Health Travel Insurance Center

How to apply for a U.S passport:

–Do you need a passport or a visa? A visa is issued by the country you are going to, and is necessary if you intend to stay for a long period of time. Obviously, the length of time before a visa is required varies by the country.

–Plan ahead. The process of obtaining a passport is not difficult, but it usually takes about three weeks. So don’t postpone your application if you are planning to travel overseas.

–If you need a faster response, an expedited processing will cost an additional $60, whether you are applying for a first-time passport, or renewing an existing one.

–You will need a certified birth certificate, two identical passport-size photos (2X2 inches), your social security card and your drivers license.

–You must apply in person if this is your first U.S. passport application; or if your previous US passport expired and was issued when you were under 16; or if your name has changed since your passport was issued and you do not yet have a legal document formally changing your name.

–Remember, your passport is the only valid ID accepted once you cross an international border. Carry it with you at all times (a money belt is an excellent investment before you leave, and will be the ideal place to carry this and other important documents).

–If your passport is lost or stolen while your are in another country, go immediately to the nearest US embassy or consulate to have a replacement issued.

–For more information, visit the US Department of State’s website at http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html.

COPYRIGHT © Charles Brown, 2006. All rights reserved.

Think budget travel equals boring travel? Think again!
Learn the Guerrilla Traveler’s insider secrets to budget adventure travel to the world’s most exciting places
and experience the coolest travel adventures without spending a bundle.
Charles Brown is a former attorney who now spends his time indulging his passion
for travel and shares the unique travel destinations and adventure travel bargains
he uncovers on his blog, Guerrilla Traveler - Adventure on a Budget, http://www.guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com.

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Part of the adventure of travel is finding new and memorable restaurants at your destination.

One of my favorite travel adventures was eating at Asti’s in New York City’s Greenwich Village the first time I went to New York (many, many years ago). I was thoroughly impressed by the opera-singing waiters, the delicious Italian food and the wall of photos and autographs of famous people who have eaten at Asti’s (it was said to have been President Franklin Roosevelt’s favorite restaurant).

Whether it is a sidewalk caf

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If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel.
Will Kommen

I’ve had diarrhea in forty nations.
Eugene Robert Black

I’m following up on an earlier article I wrote on how to stay healthy when you travel (see “Stay Healthy When You Travel,” at http://guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com/2006/02/stay-healthy-when-you-travel.html#links). It is all well and good to talk about adventure travel on a budget, but no one wants the “adventure” part of adventure travel to be losing your last meal far from home.
As an added resource, I have found several sites with helpful tips on how to stay healthy when you travel.

• Familydoctor.org has a list of vaccines you might get before you travel, precautions against food that could make you sick and what to put in a first aid kit. Check it out at: http://familydoctor.org/311.xml”>Familydoctor.org
• Govexec.com has a number of tips for business travelers, including how to keep up with your exercise schedule while on the road, how to deal with jet lag, and the importance of getting up to stretch your legs while on a long flight. The link to this information is at: http://www.govexec.com/features/1002/1002travelS5.htm
• There is a good article for cruise travelers on how to avoid getting sick when you go ashore in www.findarticles.com . The article, which you can find at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCP/is_5_23/ai_83582782, offers some very good advice on how to keep your long-dreamed-of cruise vacation a happy and healthy experience.
• Gorp.away.com has a whole section of great articles on this subject at http://gorp.away.com/gorp/health/main.htm Since Gorp is particularly focused on outdoor adventure travel and tours, their site emphasizes staying healthy outdoors. Among the topics they cover are, avoiding acute mountain sickness, avoiding poison ivy and other pesky plants, preventing heat exhaustion and how to protect yourself from tick-borne diseases.

I certainly hope these references will go a long way toward keeping you safe and healthy when you travel. By all means, make sure your “adventure” travel is the right kind of adventure and stay healthy.

COPYRIGHT © 2006, Charles Brown. All rights reserved.

Think budget travel equals boring travel? Think again! Learn the Guerrilla Traveler’s insider secrets to budget adventure travel to the world’s most exciting places
and experience the coolest travel adventures without spending a bundle. Charles Brown is a former attorney who now spends his time indulging his passion
for travel and shares the unique travel destinations and adventure travel bargains he uncovers on his blog, Guerrilla Traveler - Adventure on a Budget, http://www.guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com

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