In Making Travel Plans, Look Before You Leave

Not long ago I took a day-cruise in Florida, a brand new day-pack slung over my shoulder. Within two hours it had been sliced open almost enough for a small hand to reach in. I hadn’t felt a thing.

A “Gypsy trick,” the security man called it. It’s similar to another tactic, more popular in European cities, in which packs of children surround and distract a tourist by shoving paper into his or her face while a flurry of small hands clean out the victim’s pockets.

You may not like to think too much about safety when planning a trip, but the more aware and prepared you are for potential problems, the less chance there is that you’ll have a bad experience.

For example, after boarding the overnight train in Thailand several years ago I was relieved to find it clean and modern, then taken aback when a security man smiled and handed me a card that said, “Welcome.” It warned: “Don’t accept food or drinks from strangers; they may be drugged.”

My first reaction was to worry. Then I felt relieved. Similar incidents have occurred in other areas of the world. But here, passengers were being informed, lessening the chance of it happening again.

Here are some other situations worth thinking about when traveling abroad:

--Don’t swim unless you’ve checked out an area’s currents and creatures. More than 200 million people in South America, Africa and parts of the Far East and Middle East experience serious health problems from schistosomiasis, a parasite that hides in freshwater snails.

--If this is your first independent foreign adventure, consider choosing destinations that are used to handling lots of young visitors, such as Europe. You’ll find a better range of services in your price range.

--Carry your traveler’s checks, passport and tickets in a belt or pouch under your clothing, out of the reach of pickpockets. If someone confronts you, your personal safety is paramount. The documents can be replaced; you can’t be. Keep a separate record of your traveler’s check numbers so that they can be easily replaced.

--Don’t carry parcels across borders for other people, and don’t cross a border in a vehicle owned by someone you don’t know. If illegal goods are transported, you could be charged, too. You fall under the auspices of the laws of the country you are in. Penalties for drugs can be extremely harsh--including death--in some foreign countries.

--Many hope to supplement their travel budgets by working abroad. Your earnings and savings potential is usually far greater at home. Don’t restrict yourself to a budget so tight that you could be stuck staying somewhere uncomfortable. Leave yourself an emergency fund, or method (for example, a credit card), to help bail you out if you don’t feel safe.

--Before you settle into a hostel or hotel, make sure that you know how to get out quickly in an emergency. In September a fire at an independent youth hostel in the Kings Cross area of Sydney, Australia, resulted in five deaths.

The cheapest place isn’t always the best, even if you are on limited funds. Standards for safety and cleanliness are different around the world, so take a good look and use your best judgment.

--Get medical advice before you leave home. If you feel sick during or after your trip, make sure your doctor knows where you’ve been. Some serious ailments don’t appear for months or even years.

Two years ago I took anti-malaria medication and still contracted two forms of a disease. One form took five months to surface. But because I knew to question the symptoms and got help from a tropical disease clinic, I recovered successfully.

Take along adequate medical coverage, and a guidebook that lists contact numbers for emergency services and embassies.

Consider joining IAMAT, the nonprofit International Assn. for Medical Assistance to Travelers. Membership is by donation. Members receive a worldwide listing of American- and British-trained doctors, who have information on immunization, food and water standards, and serious diseases such as malaria and schistosomiasis. Write to IAMAT, 417 Center St., Lewiston, N.Y. 14092.