Tips

Common Travel Problems and How to Avoid Them

Keep travel troubles at bay with these simple solutions to avoid holiday hardships

By Claire Newell /

Don’t let annoying travel complications taint your vacation

Some travel difficulties may be unavoidable, but it always helps to be prepared

Travel and trouble are two words you definitely don’t want to see in the same sentence.

From illness to lost luggage, unfortunately, travel hardships can strike at any time. Here are some solutions to the most common culprits.

Common Problems Associated with Travel

  • Seasickness: If you have never cruised before or are taking a boating excursion 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, which you wear around your wrists; the acupressure helps to ward off seasickness. These are also great for kids on car trips.
  • Montezuma’s Revenge: Traveller’s diarrhea can definitely put a damper on your vacation, but it’s a real risk in some Latin American and other countries. To prevent it, try not to drink the water or have ice in your drinks, of course — but before you depart, ask your doctor to prescribe something you can take before you go and/or daily during your trip to prevent an infection.
  • Bedbugs: Unfortunately, bedbug infestations have increased by 71 per cent since 2001. Before you unpack at your hotel, inspect the mattress. Remove all bedding, including the mattress pad, and check the wall near the headboard. 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 such a situation while at your hotel, follow the lead of hotel staff. Most hotels have procedures in place for these eventualities.
  • Lost passports: If this happens to you, immediately report your passport lost or stolen to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate. You’ll need to fill out all sorts of paperwork, so keeping a photocopy of your passport will help speed up the process.

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.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.