into the kind of environment that you will be in, and the number of the business meetings that you will get to attend. The kind of associations you have and activities you partake, will determine the dress code that will be most appropriate, hence what you shall pack.
Of course, now during the trip, there are also factors that are highly relevant, so as to ensure your trip is successful. It is vital to think about flexibility, organization, and your corporate credit card.
Be Flexible
Mistakes, when it comes to business trips, are unfortunately inevitable. Therefore, one needs to roll with the punches and just be flexible. Common irregularities, such as flight delays and cancellations, will stop you, but an easy solution might be using an application, such as TripIt, that will alert you in case anything comes up.
Be Organized
When it comes to business trips, you have to keep your act together. You have to be conscious of your time and monitor your spending by keeping receipts. Many companies have adopted the use of Concur that monitors all expenses during a business trip.
Corporate credit cards
There are instances whereby companies issue their employees’ corporate credit cards, while in other cases you use your personal credit card. In case you are issued with a credit card, ensure that you are up to date with your company’s policy, so that you can monitor and keep track of charges.
Business travel can be quite different from leisure travel. There is a lot of focus on the time when it comes to business travel because there is more pressure to ensure things get done in time and there are stringent time lines to be met in terms of business activities.
This makes it paramount for any person on a business trip. Time should be well managed and spent well to ensure that all activities are accomplished as planned. Therefore, for a long time there has been an emphasis on the efficiency of any business travel arrangements done through travel companies.
Apart from being keen on time, business travelers are also keen to ensuring that they use up as few working days as possible traveling. If a trip can take three days, then business travelers will prefer it takes three days and not any longer. The reason behind this could be due to the fact that traveling is an expense and businesses will endeavor to keep their expenses to the minimum so as to maximize on profits. A travel management company provides support, especially in terms of logistics for a business traveler, and it is important that they make the traveling process as smooth as possible and to take the least time possible so that maximum time can be allocated for handling the business at hand.
Travel Management Companies Support Travel Efficiency and Minimize Travel Costs
When looking for a travel management company, most companies will consider the logistics involved as well as the performance of the travel management company. While expenses are a major determiner, statistics show that most companies will look at logistics and efficiency and will not mind spending more, if it leads to improved efficiency.
The comfort of those traveling is also a point to consider as this may result in improved performance by those traveling to conduct business. Hence, the extra expense is actually viewed as an investment for better performance.
Globally, travel companies are slowly starting to make use of data analysis, so as to be able to monitor trends and thus be in a better position to not only offer improved services but to also offer personalized services that provide more comfort and efficiency for each traveler according to their specific needs. Some are monitoring trends with the aim of ensuring that business traveler has a stress free experience.
Business Traveling Sector Steadily Grows
With this sector expected to generate $1.6 trillion by 2020, it is clear why travel companies are seeking to improve their services and attract more clients.
Most business travelers now prefer to employ the use of technology, especially mobile applications so as to handle reservations and booking by themselves, which they can personally make sure, it is in accordance to their desires, and therefore more travel companies are embracing the use of mobile applications. With a growth forecast of 12 % for the year 2016, the business traveling sector is steadily growing.
The entrepreneur Ilana Greene put a lot of planning into her business travel. Since that, she is a small business owner, her primary concern is cost-effective travel means. On several occasions, the business travel proves expensive to her, because she books on short notice that implies she has to go during peak times.
Despite her inability to control the costs, the company can meet the cost, and give her comfortable traveling. As a business person, Ilana knows how to cut travel cost by taking advantage of opportunities or even planning in advance. The following are tips that she uses to cut cost, that you may also fund useful when traveling.
Look for available discount
To ensure her company saves money, Ilana asks for corporate discounts. Especially when she books a flight on short notice, she just calls the airline and books online. Asking for corporate discount gives her many advantages including the size of the company, and the number of passengers is irrelevant when booking. There are many hotels, car rental agencies, and airlines giving discounts, with some giving as high as 25 % discount.
Acquire many rewards
By joining a frequent flyer program, Ilana is able to get rewards from credit card companies. She uses Southwest airline Visa Signature card, which gives her one point for each dollar spent and 2 points for each dollar she spends with approved Southwest Rapid Rewards partners for hotels and car rentals.
With these points, she can travel freely on Southwest in two years and a United Airline’s frequent flyer for two free flights per year. The discount and the points accumulated saves her business a lot of money and helps her write off the travel expense from tax.
What is key to the techniques, is to install a travel agent app that allows her to contact an agent directly through the e-mail.
Use Travel agencies
Ilana uses Campbell Travel Agents to book flights to get access to their affiliate companies and travel partners. Through travel agents, she has been able to save thousands of dollars.
Explore regional airports
Regional airports usually give Ilana subsidies travel fares and offer her improved checkpoint security that improves her overall travel experience. Also, use a network of regional airports helps Ilana be more productive since she is less concerned about booking arrangements, especially at peak times such as winter storm.
Use train, if possible
Since train travel is less costly than air transport, Ilana has found it useful in saving money and having comfortable travel. Plus, the train travel saves her money on accommodation.
As long as there are no specific risk factors, traveling while pregnant is not a cause for concern. If, however you are expecting twins say, then long travels are not recommended. Be sure to discuss your trip with your midwife or doctor prior to departure.
It is best to travel between 16 – 28-weeks. After the fourth month of pregnancy, miscarriage risks are lowered and traveling until the end of pregnancy should be relatively safer. Prior to leaving, be sure to check your repatriation contract or insurance to ensure that your pregnancy is not an exclusion clause. Be sure to understand as much information as possible about health conditions in your city of destination.
Be aware of altitudes higher than 2,000 meters, as the fetus may be deprived of oxygen at this height. This is particularly relevant during the first tri-mester. It is also not recommended to partake in sporting events. Do not visit locations rife with yellow fever or malaria. And especially be aware of locations with limited healthcare or medical development.
How to Travel
You can fly during pregnancy if you have no complications such as placenta anomaly, uncontrolled diabetes, risk of premature birth or hypertension. Most airlines however will request that you provide them with a recent certificate of medical soundness if your due date is close. After 37-weeks they may refuse to allow you onboard. Be sure to check with each airline for their stipulation on pregnant passengers, as all have some variation.
Remember too that seats on a plane can be narrow and may be uncomfortable. Motion sickness can be increased during pregnancy and nausea may be experienced also. Wearing compression socks may inhibit swelling and moving throughout the plane’s cabin periodically may help maintain proper circulation.
If you are traveling via car, be sure to wear the proper safety restraints. The belt will protect you and your fetus in case of an accident. Place the belt as low as possible so that it is cradling the pelvis and belly. It is not recommended to go on long road trips (no longer than 2- to 300-kilometers per day) and you should always avoid cars that jolt. Stop regularly and walk a bit to relax.
Trains are the most commonly suggested forms of transportation for pregnant women. It is the least taxing and can be the most reliable. In addition, it allows you to move through the cabins freely.
Ensure That All of Your Immunizations are Up-to-Date
Speak with your physician to ensure that all of your immunizations are up-to-date prior to traveling. Discuss which ones are safe for pregnant woman and which are not. Living vaccines should be avoided. These include rubella, mumps, measles and tuberculosis. Inactive vaccines such as diphtheria and tetanus are acceptable. If absolutely needed, immunization from yellow fever can be administered but most favorably during the first trimester.
Any infectious disease is a serious health threat for you and for your child. A concern is malaria due to how dangerous it can be. Pregnant women are encouraged to avoid all infected areas of the world. It is it impossible to avoid, be sure to go out fully covered and ask your physician to give you a repellent. Be aware though that not all preventative drugs are safe for pregnancy – chloroquine, proguanil and quinine are some drugs used for malaria that are compatible. As much as possible, travel throughout clean and hygienic conditions as much as possible. Be very careful with ingesting water and food. Never take any unknown medications.
Always prioritize travel to countries where health infrastructures are built up and strong. Be sure to check with your insurance policy prior to your departure.