WorldNomads.com free iPhone and iPod Touch Language Guides

The WorldNomads.com free iPhone and iPod Touch language guides have been a HUGE hit with travelers all over the world, with over 610,000 downloads from iTunes in the 9 months since launch! Now the media loves them too. This week the language guides were voted ŒBest Freebie¹ by MSNBC!

Available in 22 languages including Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Thai and Turkish (see Worldnomads.com for a full list and details) each guide includes a few dozen basic travel phrases organized by category (such as ‘transport’, ‘food & eating’ and ‘directions’). Tap a category, select a phrase and a native speaker pronounces the phrase. As the MSNBC reviews says “a high-end feature we’re surprised to find in a free app.” For the full review see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32464923/ns/travel-tips/

World Nomads has always taken a different approach to travel insurance by providing not just great insurance coverage and travel safety services, but also other tools to keep you traveling safely. This includes free online travel journals, travel scholarships, competitions, and a monthly e-newsletter with safety articles, safety advice and tips, and destination of the month spotlights (for this month’s newsletter http://tinyurl.com/lhj7bx).

To learn more about WorldNomads.com visit: http://worldnomads.com

For more on World Nomads Language Guides, visit: http://journals.worldnomads.com/language-guides/

InkaFest – Huaraz

Every August, the Peruvian city of Huaraz hosts the Mountain Film Fest or InkaFest.  This year, the festival runs from the 18th-22nd of August.

Films can be entered into one of six categories (not including Best Picture and Viewer’s Choice): Mountaneering, Mountain Culture, Adventure, Rock Climbing and Sports Adventure and Nature.  Besides films, the festival hosts workshops and speakers.  And of course – there are endless opportunities for adventures in Huayhuash and Cordillera Blanca, climbing, hiking, rafting or exploring nearby ruins.

We wrote about Huaraz last year, click here to read.

Off the Radar is the online magazine for adventure travelers featuring responsible adventure operators, news from adventure destinations, images and personal accounts from the field.  Sign up for our newsletter here

Smith Fork Ranch: Luxury Dude Ranch

Something amazing is happening in the North Fork Valley of Colorado: local, sustainable, and organic farms are thriving. Smith Fork Ranch in Crawford, Colorado, uses local fruits and vegetables from their own garden and surrounding organic farms, as well as lamb, beef, pheasant, and elk raised locally and sustainably, to create a delicious feast with fresh ingredients every day. The words “luxury” and “dude ranch” don’t often fit together in a sentence, but that’s exactly what the Hodgson family has created at the Smith Fork Ranch.  In the dramatic mesas and mountains of Colorado’s Western Slope, the wine industry is growing and thriving in Tuscan-like summers, and this ranch reflects this refined culture amid lush rolling countryside, with the dramatic (and undiscovered!) San Juan mountains as a backdrop.

This piece of Colorado also has the nation’s newest national monument, the incredible Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Visit the park for fishing, rafting, hiking, or some truly adventurous rock climbing (for the hard core only) on one of your days at the ranch-but you really won’t want to be late for that dinner.  Fill the rest of your time with world-class trout fishing at the ranch, horseback riding, archery, or even learn the skills to become a barrel racer.

We have spent time in this area, and the whole summer experience at Smith Fork Ranch is everything a vacation should be: amazing local food, culture, and adventure in the dramatic San Juan’s, with a touch of world culture in the growth and care for the food and wine.

Off the Radar is the online magazine for adventure travelers featuring responsible adventure operators, news from adventure destinations, images and personal accounts from the field.  Sign up for our newsletter here

Sea Kayak the Brazilian Amazon with Rumo Norte

Watching Bonobos Deep in Equateur Province of the Congo

Hiking holiday? Here’s what to bring… just in case!

WorldNomads.com’s roving medical expert and afficionado of Adventure Travel Health, Dr. Erik McLaughlin MD helps you prepare for a hiking excursion.

Hiking holidays are a great way to spend your time off.  These trips are often done at new trails and areas you’ve never been before and that is part of the excitement.  Often, people do a bit of hiking while they are packing their trip with other activities and do not specifically plan for their outdoor adventure.  Shore excursions from cruise ships are a prime examples of this.

The factors of an unfamiliar area, being unprepared and often in a hurry can stack up against someone, quickly.  When adventuring outdoors, you want as many things in your favor as possible.  Here’s what to prepare for your hiking excursion on your trip!

Signaling Device

• Phone/mobile/sat phone
• Mirror
• Whistle

Being able to contact someone for help is probably the most important thing in an outdoor emergency.  Popularity of mobile phones has helped adventurers be rescued in a timely manner.  Make sure your device from home works in your new location and be prepared that you may not have a signal when outdoors.  Consider renting a local phone, for use during your trip.  Satellite phones can also be rented and provide connectivity, even in remote locations.

Mirrors and whistles serve to attract attention and are very reliable.  They do not run out of battery or lose signal.  Mirrors can reflect light to passing planes or other people, and whistles work well to draw attention, too!  Both are very lightweight and portable.

Extra Food

• Enough for 1-2 days
• Energy bars
• Comfort food

Most day hikes are just that, hikes that are over in one day.  Spending the night outside only happens if there is a problem, but you should be prepared for it.  Healthy people can generally go several weeks without food, but why try it!?  Carrying some extra food, in case you have to sleep out, can make a big difference for comfort and morale.  I am not saying to carry a full buffet, but a few energy bars are lightweight and can make you more comfy waiting for help or while your figure your plan out.

Extra Water

• Carry extra supply
• Purification method (potable aqua tablets, filter, boiling)

Humans may be able to go a week or two without food, but drinkable water is needed much more often.  Death from dehydration can occur in several days.  Carrying extra water is a vital survival tool and should not be taken lightly.  Anticipate your water needs, per person, for your adventure and plan ahead.  This can be carrying extra water or carrying a method to purify water found in the area.  Plan to spend a night outside and consider that you’ll need to drink water during this time.

Fire starter

• Lighter
• Flint and striker
• Matches

The ability to make fire is something anybody who leaves a paved road needs to have.  Fire can be a great signal, especially at night.  Smoke from a fire can be a daytime signal, as well.  Not only does fire provide warmth, but it serves as a tremendous moral booster and makes the difference between an uncomfortable night outside and a potentially life threatening event.  Fuel can be found in the area or brought in your pack.  A few cotton balls or some tissue make perfect fuel sources to help get wood burning and take up a minimal amount of space.

Multi-tool / Knife

• Leatherman
• Swiss knife

A good knife is an incredibly valuable tool.  Multi-tools contain screwdrivers, files and many other accessories that can all have application if you find yourself needing to wait for a rescue or have to spend an unexpected night outside.  A good knife can help with first aid, shelter construction, food preparation and countless other chores that help improve your situation.

Itinerary left with responsible person

• Where you are going
• Which route you are planning
• When you will be home
• Who to call if you are not back by a pre-set date/time

Letting somebody you trust know where you are going and when you are due back should be second nature to outdoor adventurers.  The person you discuss your plans with doesn’t even have to be in the same country, as long as they know the details of your trip.  Make sure they know where you are going and when you are due back.  If you have not let them know that you’ve safely made it back, they should begin looking for you or arranging for help to find you.  Hotel employees, local ranger stations or friends/family back home are all good resources.  Ensure they have some contact information for your area and police stations are often good places to start.  Finally, when you do get back form your adventure, make sure to let them know so they don’t activate a search party!

Extra warmth layer

• Fleece jacket
• Hat
• Gloves

Even in the hottest climates, one should be prepared for a drop in temperature, especially at night.  Changes in weather can come quickly and having an extra layer of warmth can help fight off hypothermia as well as make you a bit more comfortable.  A large amount of body heat is lost through the head and simply wearing a hat can help keep warm.  A fleece jacket and hat take little extra space but can make a night outside a lot more tolerable.

Navigation aid

• Map and compass
• GPS
• Know how to use them

Getting lost is a common occurrence and I am frequently “lost” even at my home trails.  Relying on memory is difficult and next to impossible in an area you’ve never been before.  Carrying a map and compass or GPS is a good idea and may help you find your way back to safety.  However, simply carrying them does no good, unless you know how to use them.  Basic info on how to use a GPS can be found here.  A map and compass do not run out of batteries and never have “no signal”.  A compass requires a different skill than GPS and you can get the basics on compass navigation here.  Practice your navigation skills at home, before you get to the trails!

Basic first aid kit

• Ibuprofen/pain reliever
• Antihistamine
• Antiseptic towlettes
• Bandages/gauze
• Space blanket
• Personal medication

Every person going on an adventure should carry a first aid kit.  What you choose to carry in your kit is another matter, but everybody should carry a first aid kit, of some sort.  A basic kit should include the above items.  Many commercial kits are available, at most outdoor stores.  Also, the kit does no good if you leave it at home!

Portable shelter

• Space blanket
• Tarp
• Plastic trash bag

Carrying some basic equipment that can be fashioned into a shelter is an easy way to minimize discomfort and risk outdoors.  Being prepared to stay overnight, even if you are only being out a few hours is a good way to help survive an emergency on the trails.  Several items, listed above, can be fashioned into an emergency shelter, if the need arises.  Shelter can keep you dry, keep you warm and even help signal for help.  Taking a few extra minutes to drop one of these items in your pack is a great idea.

Even those going off on a “day hike” should be prepared to spend the night outdoors, in the event of an unforeseen emergency.  Carrying a few extra items in your pack can make this night outside more comfortable and lessen the risk of serious injury or death.  These items can help you find your way back home, signal for help and let you take care of yourself and others, should the need arise.  I hope you never have to use any of them, but at least you’ll be prepared if you do have an unplanned emergency outdoors.

Share your hiking stories

Have you ever been caught out unprepared? Or ever so grateful that you packed your favourite gadget? What happened, how did you survive?  Please leave a comment and share your hiking stories with us.

11 tips for overseas hospital treatment

You could have sworn that sushi smelt funny.  Unfortunately that thought is two hours too late and now you’re curled up in the toilet inventing a new guttural language.

And then a new fear strikes you.  You’re in a foreign country, alone, and you really should go to hospital. Or should you? What do you need to know? What should you look out for?

Dr Sneh Khemka, Bupa International’s Medical Director, tells you what to look out for if you need hospitalisation overseas.

Being admitted to hospital

1. Choose the best option

If you’re being admitted as an emergency or taken by ambulance, you often won’t have much choice in where you go.  However, if you can exercise choice, it’s important to select the best hospital for you – does it have the right services (eg a CT scanner), is it clean, can the staff speak your language etc?

2. Let your insurer know

Once there, you should let your insurer know you have been admitted as soon as possible so you can ensure you are covered for all treatments that you receive.  If you can let them know before you attend, they may even be able to point you to the best facility in town.

3. Ask questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions that may seem difficult – it is important that you know what is happening to you, and instead of being offended, medical staff have a duty of care to ensure you are kept up to speed with what’s going on.

4. Provide the right information

You will be asked for your demographic details (age, sex, next of kin etc) and your medical history.  It is a good idea to carry with you a list of previous operations and treatments you may have had, along with a list of medications and allergies.

You will also be asked about how you are going to pay for treatment.  Without insurance, it can be frighteningly expensive, so you’re best to be covered and you can give them the contact details for your company who should then be able to settle your bills.

What to look out for?

5. Location is important

Hospitals do not have the same standards of care everywhere. Depending on which country you are in, and whether you are in a big city or the rural countryside, hospitals can differ greatly.  Many developed countries will have a government regulation committee that will inspect all hospitals to make sure there is a minimum standard of care.  However, in other areas it is completely unregulated.

Generally speaking, hospitals in developing countries have less regulation and lower standards than those in developed nations.  Sub-saharan Africa is notorious for its underfunded and understaffed institutions and parts of South America have poor legacies for the state of healthcare.  However, South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent have some of the best hospitals in the world.  It’s all a matter of choosing the right place.

6. Cleanliness is next to…

As a general rule of thumb, cleanliness is a good indicator of the level of safety in a hospital.  Word of mouth is also a good way of gauging a hospital’s reputation.  However, if you are insured with someone like Bupa International, you will more reliably be able to find out which are the good and bad places, as we have experience and check hospitals around the world for quality.

7. Consider benefits of private vs. public hospitals

Private hospitals are generally as good as public hospitals and in many places often better.  Private hospitals tend to have better funding and can therefore afford better equipment and facilities.

However, public hospitals may offer a range of services that private ones cannot, including intensive care units, emergency cardiac interventions and a wider range of staff for paramedical services such as physiotherapy and radiology.

What role does my insurer play?

8. Returning home is not necessarily the best option

It is not always the best option to medivac you home, Bupa International runs a full medivac servicec called WMA (Worldwide Medical Assistance).  WMA get calls from all over the world, and because we know the local services and hospitals, we can often find you excellent treatment without having to fly you back home, meaning you can carry on your trip after treatment.  We may need to send you to a nearby country, but if you need urgent attention, having you in an aeroplane for an extended period is not the best idea.

In determining whether or not to medivac a patient home, we look at all the medical details of the customer, what medical services they are likely to need, and the level of cover that they have purchased.  We also take into account the personal preferences of the customer, and often will pay for a family member to travel with them should there be the need.

Then we look at where will be the best place to send them so they can get the best and quickest access to the treatment they need.

9. Understand the hospital fees and charges

There is an emerging problem amongst certain hospitals that, if incentivised in the wrong way, they are more likely to intervene with a procedure or test which may not be entirely necessary.  This is the case with not only foreign visitors, but local patients as well.

We encourage our customers to let us know in advance of any planned treatment so we can talk through the options with both the patient and the doctor, and ensure that they are acting in a medically sound manner, and not just doing things for the sake of a few extra bucks.

For hospital out-patients, you will need to pay the bill when you are discharged and make a claim from your insurer later.  For more serious problems or hospital in-patient admissions, your insurer will liase with the hospital directly about the bill.

Avoiding hospital in the first place

10. Take your own first aid kit

An emergency medical kit always comes in handy, but what you can do with one is limited.  Kits should ideally contain basic painkillers, antiseptic, anti-diarrhoea and rehydration preparations, bandages and plasters.  Customs and prescription laws restrict the amount you can carry around with you.

For any worrying conditions, it is always best to seek expert medical advice – things can be picked up before they develop into major problems and sometimes you need a doctor to give you medications you cannot otherwise access.

If you take any medications, eg insulin, it is essential to keep an adequate supply, and to keep stores in two separate bags in case one is lost. Also, if you are anaphylactic, don’t forget to take adrenaline with you (and give your travelling companion instructions on how to use it).

11.  Use your common sense

The biggest single problem that the traveller will face is dehydration (from diarrheoa and vomiting).  Access to a plentiful supply of rehydration salts and clean drinking water is paramount.

And making sure you’re adequately insured so that not only will your bills be paid, but you’ll have a ‘friend’ that can help you through particularly troublesome times.

Been to hospital whilst travelling?  Share your stories (by leaving a comment) below to help others stay safe on the road.

Travel Safety Tips for Women Travelers

So you’ve packed your common sense and are all ready to go out and explore the world, but remember that old Boy Scout motto? ‘always be prepared!’ By taking some basic security precautions both prior to departure and while away, women travelers can greatly reduce the travel risks they might otherwise face. We searched the web for a experts on travel safety for women and here is what we’ve come up with.

What the Detectives Have to Say:

Jade, an Australian police detective, recommends the following for women traveling alone:

“My number one tip is when going out to remember to get the business card of where you are staying before you head out to show to the cab driver/tuk tuk driver/donkey to get home again.

I make sure now that someone knows where I am and when they are next likely to hear from me again just in case something goes wrong in between. I take a mobile with me for emergencies when I’m on my own too.

It’s just about trying to maintain a balance between having a great time and keeping myself safe.”

What the Experts Suggest:

We found some great safety tips for women over at KevinCoffee.com, such as:

• Study a map before going out; once on the street, use a pocket-size guidebook to avoid looking like a tourist. Your hotel’s concierge or a female employee can mark any dangerous areas on your map.

• Avoid jewelry–even a chain that’s fake gold can be ripped off your neck. Do consider wearing a wedding ring.

• Talk to female passengers and flight attendants on the plane about the safety of your destination.

• In public rest rooms, use the corner stall.

• Stand near the elevator buttons with your back to the wall; if threatened, push all the buttons at once with your back.

• Request one near the elevators and away from any renovation work. Have your key out when you leave the elevator.

To see the full list of tips have a look over at KevinCoffee.com

Travel Immunizations – What you Really Need in Asia

No matter what country you’re from and what you call immunizations (jabs, shots, pricks, inmunización, nadel) the bottom line is you probably need to get some before you do any traveling to third world countries. We asked our adventure friends around the world what they thought and below are their recommendations for travel to Asia.

(Photo courtesy of One World Trekking)

Andy Crisconi of One World Trekking recommends:

I receive immunization questions all the time from clients. Personally, I believe in getting the minimum recommended or required by the country being visited. Most people hate shots and they are/have become a rather expensive part of trip preparations. Most of my treks are in the Himalayan countries of South Asia.

Minimums I recommend to my clients are:

• Adult polio booster
• Tetanus / diphtheria
• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever (required for all South America trips)
• Malaria medication only if visiting the jungle areas of these countries.

Doctors and travel clinics tend to err towards more shots to cover all possible situations, so I think it important that each individual traveler and the tour operator do the research and discuss the options. Also, many times different shot or pills are recommended depending on the time of year you visit a certain country. For folks wanting to visit Nepal during the monsoon months, I may recommend they also get a Meningitis shot.

In terms of general travel safety in Asia, a few tips I would also offer are:

1. Water safety: Assume all water to be contaminated. Drink bottled or properly boiled water only. Brush your teeth with bottled or properly boiled water only and keep your mouth closed while taking a shower.

2. Be a compulsive hand washer.
A bottle of hand sanitizer should be carried with you during the trek and be used after visiting the restroom, before each meal, after handling paper bills and coins, before putting-in or taking-out contact lenses… Hepatitis A and Typhoid are passed in human feces, so be a compulsive hand cleaner.

3. Typhoid
The Typhoid vaccine is strongly recommended for Asia and is available in both pill and shot form.

Dr. Erik McLaughlin, World Nomads’ Adventure Doc also recommends

1. Get a rabies vaccine beforehand!
Did you know that Rabies is 99.9999% fatal once contracted?  And there is a worldwide rabies vaccine shortage at the moment?

Trekkers in developing nations are in an area where the is a much higher incidence of rabies than most industrial nations.  Additionally, most people do not expect to be bitten by a dog or animal; this is what makes it an accident.

If you’re bitten, your expensive trip is basically over, right there.  That person needs to evacuate to a large city with proper medical care, although The post-exposure prophylaxis is generally indicated and may be difficult to find. Most rural and developing nation hospitals may not use the safer rabies vaccines instead using older types with risk to the traveler, such as severe allergic reaction.

Pre-exposure shots would have helped prevent this, although they are also hard to come by currently.

I try to discuss pros and cons with people but am a big fan of this vaccine, just because of the seriousness of the illness.  I would DEMAND my mother or wife got this vaccine prior to trekking in a remote area and consequently offer the same advice to my patients.  At the end of the day, the choice belongs to the patient/traveler.

2. Avoid mozzie bites
Use DEET and permethrin, long sleeves and pants and bed nets to prevent insect bites.

3. Consider Japanese Encephalitis vaccine
JE is spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes making it very difficult to prevent -  and treatment once acquired, is only supportive.  This means that once you actually get the illness, there is not a lot that can be done about it.  However, a new (and safer) vaccine against JE has been developed and is worth considering if you are travelling in SE Asia.  Find out more here

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Of course always check with your doctor, but here is a handy list of what shots are recommended by country from The Travel Doctor as well as a link to the Center for Disease Control’s Traveler’s Health page.

Travel Immunizations – What you Really Need in Africa

So nobody likes getting shots but it seems every time you get ready to take a trip overseas you receive a laundry list of recommended immunizations. We asked our adventure friends around the world what they thought and below are their recommendations.

(Photo Coutesty of Africa Adventure Consultants)

Kent Redding from Africa Adventure Consultants recommends:

Basically, in Africa you don’t want to mess around. We recommend that clients get all the recommended inoculations, which vary by country, but often include, M. Meningitis, typhoid, polio, tetanus, and yellow fever.

Also recommend anti-malaria in almost every location. We even had our kids (ages 4 and 5) get all they could. I’ve had malaria several times and believe me you don’t want to get it. The shots hurt your arm and your pocket book but give you peace of mind and protection while on safari in Africa.

Leslie Nevison from Mamatembo Tours recommends:

The most misinformation that I encounter about an infectious disease is about malaria. Travelers who take an anti-malarial medication often feel more secure than they should about not catching it. They should still cover up bare arms and legs at dusk, use repellent, and sleep under a net as we all do who live in Africa. No meds are 100 % effective. It takes just one infected mosquito.

I have had malaria, once when I was on meds and once when I wasn’t. For those of us who spend long periods of time in malaria zones there is the theory that we are better off not taking meds, that they mask the symptoms, but this is an easily regrettable decision when someone close to you is struck down by their next attack. For short term visitors, it should be a much easier decision. Take the medication, cover up at dusk, and sleep under a net.

For my short term safari guests I have always suggested that the rabies vaccine isn’t necessary. Yet a recent experience has led me to change my mind. I had the pre-exposure vaccinations myself in 2007. I am not sure exactly what made me decide to have them after ten years on the African continent and 30 years of travel altogether to any number of destinations where rabies is a risk. But I am now thankful I did. While walking in a pleasant rural area of Zambia, I was badly bitten by a local dog.  It was an unprovoked attack and over in minutes.

I still had to have post-exposure boosters which are readily available in Lusaka but if I had had to seek them in South Africa or elsewhere, the pre-exposure vaccines I had several years ago allowed me greater protection and peace of mind. It is difficult to put a price on peace of mind.

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Of course always check with your doctor, but here is a handy list of what jabs are recommended by country from the TravelDoctor.