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Emergencies No one wants to consider the worst when it comes to government or personal emergencies, but when traveling in unfamiliar lands it is prudent to do so and to have options laid out in advance. Following are some important things to consider.
Upon Arrival in a Foreign Country or Region When arriving in a country other than your own, whether as part of your RTW ticket or as part of a local air, train, bus, boat, or caravan journey:
Register with Your Embassy or Consulate. Should disaster strike, they will make every effort to find you and ensure your safety. They will also help to outline your options should you need to evacuate a particular location. You must register with them, or they will not necessarily know you are there, in which case they won’t come looking for you.
Make A Note of Local Emergency Access Numbers. Many countries now have short (two- or three-digit) numbers to access police, fire, and medical help; however, those access numbers change in each location. Keep a note of the access numbers where you are, and, if you are carrying a phone, put them in your mobile phone directory.
If a political or societal emergency seems imminent, for example, if political unrest is mounting quickly or if there has been a natural catastrophe near where you are located: - Be sure to arrange for cash so you have plenty of bank notes on hand should circumstances worsen. Having cash could be your only way out of a tricky situation. - If you are in a foreign-branded hotel, check out and move to a small, local hotel or guesthouse. - Evaluate your options at the first sign of real trouble and, if you have any doubts about your safety or the safety of your surroundings, try to arrange transport out of the affected area as soon as you can. Most travel operators will accommodate you under these circumstances to the extent they have an ability to do so. - Check the English-language versions of news websites based where you are located, and check the website of your Embassy or Consulate frequently for instructions and information. - Above all, stay calm and keep your wits about you. In many emergencies, the worst thing to fear is fear itself.
If you or someone else have a medical emergency and you are able to transport yourself or the person concerned: - Find out where there is an “expatriate” medical center with English-speaking doctors. - Have someone call ahead to be sure they are open and that they can handle the sort of emergency you have. - Have a local resident escort you there so you do not get lost on the way, thereby wasting precious time and, as a result, possibly incurring further medical issues. - If you can, take copies of all prescriptions, vital health records, and insurance information with you.
If you or someone else have a medical emergency and you are not able to transport yourself or the person concerned: - Signal for help if you are alert and able to. - Depending on the nature of the emergency and the amount of time you have before significant, additional medical issues may arise, try to arrange for transport to an “expatriate” medical center with English-speaking doctors. - If that is not possible, or if you realize that have already been transported to a local hospital, arrange for an English-speaking doctor as soon as possible, and contact an “expatriate” medical center as soon as you can for further instructions. If you cannot do so yourself, find someone who speaks your language and ask him or her to do it for you. - If you don't have copies of prescriptions and other vital health documents with you, try to arrange for someone to contact the trusted friend or relative who has copies and arrange for them to be somehow transmitted to you.
If you are the victim of a crime: - Report all crimes to the local police, even if you see nothing to gain by doing so. If you have been pick-pocketed, you are unlikely to see the related personal effects again. However, the police in most places can and do track such crimes. By reporting what happened to you, you help them to identify patters of criminal activity, which may help to prevent a similar crime against someone in the future. - Ask the locals near where the crime happened where there is a police station and go there to file a report about what happened. You generally will have to report a crime at the police precinct responsible for the area in which it happened. - Register yourself upon entering the police station, and wait for them to find an officer who speaks a language you speak if need be. This may take some time but it will happen eventually.
If you are arrested: - Insist on speaking to an official representative from your country of citizenship. You have this right under most circumstances. - Remember that laws in some countries can differ significantly from those of your own, and you are subject to the local laws and procedures of the country you are in, no matter where you are from. In some countries officials may have the right to search you or your belongings without reason, to video tape you, to incarcerate you unjustly, and more. Be cooperative to the extent necessary, and insist on speaking to an official from your home country. |
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Friendly Faces Wave Hello in Malawi
© Stephen Braun |
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