Travelling: When things go wrong

Vibhor Mehra*, his wife and other family members were on a tour exploring several locales far away from their hometown. In one particular town, the six of them booked two hotel rooms for the night, and split up to occupy both. At 2:15 am, Vibhor's wife felt something brush against her legs as she slept and woke up screaming, only to see someone wearing the hotel uniform disappear into the bushes outside the window. Vibhor and his family lodged an FIR with the local police and left the hotel immediately. Hotel authorities denied the allegations they made, but hounded the family till they left the state, pleading with them to withdraw their complaint.

Sandhya Khan* and her daughter were travelling outstation by train once, with a bag holding a few thousand rupees and a mobile phone tucked under their seats. Midway through the journey, a group of men travelling in the same compartment suddenly began to create a ruckus, distracting them. Upon reaching their destination, the ladies realised that someone had robbed their bag of the money and mobile, probably while the nearby group was creating a scene -- a ruse to divert their attention. What continues to baffle Sandhya is the stealth and quick manner with which the thief managed to rob their belongings from right under their noses.

Travelling incidents such as the above are not uncommon, and it is best to take the following precautions so that you don't have to face a similar situation:

~ Travel light, carrying only the bare essentials and make sure to lock shut your bags and luggage. Wear minimal jewellery and avoid carrying valuables like gold or money as far as possible.

~ Do not carry all your money in your wallet, or in your bag -- if either of the two is misplaced by travel authorities or robbed, you will be left completely broke. Instead, carry some loose notes in your pocket, some in your wallet, and some distributed among the pieces of luggage you're taking with you. Also, make sure to keep mum about how much you're carrying -- don't flash too many notes while paying for anything, or brag to travelling companions about the cash.

~ Leave a note of your mobile number, ATM card number and bank account details with someone trusted back home. That way, in an emergency you can call the responsible party and obtain all the information you require. If your credit/ debit card is stolen, for instance, you can call a bank's 24 hour hotline and get the card cancelled immediately if you have the card number.

~ Maintain a list of contacts residing in the area you are travelling to, or in the closest neighbouring areas. Also keep a separate list of whom to contact in case of an emergency, be it in the same place or a neighbouring one.

~ Avoid accepting eatables or drinks from an unknown travelling companion -- just refuse politely. Also avoid talking too much about your personal life with strangers on a journey.

~ Never offer to look after someone else's luggage -- if something is discovered missing from it, or it is found to contain some contraband item, you will be blamed.

~ If you've arrived at a town or hillstation you've never visited before, don't go out alone after dark, especially if it is an isolated area.

~ Whether travelling by air, train or car, make sure you have all the required documents (tickets, car registration etc) on you along with a few copies for safety.

~ When using public transport, beware of potentially hazardous situations. When a train is passing through a tunnel, for instance, make sure the compartment lights are switched on and hold your valuables close to you, to prevent a robber from taking cover in the dark and making off with your things.

If despite your precautions something unforeseen takes place (and it often does), here's a few tips on what you should do:

~ Stolen travel documents, especially when you are travelling abroad, are a real headache. For instance, if lose your passport, contact the nearest embassy or consulate immediately. Also submit photocopies of the missing originals as legitimate proof of your claim.

~ Local taxi or autorickshaw drivers demanding exorbitant fares from tourists is a common problem -- some of them do not even have meters installed. Although you may be on your first visit to a particular city or hillstation, tell them that you often visit and know the exact charges. Try to book a pre-paid auto or taxi so as to avoid any unnecessary arguments.

~ If your mobile phone is robbed, report it to the nearest police station. Also call your network service provider -- they will be able to block your SIM card and prevent misuse of the phone, or may even be able to trace it down.

~ If you are robbed while using public transport, get in touch with the concerned travel authorities and file a complaint.

~ If you are stranded in a particular place while travelling (it could be due to a public transport strike, bad weather or any other reason), keep in constant touch with friends (if you have any in the same or neighbouring area), with loved ones back home and with the authorities of the hotel you're staying at. Keep abreast of any given situation, and if it is safe to do so, visit nearby places till you can take your leave.

Travelling in the monsoons

The rains are upon us. There's no escaping an unpredictable downpour -- sooner or later you're going to be caught in one whether you like it or not, and there's no saying when. You could be on your way to work, you could be in the middle of a busy street shopping, or you could be on your way out of town for a quick weekend getaway when a deluge descends upon you.

The climate this time of year particularly inspires people to make weekend getaways, or go off on full-fledged vacations. But the monsoons can wreak havoc when it comes to your travelling plans. Whether you're making the journey by car, by train, or by plane, you've got to factor in the weather.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you're ever caught in a deluge while travelling:

By air

~ Before leaving for the airport, make sure to call and find out if your flight has been delayed/ cancelled. Remember, it could take you hours to reach the airport in a downpour, and it may take even longer at the airport before you're finally off.

~ Keep raingear handy. You can check in larger luggage, but make sure you carry an umbrella and/ or windcheater with you at all times.

~ Try and ensure your luggage is adequately protected from the rain -- when your baggage is unloaded from the aircraft you don't want it to get soaked.

Sometimes, unforeseen incidents may occur -- for instance, passengers aboard a flight last month from Newark (in the US) to Barcelona, Spain, were most annoyed when actress Penelope Cruz suddenly disembarked from the aircraft because departure was delayed, and allegedly had her bags removed from the undercarriage right in the middle of the tarmac while it was raining.

Other travellers' bags were pulled out onto the runway to get her luggage, and were soaked as a result.

~ Carry essentials like a mobile phone and medication, especially asprin, pain killers and such like. Cotton for your ears and nose drops if you have a cold (landing is a killer if your ears are blocked). Carry sweets to help you deal with nausea.

Make sure your cell phone is fully charged. Having an extra battery/ extra charge for your cell phone is very handy. Make similar provisions for your laptop, if you are carrying one.

~ Carry enough cash for a hotel stay. Also carry your credit and ATM cards.

~ If you've boarded the aircraft and take-off has been delayed due to a downpour, make sure you get out of your seat and stretch your legs at least once every hour; the same goes for your kids. Staying in your seat for long periods of time can cause deep-vein thrombosis

~ Carry along a few comics, books or hand-held toys to keep children occupied. If you are travelling with a baby, make sure your diaper bag has enough disposable diapers, wipes and a change of clothes.

~ Take enough snacks or a sandwich and water; it's best not to rely on the airline. Food at airport restaurants/ stalls is exorbitantly priced. If many flights are delayed for a long time, they could even run out of food. Even at the best of times, a sandwich comes in handy while waiting for a flight.

~ Keep important phone numbers handy. Getting out of an airport on landing on a rainy day may require you to hire a car if taxis are in short supply.

~ When airports are home to hundreds of stranded passengers, items like wipes, toilet paper can come in handy. So can some engaging reading material or even a pack of cards. And, sometimes, even a spare set of clothes.

By car/ bus

~ Make sure your car is in apple-pie order if you're planning a road trip someplace -- cars tend to give trouble and sometimes stall in a downpour. Make sure the wipers are working effectively, the car battery is well-charged, the spare tyre is in good shape and there are no nooks and crannies from where water can seep into the vehicle (this can happen in an older car, if parts of the body get corroded). Also, you need to tank up -- heavy rains can cause endless traffic jams.

~ Your mobile phone should be fully charged, just in case you need to make an emergency call; driving in the monsoons can be a risky proposition. Keep a disaster management emergency number handy, just in case. Also keep flashlights, an emergency light, umbrellas and even a pair of boots handy.

~ When Mumbai was badly flooded in 2005, many suffocated to death because they were camped for many hours in air-conditioned cars with their windows shut. Carry a heavy spanner or mini-hammer to break out of a car if rain damages your electronic window system. If you are marooned in your car for several hours and have the AC on, keep your boot/ trunk lid ajar to allow air in.

~ Make sure you stock up on a few snacks -- you never know when you'll be in for a long haul.

~ If you are travelling with young children, take along snacks, a couple of hand-held video games or music CDs to keep them occupied. For babies, make sure you don't pack diapers and/ or baby food into the booth of the car. It won't do much good if you're caught in heavy rain and you have to step out to get at them.

~ Pillows, blankets, newspapers are always handy. So are vomit bags.

By train

~ Make sure to find out beforehand what travelling options you can avail of, in case the train is unexpectedly stranded halfway because of water-logging along the tracks.

~ Avoid eating the snacks sold on the train -- they are rarely hygienically prepared. Carry your own food instead. If the train gets stuck someplace mid-way and you've taken ill, it will only add to your troubles.

~ Your mobile phone should be fully charged, just in case you need to make an emergency call.

~ Carry along a few small toys to keep young children occupied. It would be good to have your baby bag well-stocked with diapers, wipes, basic medication, disposal bags, etc.

~ If you are carrying a laptop and plan to use it, make sure it is fully charged and that you are carrying an extra battery.

Last, but not least, there's no use in getting irritable and cursing the weather. Be patient, and hope for the best if caught in a downpour -- after all, there's still a great getaway to look forward to!