TRAVEL INSURANCE; DO YOU NEED IT?

Most times when I travel, I never think about anything going wrong. But I’ve traveled enough to know that things can and will go wrong; so I’m ready. From losing your wallet, to getting robbed and you have no passport or money! But one thing I believe most of us never thing about when traveling is what would we do if there is a medical emergency? 

What would you do if you had a sudden health issue while traveling? Would you know which doctor or hospital to go to? Would you know the local language to inform them of your issue or explain to them what you think is wrong? What if you required a medical evacuation to get proper treatment? How would you pay for it? What if you had to be medically evacuated back to your country? A medical emergency can cause a lot of money and most insurance don’t cover you while outside of your country. Also, most countries don’t accept insurance from other countries. So what would you do?

Many medical emergencies can be avoided with a little pre-travel planning especially if family members have medical issues or allergies. But what about those unpredictable medical emergencies such as accidents, or diseases, viruses and other contaminations that certain areas of the world exposes us to when we visit them? Cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and strokes. Broken bones. 

I always travel with a first aid kit regardless of where I’m going. Why, because sickness or medical emergencies happens anytime night or day and it always happen when you’re somewhere, or that time when everything is closed. So you got to be ready. Carrying a first aid kit is fine, but there are other steps you can take to protect yourself.  Always carry aspirin, diarrhea medication (such as Imodium) and an antihistamine for mild allergic reactions to environmental pollutants or food.

In addition to carrying a list of any medications you may need, it’s important to have a card with your family doctor’s name and contact information, plus a brief summary of your medical history. It would be good for the doctors treating you to know you have allergies or taking medications for chronic illness. Many people wear wristbands, neckless, ID tags (dog tags) stating they are allergic to penicillin drugs, codeine, or that they have a rare blood type, a stent or an artificial heart valve. Such information should also appear on your medical history card.

Here in America, when you call 911, and they show up. The ambulance will take a patient to the closest emergency room or any hospital that is accepting new cases, in a nonlife-threatening emergency. Travelers are usually unaware of the quality and quantity of medical facilities in a new area where they may suddenly find themselves, so it would be a good idea to ask the locals where to go.

Many people think that their regular health insurance policy will cover them if they experience a medical emergency while traveling overseas. Don’t bet on it because more likely your policy doesn’t. Know how to contact the U.S. Embassy; The Consular at the American Embassy in the country you’re traveling to should be able to assist you in a medical emergency by helping you to find good medical care and by notifying your family back home. You can also go online to access information about U.S. embassies worldwide. 

So, the next time before you go be sure to plan ahead by familiarizing yourself with the health care system and whether or not, your insurance is accepted in the country you'll be visiting. That way your vacation can be as worry-free as possible with lots of great memories.

MEDEX--- A United Healthcare Global Company who provides International Travel Insurance & Emergency Evacuation Assistance. Very affordable, and their plans are flexible depending on your travel plans. It is often a good idea to buy additional travel health coverage before traveling abroad. HealthCare International, HTH Worldwide, GoSure.com and other companies provide travel emergency insurance. You can find them on the Internet or through friends’ recommendations. 

--thejamericantraveler

The Jamerican Traveler is a Jamaican born living in America who has been travelling since 1993, and begin blogging with the main aim of inspiring others by sharing travel experiences one country at a time. Haven’t been everywhere yet, but it’s on their list. What's on your list?

Follow the journey on Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Wordpress and Instagram.

Chicago; travel warning needed!

The headline news read “12 killed, more than 50 injured in weekend violence”. This took place in Chicago. Known as the windy city, the Chicago Bulls, and many other things that makes Chicago, Chicago. But today it’s better known for the EXTREMELY HIGH CRIME and MURDER RATE.

The US Department of States issues travel warning all the time about places that are not in the best interest of American citizens to visit and if they do, to take extreme precautions. They give information they see as very vital for travelers on where to visit and where not to go because of violence and other criminal activities. Most of the time it is based on the high level of criminal activities such as; Kidnappings, murder, rape, robberies, political uproars, and terroristic groups

Well, I’m wondering when will they issue one for Chicago? The gang and crime rates are out of control and very dangerous. Would be considered “Extremely high” if Chicago was located in any other country. Over Memorial Day weekend, there were over “60” reported gunshot incidences where several individuals lost their lives. And this past weekend, over 40 more reported incidences.

The death toll for the area as of June 21, 2016 is unbelievable. And this is only for the ones that have been reported; that the police and media knows about. You would think you’re in a war zone. Check out the stats below;
Year to Date

Shot & Killed: 280

Shot & Wounded: 1530

Total Shot: 1810

Total Homicides: 311

Can you believe this? OMG. This is alarming. Yet the U.S. Department of States have not issued any travel warning about Chicago. And did I mentioned that one of those killed was a Chicago singer who appeared on the Mexican version of "The Voice" in 2011; or this weekend a 3 year old was one of the victims? He was killed at a celebration after they were ambushed over the weekend of June 17-19.

So, here on American soil, the U.S. Department of states is letting travelers visit Chicago without warning. It’s like saying, “You’re in America, so nothing will happen to you”. This is one of the many reason why many other countries despised America so much because of the double standards that takes place in this country.

Travelers need to be advised on what’s going on in Chicago and America like anywhere else in the world. They need to be given the same information that would be given if they were going to Europe, the Caribbean or the Middle East. We need to know where to go and areas not to visit. This could be the thing that save us or our family and friends from a horrific experience.

As usual, be safe, have fun. Check the web for information on where you will be traveling to. Look at what others are saying. Make sure to do some research. Don't be naive, yield to the warning signs. Share your memories and have a time of your life.

Airline mileage; Are they worth it?

In all my years of traveling and that’s been a lot of traveling; I’ve never used airline miles. I’ve had many miles lost because I just didn’t used them over the years. Early on this year I decided that I will use my miles this year and will not let them expire. When I check my American Airline advantage balance, I had 25, 000 and change miles. As I’m preparing for a trip to Belize I decided why not use my miles. And that’s where the crazy fun begins.

I called American Airline customer service rep and inquired about how to go about using my miles. After several transfers and back and forth, I was told I need to log into my advantage account and book the flight from there. I was also told that miles for Belize start at 12,500 miles. Now I was excited because I had 25,000 and change miles, so I should be good (crazy of me to think it would be that easy).

I went online, logged into my American Airline advantage account and begin the process. First thing I noticed is that the flight miles started at 25,000 depending on the date of departure. There were several selections for what kind of flight I wanted which would determine the amount of miles I would have to have for the flight. Funny enough, none of the lower miles where available.

After booking my round trip flight which cost about $598 with all taxes and fees included, I was told I need to purchase roughly 40,000 miles in order to use my 25,000 miles to redeem this flight. Turns out it takes 65,000 miles for this flight and I would still have to pay for all taxes and fees because they are not included in the miles. So, I clicked on the link to buy the remaining miles needed to use for my miles and what do you know? 40,000 miles cost almost $1300.00. Yes, $1300.00. OMG, are you kidding me. WOW. No way. Am I reading this wrong? No I’m not!

So, if I ended up using my miles to book this ticket, I would end up paying over $2300 for this flight when I could just purchase it for $598 by not using the miles, or get it for under $500 with another airline. I could purchase (4) four ticket for this price. What a rip-off. Just plum crazy. To think that these airlines are taking us for fools. Expecting us to buy into their nonstop daily emails about deals when there aren’t any deal. Just a bunch of misleading advertisement to get us to their pages.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with these miles, because I’m in the process of closing this advantage account. It dawned on me that this mileage thing is like a money marketing account that’s losing money daily. It’s no longer an asset, it’s now a liability. And even insurance companies cut you off when you become too much of a liability to them.

What’s you take on this? Have you ever used airline miles? What’s your experience with using airline miles?

The Jamerican Traveler.

Go lite…..Packing Tips for traveling in 2017 & beyond

I see people at the airport all the time lugging all these luggage with them for a 3, 4 or 5 day trip and I’m like seriously people? Are you kidding me? Do you really need all of that for a few days? You just paid over $80 in fees that could have gone to something else.

Most countries have compact taxis, so they may not be able to accommodate all your luggage. You may have to take two taxi or pay extra for a larger vehicle.
So, are you having trouble deciding what to bring with you on vacation or how to prepare for anything without taking too much or too little? Somethings to consider when planning for your next vacation or travel that can save you time and money because bags do cost money, a lot of it today.

When planning your trip, you want to ask yourself these questions;
    a. How long will I be traveling for.
    b. What activities will I be partaking in?
    c. What will the weather (climate) be like where I’m going?
    d. Will I be moving a lot or staying in one place (Hotel, Guess House, B&B)

Now, I know some of you ladies are already foaming at the mouth and your heart is beating fast ready to respond to this and let me have it. But ladies, you don’t need all of that. Half of the stuff you take with you are never used anyway. Think about the things you can’t live without, the non-negotiable items and pack those first. Then anything else you think you may need.
By gathering your clothes based on how long you’ll be gone, the activities and occasion will also help with what to take. You can also consider renting special gears and equipment that you may need.
You want to check the weather forecast for the destination you’ll be visiting and consider what the weather conditions are during the time you’ll be there. If it’s summer, pack accordingly but you’ll not pack for summer when it’s winter would you?

Another great way to go lite is to pack for half your trip and wash as you go. When I’m traveling to the Caribbean Islands where it’s warm, I only take a few short and two sets of casual outfits for event I may attend. Shorts and T-shirts can easily be washed and put out to dry at nights.


Pack enough clean outfits to last the entire vacation or half of your stay with a plan to wash your clothes midway through the trip I also purchase items while there. Many of these countries that we visit are a lot cheaper than where you live. So you can purchase items and dispose of them when you depart.

If you move around like I do when I travel (staying at different B&B, Hotels), you have to consider lugging all that luggage with you. Consider walking long distances with your baggage in tow and how that will be.

Unlike where you live, you may have to walk up ridged or ruff terrains with your luggage to get to where you’re going. A small carryon suitcase and a bag pack is all that’s needed for a trip less than seven day. And even some trip that are more than that typically don’t requires more than that.

By working these detail out, you will have a better idea on what you need to take with you which will make your packing so much easier and less stressful. And don’t forget all the souvenirs we all like to take back home with us. So, if you intend to return home with some souvenirs or special keepsakes, where will those go?

Safe travel and share some pictures or videos.

The Jamerican Traveler

Panamanian Food

Had dinner with some friends and this roast pork wrapped in Banana leaf is doing it for me. 10

days and I’ll be in Panama.

#TJT1993 #thejamericantraveler #panama🇵🇦 #panama #panamacity #panamafood #panamacitybeach #panamalife #coloradosprings

Jamaican Apples (Otaheite apple)

Aerial view of Kingston Jamaica

Fresh Fruits in Jamaica

Luminous Lagoon or glistening waters in Falmouth, Jamaica

The phenomenon of glistening waters, or the Luminous Lagoon locate in Falmouth, Trelawny Jamaica; is one of most amazing natural science things you will ever experience in this lifetime.
Scientist from around the world are amazed by it and the consistency of it because the others only illuminates certain time of the year or not does not at all.

There are only four (6) in the world; Puerto Rico which has 3, Jamaica, Indonesia and Bahamas. But The one in Jamaica is the brightest due to the consistent of the weather year round which allows for the illumination all the time.

When disturbed, the Phosphorous in the water illuminates and creates a phenomenon called bioluminescence. This amazing creation, is formed Because of the fresh water from the Martha Brae River that meets the ocean salt water which is the best place for the small microorganism called dinoflagellates to thrive.

As the boat takes off and drifts on in the dark, you can see the phenomenon as the water turn neon blue and other colors before your eyes. Neon flashes all around as fish and other sea creatures maneuvera in the water. Captain Desmond the boat captain, give a very informative boat tour about the Lagoon. There's also someone on board to take pictures for a small fee.

I would strongly recommend bringing some kind of water shoes if you plan on swimming as the mud on the floor of the Lagoon is very soft and feels like pudding. The water is not deep, only about 3-4 feet depending on where you're standing and how far down in the mud you sink.

The Cost of boat ride is US$25 and JA$1500 for local resident with local I.D. The boat tour is 30 minutes and another 10 minutes for swimming which is about 45 minutes in all.

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Pikes Peak Cograil Train

For those afraid of Driving up to Pikes Peak summit, you can take the cog train #thejamericantraveler #pikespeak #pikespeaksummit #pikespeakstatepark #coloradosprings #coloradoinstagram #colorado #cascade #cograilway #coloradosprings #cograilway #cograil