Natural Disasters - When Cheap Holidays Go Wrong and What to Avoid in 2009

If you have seen the footage of the Boxing Dayget a flight back, and also inform your embassy
Tsunami or the hurricanes that have sweptthat you are planning to be evacuated. If not
through the Gulf of Mexico, you must be awaremore, at least they will be able to give you
that when travelling on vacation you need to takeupdated information to help you. Do not consider
all necessary precautions to ensure that yourstaying on to see "how the situation works out",
vacation is a safe one. This includes checkingas you could find yourself stuck in the country
weather forecasts, getting proper insurance, andwith no way to get out (due to bad weather or
staying in good hotels which have properbad infrastructure) if you don't move fast.
emergency evacuation plans and also making sureWhile you can't predict earthquakes, volcanoes,
you and your family understands it completely.landslides, or tsunamis, you can predict hurricanes,
To start with, make sure you get a goodsnow storms, and tornadoes. You should avoid
insurance policy. Talk to your travel agent abouttravelling into areas that are known to have bad
the policy you should buy, and make sure that itweather at specific times in the year to avoid any
will specifically cover your costs if a naturalpitfalls. You can also look into local history to
disaster happens. In case, you have to ask for aunderstand potential dangers, for example, if you
refund due to bad weather before your holidayknow the area you are visiting has earthquakes,
starts, it is a good idea to involve your agent asmake sure you understand the hotel's evacuation
he/she will be able to work the system muchplan when you check in, and also teach your
better for you. Get the airline, hotel, and even thefamily the proper response to a quake. If you are
car rental payments reimbursed if you can.on a beach resort when the earthquake hits, then
You should also talk to your travel agent andhead to high ground immediately, regardless of
your embassy in the host country about thewhat everyone else is doing. If the area has
evacuation plans, in case you need one, andvolcanoes, then make sure you check up on how
always travel with the relevant numbers whichactive they are.
would include your embassy's phone number andIt is preparation and understanding the potential
the number of your family back home. This is soproblems you could come up with, that will enable
you could promptly get in touch with people whoyou to get your family and yourself out safely in
could help you.case a natural disaster strike. So, make sure that
If you are already on vacation when the naturalbefore you start planning any vacation, you look
disaster happens, then the first thing you need tointo all the potential natural calamities you could
do is get on the phone with your travel agent tocome across.