retrocreation

Hiking can be one of the most favorite activities by youth, but sometimes it can be harm if you dont know the "how to's". here are some tips on how to safely hike.

Respect the rights of others including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others to allow them to enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.

Educate yourself by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning for your trip, taking recreation skills classes, and knowing how to use and operate your equipment safely.

Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams, unless on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitat and sensitive soils from damage.

Do your part by leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, restoring degraded areas, and joining a local enthusiast organization.

For detailed information about steps you can take to ensure a safe trip, see How to Have a Safe Trip. Meanwhile, here are some quick tips to make your travel easier and safer:

* Register so the State Department can better assist you in an emergency: Register your travel plans with the State Department through a free online service at Travel Registration This will help us contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization.

* Sign passport, and fill in the emergency information: Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.

* Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page: Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

* Check your overseas medical insurance coverage: Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.

* Familiarize yourself with local conditions and laws: While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. The State Department web site at US Dept Of State has useful safety and other information about the countries you will visit.

* Take precautions to avoid being a target of crime: To avoid being a target of crime, do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money. Also, do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.

* Contact us in an emergency: Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the website at Bureau of Consular Affairs http://travel.state.gov. Also note that the Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas.

source:US Travel

By utilizing a safe travel guide when we are out to enjoy ourselves on vacation we are more likely to experience positive events which will affect how much we enjoy our stay.

Travel can be expensive enough as it is without expensive mistakes which could be avoided, resulting in a dislike for your chosen location and its people.Situations like this can even escalate and it is not uncommon where people are reluctant to leave their room or even have to spend time in a Police station trying to explain the problem. Always use common sense if you want to travel safely, whether shopping

in a local village or spending time on the beach, do not put yourself in a position where you could either be in danger or taken advantage of.People often neglect to trust their instincts in a situation which can lead them into unnecessary trouble. When you go out to discover new places, bars and restaurants, think about what you are taking with you; are all your credit cards, passport and airline tickets for example necessary where you are going? Expensive and necessary items like identi-fication tickets for example should be left at the hotel in their safe or the room safe if you have one; it is much easier to recover your vacation if you only lose a few important belongings instead of all of them. One easy thing to do to protect your money is not carry all of it around at once or leave it in just one location where a thief can steal everything you have quite easily.A follow on to this tip is to carry two separate credit cards instead of two from a joint account as this adds an extra security measure should one be stolen; this travel safely tip means this way you are not without a credit card. Some of the easiest possessions to steal are bags and cameras owing to the way people carry them without even recognizing that they are an easy target for thieves; ensure the straps are over the head and across the chest if you want to hold on to them. If you are the person carrying the camera or bag, then walk away fro the edge of the road where it is easy for motorcycle

thieves to grab something and make a quick getaway. The reason most people fall for these tricks is because we are more relaxed on vacation and the people that carry out these crimes are very good at it. We can become complacent believing it will not happen or we are cleverer than them but this is how they make their living and in many cases the way that they feed their family every day. If you carry a bag of any kind, buy yourself a small padlock or combination lock as the few dollars you spend will be well worth it as it will deter the majority of sneak thieves. Some people are always losing their keys which isn't a good idea when you are on vacation so a quick remedy is to buy a D-shackle or similar and attach it your belt or backpack with the keys attached. Most guys (and some girls) will place their wallets in the back pocket of their jeans or shorts making them an easy target for pick pockets; so change your habit and place wallets in the front pockets or perhaps buy a bum bag or money belt. Generally speaking there is no reason why you shouldn't have a great vacation if you just remember to travel safely, listen to your instincts and act using your common sense.