“Pre-COVID, all you needed was a passport,” says Shane McCarthy D.O., “Nowadays, the list is much longer—and different for each destination.

“Conditions for tourist entry are country specific and may include: Proof of vaccination status; documented negative COVID test within a certain timeframe prior to arrival; certification of international medical insurance coverage— which may need to specify trip dates, set dollar amounts (e.g., coverage up to U.S. $50,000), and other funding minimums to cover medical costs, food, and housing in case of quarantine; health forms and attestations; and self-quarantine and/or retesting after arrival.

“Find a list of specific requirements at your destination country’s U.S. Embassy website. If you are traveling to more than one country or region, you will need to meet the requirements for each location.”

The report offers advice on travelling on public transportation, what to expect when flying and answers questions on enjoying a cruise.

With so many more considerations and requirements for post-pandemic travel, in the report, McCarthy provides detailed to-do lists of what one should do before travelling. She says:

Pre-Travel Checklist

• Get Vaccinated with an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. Keep proof of your vaccine—make copies of the card or take a picture. If you live in a state that logs your vaccines electronically or has vaccine passports, keep the link and/or download the app.
• List COVID-specific requirements for your destination. Which documents do you need to present upon arrival? Pre-travel COVID test results? Proof of vaccination? Anything else? Be sure to check requirements for each leg of your trip, as they can vary.
• List COVID-specific requirements for returning home. Do you need proof of a negative COVID test prior to boarding your plane back to the U.S.? Check CDC and State Department websites for the most up-to-date requirements. If you plan to stay in a small town or village, COVID testing may not be available. Plan extra days to get tested.
• List further testing and self-quarantine requirements. Some destinations may require self-quarantining and/or further testing upon arrival. Check the U.S. embassy and local tourist board websites for each leg of your trip. You may also need to self-quarantine and/or get tested upon returning home. Check with local authorities.
• Make a list of additional travel recommendations for your destination. Country and region-specific suggestions can be found on the CDC website.

Source: Internationalliving.com

The report also includes checklists lists for a month before, a week before and a day before travel to ease folks back into a more open world.

The full report can be found, here: Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic

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About International Living

Since 1979, InternationalLiving.com has been the leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters, extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held around the world, InternationalLiving.com provides information and services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores. InternationalLiving.com has contributors traveling the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel, retirement, real estate, and investment.

Travel insurance expert Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage.com, a Silicon Valley-based travel insurance marketplace, offers some smart last-minute holiday travel tips. Here are some of his suggestions for a smooth trip:

Be ready for airport hassle: Last year TSA screened more than 1 million airline passengers during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. This year it’s estimated to be another busy weekend along with staffing shortages (i.e. TSA agents, airport personal and flight crew) combined with common weather delays. If you haven’t already, get a TSA precheck approval that will enable you to skip the lines. And don’t wait until the last minute to get to the airport!

Direct airline bookings vs online travel agencies: While it’s advisable to book directly with the airline to make potential delays/cancellations easier on you, sometimes online travel agencies just have an irresistible deal. Regardless of who you book with, be aware of the ticket’s policies. If your flight is disrupted by an unruly passenger or a more serious mechanical problem, you’ll want to know what you’re entitled to before you go. 

Don’t check baggage: If anything happens it complicates things when your bag is checked to, possibly, the wrong destination. It’s much easier to take your carry-on with you so you don’t have to worry about your baggage.

Trip insurance: It costs as low as $40 and can help offset the cost of an overnight hotel stay, meals, rebook flights, and more. Extra tip: trip insurance needs to be purchased at least one day before the trip.

Currently, the novel coronavirus is exhibiting a low mortality rate, but we now hear it may have mutated into a second strain. We have no idea if this could be worse than the first, but the airline executives are scrambling with 3 main challenges: 1) Calm public fears of flying. 2) Mitigate risk by improving sanitization efforts and boarding procedures that can help with social distancing. 3) Continue to make a profit and avoid the worst-case scenario.

And what is the worst-case scenario? Higher death tolls. Rapid spread. More unknowns. These are the game changers: A deadly pandemic would shut the airlines and the airports down. Any significant changes to the death rate, spread, or unknowns, creates an unfixable problem. The airlines become a health hazard. They elevate community spread. Business model fails.

Higher death rates with rapid community spread will not only shut down the airlines, it will shut down all modes of public transportation. The cascading effect of one sinister mutation that makes the next COVID-19 strain worse is very plausible, and if it happens now, the American people will be forced to quarantine in place. Given the worst-case scenario, not only will our transportation industries fail, but the supply chains fail, and the American people will fail too.

While the airlines scramble to mitigate risk, there’s only so much they can do. Worst-case – no options. Airplanes grounded. But what about our basic survival? What about our families? What about the ability for America to recover? We all know this risk is unmitigated and the American people can’t survive a sudden national lockdown. No reserves. No supply chains. Reliant on government alone.

Someday, sooner or later, we may have to lockdown the nation. We might have to stay in our homes to avoid mass contamination and spread. Whether a deadly pandemic, biowarfare, EMP, solar flare, or cyber warfare, our supply chains can get knocked out quickly and we need community reserves on hand. Stockpiling in response to panic is irresponsible and reckless. Sound, preventive measures that prepare us for the worst-case gives us hope for tomorrow, and strength for today.

As a former air carrier owner, I understand painfully well the dark challenges our U.S airlines face. In 2001, after September 11^th, I went from the scheduled airlines to building an on-demand airline that serviced worldwide travel on executive jets. In 2008, I developed defensive measures to secure emergency air travel in the grid-down environment. Today, I am well aware of the difficulties we face as a result of covid-19 and our overconfidence on U.S supply chains. As a result of that experience, I developed a countermeasure platform called the Safe State Project. It is built for the loss of our critical infrastructures, to provide rudimentary safeguards of statewide community food reserves which is precisely what America needs to weather the storm of deadly pandemic. Mass quarantine in-place may be coming. Relying on government alone won’t work.  Better to do the unthinkable: Plan on voluntary self-quarantine in communities of like-minded people now. More information is available at https://safestateproject.com/

Realizing that most people are unable or unwilling to embrace Safe States survival communities, and choose to continue flying on commercial airlines, here are some six quick helpful tips:

1. Knowing that all sorts of bacteria and viruses can live and spread from surfaces in the aircraft cabin, what makes it worse, the cabin air is recirculated and replenished many times per hour. Most commercial airliners have a HEPA filter system that works well to trap biological contaminates, but we still don’t know if it stops SARS and Covid-19 effectively. No definitive testing. We know covid-19 is considered transmittable at 6 feet. Original SARS was 2 feet. Commercial airlines have no social distancing built into the business plan, and they’re only profitable when the passenger cabin is full. So, again, wear a mask. With SARS, Air China Flight 112 gives us a good example. In a flight from Hong Kong to Beijing, it was discovered that one passenger in a middle row had SARS. 8 days later, 20 passengers and 2 Flight Attendants got infected. 5 died. Again, wear a mask.
2. Most difficult vulnerability: Surface contamination along with coughing and sneezing. Experts say Covid-19 may remain on surfaces for several days. Airlines make money when they’re efficient. Fast turnarounds. They usually hire 3^rd party cabin cleaners and they can only clean so much. No FAA regulations on cleaning/sanitizing, so we’re at the mercy of the last cleaning crew who are always in a rush. Bring hand sanitizer and use it.
3. The CDC says pick a window seat and keep the overhead vents pointed away from you. Throw a feather up and see what happens. The CDC says… pick a window seat. As long as you’re 2 rows away from any potentially infected individual, and as long as your flight is less than 8 hours, you should be okay. As for the restroom, try to hold it.
4. Elderly and those with compromised lungs should avoid travel altogether.
5. Wash your hands. Wash/sanitize your hands. Don’t touch face. Clean/disinfect your seat area.
6. Do your best to maintain “social distance”, wherever possible, while waiting to board, deplaning, etc.

Don Trumbull is an author and a former air carrier president and director of operations. Following a ten-year mission exploring the vulnerability of our U.S. air carriers/supply chains to the catastrophic threat of solar flare/electromagnetic pulse, in 2019 his broader findings inspired a civilian countermeasure system called the SAFE STATE Project. https://safestateproject.com/ An achievable on-site defense for individuals, communities, and emergency services, the SAFE STATE countermeasure is a low-cost alternative to hardening the critical infrastructures.

Here, from the experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), are six steps to healthy travel:

Get vaccinated now

“The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from the flu,” said Tedra Smith, DNP, nurse practitioner and an instructor at the UAB School of Nursing. “It is also the best way to prevent the spread of the flu.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people age 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccination. While you may still contract the flu even if you take the shot, the vaccine helps reduce the severity of illness in people who are vaccinated.

Prepare a travel health kit

Just as you arrive at the airport with your tickets and identification, make sure you are prepared for the germs you may encounter along the way to your destination. UAB recommends preparing a travel health kit, including tissues, pain or fever medicine, soap, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes.

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze

Expect the airport, planes and other places of public transportation to be crowded. This means a greater risk for the spread of germs.. To help protect those around you, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. “When you cover your mouth or nose when you cough or sneeze, the germs will then spread onto everything else you touch with your hands,” Smith said. “Instead, use your elbow or a tissue. This will greatly reduce the number of germs that spread to people and objects around you.”

Have a travel health kit – including pain relief medicine and hand wipes – and keep it with you on the plane.

Wash your hands

Even if you took precautions to protect yourself from the flu, that does not mean everyone around you also did the same.  Health experts recommend that you use hand sanitizer or wash your hands with soap after touching your face or public shared spaces such as door handles, seat buckles and transportation seats.

Remember to take sanitizing wipes

Some of the germiest places on airplanes are right where you sit. Use disinfecting wipes to clean armrests, tray tables and seatbelts when you board your flight. You can even use wipes to clean handrails you may touch, or when opening and closing door handles. If you are staying in a hotel, the wipes are also useful to disinfect the television remote control, the toilet handle, elevator buttons and other frequently touched surfaces.

Drink plenty of water

Stay hydrated to help your body fight viruses. Water helps keep your temperature normal and gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements. To stay hydrated, stick with water and avoid caffeinated beverages.

When you have travel insurance, however, you can feel better knowing that at least some of your travel expenses will be reimbursed. But what if you file your claim, and it comes back denied?

Here are some reasons that could happen:

You didn’t purchase the right kind of insurance for your needs: People often don’t take the time to understand what their insurance provides. For example, the medical expenses probably won’t be covered if a traveler is going heli-skiing and gets injured. In this case, the traveler should have purchased Adventure Travel coverage, Many travelers assume that one policy covers everything. Take the time to read your policy, and if you haven’t purchased one yet, look at a few sites online to get a general idea of how travel insurance works. If you need to submit a claim, a solid understanding of your policy will be the best tool at your disposal. Most policies will have glossaries of the terms, or you can review one online. Click here for the one on my site, www.travelinsurance.com.

You misunderstood what is needed when submitting: Some travelers may think they understand everything they need to submit when filing a claim, but they may miss important details. This can hold things up or cause the claim to be denied altogether.  We recommend always calling the insurance company before submitting a claim. Read up on your plan so you have a basic understanding. From there, you can ask what documents are needed specifically, the correct steps to file a claim and the best route to send in the claim. The process is usually straightforward for filling out forms and submitting them with the right documentation, but the more complete everything is, the faster the claim will be filed and the payments made.

Documentation is key when filing an insurance claim.

You failed to provide proof: Documentation is key when it comes to receiving a payout for covered situations. Even if travelers are fully entitled to the benefits of a travel insurance claim, they can wind up with a claim denial if they do not provide the documentation to back their claim up. An insurer will want proof of a trip delay, cancellation or event that causes a policyholder to file a claim, along with receipts that pertain to the purchases made.

Before anything goes wrong, it is always important to keep track of your purchases related to your trip — receipts and credit card statements showing that you actually paid for the flights, hotels and other trip-related costs that you are claiming against. When you submit your claim, make sure you have all the documentation you can think of. For instance, for ticket compensation, you will need to produce receipts for the tickets. For lost luggage, you will have to provide the list of items inside the luggage as well and so on. Without this information, the insurer has no way to verify that you actually paid for the trip costs. If you are filing a claim for a stolen personal effect during your travels, you should make sure to save the documentation provided by the local police (when you reported the theft) so the insurer can validate that the event actually happened. You might also want to take pictures of all of the items you are bringing on your trip just before you pack them.

You waited too long: Most insurance providers require consumers to file a claim within a specific period from the event of loss. Some insurance providers may offer a period of a few weeks while others may offer a period of one month to file a claim. Travelers should review their policy or call the insurance company to know about the exact period. If a claim is filed after the due date, most insurance providers will reject the application without any consideration. Most modern travel insurance companies have websites that allow claims to be digitally submitted and processed. This is a great way to get the process rolling and helps save time to meet the deadlines.

You take no for a final answer:  Travel insurance claims usually take a few weeks to process. However, complicated claims take longer. For some, if their claim is denied they may fume, but that does little to change the outcome. If your claim is denied, contact the company or agent that sold you the travel insurance plan right away. They will often help with filing an appeal. The good news is that about 50 percent of appeals are honored, so taking this extra step is not a wasted effort, especially if you feel strongly that your claim is valid. When a company will not honor an appeal, the next step is to contact the state insurance commissioner and the Better Business Bureau and see if they can assist.

Stan Sandberg is a co-founder of TravelInsurance.com, overseeing finance, business development and partnerships. Together with partner Drew Sharma, Stan launched TravelInsurance.com in 2010 with the vision of simplifying the complicated world of travel insurance by providing consumers with the easiest way to compare and purchase trip insurance .  For more information, click here.

In fact, a recent survey from TravelInsurance.com found that more than 90% of travelers have experienced at least some type of travel mishap, with three in four experiencing a flight delay.

To ensure you are covered if something goes awry during your holiday travel this year, consider purchasing travel insurance to ensure you are protected.

At just 4% to 8% of the total trip costs, travel insurance is an affordable way to gain peace of mind by protecting your investment. And when travelers compare rates online before purchasing a travel insurance policy, they may save even more.

TIPS FOR PURCHASING TRAVEL INSURANCE

TravelInsurance.com has the following tips for purchasing travel insurance for your holiday travel:

• Consider when, and where, you are traveling to (and from!). Hurricanes, storms and snowfalls are unpredictable and can derail holiday plans. Once a storm is named, you can no longer purchase travel insurance with cancellation coverage to protect your investment. If you are traveling to, or from, an often affected area, travel insurance becomes even more critical.
• Keep in mind who you are traveling with. Kids can get sick, and older travelers may need greater medical coverage while away from home. When reviewing travel insurance plans, be sure to know what is covered if you need to cancel or need assistance while away. Consider the likely scenarios specific to your travel companions before landing on a plan.
• Your activities matter. Will you be sitting around eating holiday cookies with grandma, heli-skiing with friends, or golfing with your brother in Florida? For the more adventurous traveler, look for a plan with hazardous sports coverage. And for the active traveler, look for a plan that will cover your sporting equipment such as skis or golf clubs. Some plans will even cover lost ski days or golf fees because of extreme weather.
• Use a comparison site. The two biggest benefits of purchasing a travel insurance plan through a comparison site are choice and savings. Travelers can compare ratings, quotes and features for a multitude of policies. Viewing a side-by-side explanation of benefits allows travelers to choose a policy that makes the most sense for individual needs and at the right price. A comparison site may also offer verified customer reviews to give prospective customers a clear picture of past customer experiences with various providers and plans. Potential buyers can select upgrades and see the price adjustments without hassle.
• Purchase insurance early. Many travelers are unaware of the importance of purchasing your travel insurance within 7-21 days of your first payment toward your trip. This is especially important for those looking for a plan that takes pre-existing conditions into consideration or for those looking to upgrade to a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) plan as your departure date draws near.

Many travelers must carry their medicines with them across international borders to treat chronic or serious health problems. However, each country has its own guidelines about which medicines are legal. Medicines that are commonly prescribed or available over the counter in the United States could be considered unlicensed or controlled substances in other countries. For example, in Japan, some inhalers and certain allergy and sinus medications are illegal. Also, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strict narcotics laws that have landed many travelers in prison.

While rules vary from country to country, there can be serious consequences if you violate the laws of the country you’re visiting. These consequences can range from confiscation (removal) of your medicine, which could harm your medical treatment, to stiff penalties, including imprisonment on charges for drug trafficking. To avoid medicine-related issues during your travel, follow these tips from the Center for Disease Control’s CDC Travelers’ Health.

Before You Go

• Check with the foreign embassy of the country you will be visiting or passing through to make sure your medicines are permitted in that country. ◦Be aware that many countries only allow taking a 30-day supply of certain medicines and require the traveler to carry a prescription or a medical certificate.

◦If your medicine is banned at your destination, talk with your health care provider about alternative medicine or destination options, and have your doctor write a letter describing your condition and the treatment plan.

◦The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) provides general information about country regulations for travelers carrying medicines that are made with controlled substances. It’s important to note that INCB may not have information from all countries or territories.

• Make an appointment with a travel medicine specialist or your health care provider to get needed vaccines and medicines at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave. ◦If you plan to be gone for more than 30 days, talk to your doctor about how you can get enough medicine for your trip. Sometimes insurance companies will pay for only a 30-day supply at a time.

◦Ask your doctor about any changes to taking your medicine once you’re in a different time zone. Medicines should be taken according to the time since your last dose, not the local time of day.

◦Ask how to safely store medicine and check whether it needs refrigeration. Keep in mind that extreme temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of many medicines.

• Pack smart and put your medicines in your carry-on luggage. You don’t want to be stuck without them if your suitcase gets lost! ◦Bring enough medicine to last your whole trip, plus a little extra in case of delays.

◦Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers. Ensure that they are clearly labeled with your full passport name, doctor’s name, generic and brand name, and exact dosage.

◦Bring copies of all prescriptions, including the generic names for medicines.

◦Leave a copy of your prescriptions at home with a friend or relative in case you lose your copy or need an emergency refill.

◦Pack a note on letterhead stationery from the prescribing doctor (preferably translated into the language understood at your destination) for controlled substances, such as marijuana, and injectable medicines, such as EpiPens and insulin.

Buying Medicine at Your Destination

Don’t plan on being able to buy your medicines at your destination. They may not be available, and if they are, they may not meet US quality standards. In many developing countries, counterfeit drugs are a big problem.

If you must buy drugs during your trip in an emergency, there are ways to reduce your chances of buying counterfeit drugs:

• Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate. They should be able to connect you with doctors and pharmacies that can help you find reliable, quality medicines.
• Buy medicines only from licensed pharmacies and get a receipt. Do not buy medicines from open markets.
• Ask the pharmacist whether the drug has the same active ingredient as the one you were taking.
• Make sure the medicine is in its original packaging.
• Look closely at the packaging. Sometimes poor-quality printing or otherwise strange-looking packaging will indicate a counterfeit product.

Other information:

Traveling with Medications, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Travel Smartly with Prescription Medications, U.S. Department of State

Traveling with Prescription Medications, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Reprinted courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About the CDC: The agency’s mission is to keep Americans safe and healthy where they live, work and play. Scientists and disease detective work around the world to track diseases, research outbreaks, respond to emergencies of all kinds and use what they learn from this work to strengthen America’s health and resilience. For more information, visit the agency’s website.

It’s very easy to get lazy about doing our workouts when we are traveling, as it is to overeat and eat poorly. When we do those things, we are doing more harm than we realize. It’s important to make the commitment that you are going to be healthy and fit, and that includes being accountable when you are on the road, just like athletes do.

Athletes travel often, sometimes for weeks on end, depending on the sport they play. Yet they always maintain being fit, because they make it a priority and follow the principles that help them no matter where they may be. Even making small efforts can help keep you fit and feeling good while you are traveling.

Here are 6 things to make a priority on your next road trip, so that you maintain an athlete’s routine:

• Sleep – According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep plays a vital role in good health and well being. Getting enough quality sleep helps to protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. When you are sleeping during travel, it can be more difficult to get a good night’s sleep, especially if you went to a different time zone. Try to maintain a bedtime routine, and when it’s time for bed keep the room dark, ensure it’s at a cool temperature, and keep the phones and tablets in a separate room or turn them off. Consider taking melatonin to help with jet lag, better sleep, and to help reset the body’s clock. It can be bought over-the-counter at any pharmacy.
• Nutrition – This is extremely important when traveling. Plan your meals in advance to ensure you will be eating healthy. Use your phone to look up restaurant menus ahead of time, so you can opt for healthier entrees. Carry healthy snacks with you, such as trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, healthy snack bars, fresh fruit, etc. When dining out, steer clear of the dishes that have been deep fried. If you can carry a small cooler with you on the road, keep fresh fruit, veggies, and dips such as hummus in it. Eating healthy when traveling will help you maintain your weight, keep you from feeling guilty, and help you avoid gastrointestinal issues. According to the National Institutes of Health, you can still eat healthy when dining out. They recommend avoiding all-you-can-eat buffets, and opting for dishes that have been baked, broiled, grilled, roasted, or steamed.
• Hydration – The American Heart Association reports that keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles, and it helps the muscles work more efficiently. They also report that it is important to keep tabs on your hydration during travel, because you may sweat differently in different climates. Again, this is an extremely important area. It’s important to stay well-hydrated. Opt for water, unsweetened tea, or some coconut water. Avoid sugary beverages, and avoid drinking too much alcohol. You can help your body stay hydrated by eating foods that have a lot of water content, such as watermelon, cucumber, and pineapple.
• Mobility and stretching – According to the National Institute on Aging, flexibility and stretching exercises give you more freedom of movement for your physical and everyday activities. Stretching can improve your flexibility. Stick with your normal workout routines as much as possible. Professional athletes have specific routines they adhere to, based on the needs of their bodies, and there are certain time frames within which they try to get it done following a flight. It’s very important to continue your mobility and stretching routines while traveling.
• Strength training – According to the Mayo Clinic, strength training can help you develop strong bones, manage your weight, enhance your quality of life, manage chronic conditions, and sharpen your thinking skills. It can also help you reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass, and help your body burn calories in a more efficient manner. Our professional athletes still lift, even lightly, when they are on the road. It’s crucial to maintain doing this in order to meet the goals of an athlete, but for most people it serves as a “reset” of sorts for their body, from a posture perspective, and it helps solidify that proper pattern. You can put together a strength training routine that uses your own body weight and can be done in hotel rooms or outdoors.
• Improvise. When traveling, there is a good chance you won’t have all the things you use at home to get in a good workout, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improvise. Plan ahead and see what’s in the area you will be in. Be flexible and use what you will have access to, so that you get that workout in. Check for hotel or nearby gyms, trails where you can go for a run or a brisk walk, and parks that offer a free workout system. You can also pack some lightweight fitness gadgets, such as your running shoes, a jump rope, and resistance bands. Do what you have to in order to get the activity in.

When you make keeping fit on the road a priority, you will come home feeling great. Plus, you will maintain your fitness all year long. There’s no better feeling than that. A little planning, effort, and commitment go a long way.

Sarah Walls has over 15 years experience in coaching and personal training. Owner of SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc, founded in 2007, she offers coaching to develop athletes, adult programs, team training, and has an online coaching program. She is also the strength and conditioning coach for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and has over eight years of experience working as an NCAA D1 strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer. To learn more, visit the site: www.saptstrength.com.

SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc.

Located in Fairfax, Virginia, SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc. is a high-performance training club that specializes in helping to develop athletes of all ages. They offer athletic training programs for youth, college students, and amateurs. The company was founded in 2007 by Sarah Walls, a professional strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer with NCAA D1 experience, who is the strength and conditioning coach for the WNBA Washington Mystics team. To learn more, visit the site: www.saptstrength.com.

• Let someone know where you are going and how to contact you. Designate at least one emergency contact and share your itinerary and any updates with that person. Make a general rule that you update your contact, even briefly, once you hit an internet cafe or get decent wi-fi coverage on your phone or tablet. Also, you can publish a travel blog along the way or update all of your friends and family with frequent social media posts. But remember, keep your social media profiles private so strangers can’t track you down.
• Purchase travel insurance. If something goes wrong on your trip, travel insurance can be almost as good as having a travel companion. Comprehensive travel insurance plans typically include trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel medical, and emergency evacuation coverages, as well as 24/7 global travel assistance. If cash or credit cards are stolen, travel insurance can help you get back on track. If you get sick or injured, a travel insurance plan’s global medical assistance services can help navigate a foreign hospital system for you. A comprehensive travel insurance plan with trip cancellation coverage will typically range from 4 to 8 percent of the total trip costs. A plan with just medical and emergency evacuation can cost considerably less.
• Prepare with a comprehensive checklist. The U.S. State Department has a great Traveler’s Checklist, which specifies four things travelers should do: Get Informed, Get Required Documents, Get Enrolled, and Get Insured. Registering with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (the Traveler’s Checklist will show you how) provides you with travel advisory updates on your destination and gives the U.S. embassy a way to reach you. Also, keep a list of your emergency contacts handy, including U.S. embassies or consulates, hotels, and 24/7 Global Assistance phone numbers found in your travel insurance plan. Many of the U.S. embassies and consulates use social media to provide information, so that’s another way to stay connected.
• Memorialize the adventure. Keeping a travel journal is a great way to reflect on what you are seeing, learning and experiencing. Sharing your travel experiences can be rewarding for both you and your audience. In addition, keep all receipts and documentation for any expenses associated with the trip before and during the vacation. In the event you would need to file a travel insurance claim, receipts and other proof of loss will be necessary to get reimbursed.

For more information and travel tips, visit https://www.travelinsurance.com/.

1. Be Prepared. Water, food, sunscreen and a first-aid kit are just a few items that may come in handy throughout your hike. You may also want to bring a wilderness or survival kit that includes things that are needed for the specific climate you are in or terrain you’ll be hiking. Always carry a compass with you instead of relying on your cellphone’s GPS. You may not have a signal. Bring a map of the area you are walking and do a little research beforehand on trails to ensure a stress-free afternoon. And don’t forget to tell others where you are going..
2. Take Breaks. Go at your own pace and take as many breaks as you need. Water and snack breaks are good ways to re-hydrate and build up energy. Incorporate a few stretching and picture-taking stops that will allow you to finish your trail in high spirits and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you!
3. Watch Weather. Make sure you’re prepared for any type of weather because conditions can change unexpectedly during a hike. Bring rain gear if the forecast calls for showers. Know the expected length of time of your hike so you are able to make on-the-spot decisions should the weather change.
4.  Pick a Playlist. Feeling tired and need that extra boost to finish the trail? Throw on a pair of headphones and listen to your favorite songs to give you that extra strength and motivation. It’s a great way to build up energy and get you to the end of your trail!
5. Make a Real Connection. Hiking is a wonderful way to bond with friends and the great outdoors. Start planning your next nature adventure and get ready to create some lasting memories. But remember, take a break from technology and put that phone away to really enjoy your company and the surrounding scenery! BONUS TIP: Even though you have your phone put away, you may want to bring a portable cellphone charger. If you were to veer off course or something were to go wrong, you want to make sure that you have a way call for help.

Envolve, Inc.® is a family of health solutions, working together to make healthcare simpler, more effective and more accessible for everyone. As an agent for change in healthcare, Envolve is committed to transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Envolve unifies medical management, utilization management, specialty pharmacy, PBM, vision, dental, behavioral health management, life and health/wellness management, empowerment and education services, telehealth services, 24/7 nurse advice services, and data, analytics and IT solutions. For more information, please visit our website http://www.envolvehealth.com/ or contact us today at info@envolvehealth.com.