Travel planning is important to make sure you have the necessary information and supplies to help you deal with any problems that may arise. Mechanical failure and weather events are the typical causes of travel related problems. You may encounter sudden snow or ice storms leaving you stranded for days or even longer along a desolate highway. You can also be exposed to food and water borne illnesses in certain areas of the world. Having certain essentials along with you on your trip can help you overcome many of the problems you may come across.
Planning can help you avoid certain situations. You do not want to travel to an area that may be under blizzard, hurricane or tornado warnings so you must carefully monitor weather in all the areas of travel. Cold as well as hot weather can put a strain on an otherwise well maintained vehicle. Therefore, plan for the weather, such as extra coolant for hot climates, tire chains for possibly snowy or icy areas and food and water for yourself. Keep in mind it may be clear and sunny where you are at but a day's drive away it may be just the opposite.
Personal protection is something you must think about before traveling anywhere. You may not be accustomed to certain customs and rules and you will encounter strangers along the way. You may have to make changes to avoid certain situations such as avoiding desolate rest stops at night and only using well-known fueling stations, and restaurants. Some states have rest stops that are not attended and some do. Typically, highway signs will indicate whether the rest stop is attended or not and the hours. For meals at night, consider using drive through windows instead of dining inside. You want to avoid parking lots and convenience stores at night.
If your vehicle breaks down or slides off the roadway and becomes stuck, you should stay with it. Your car is your shelter and it can be spotted easier that you can if you set off walking. Attach a signal flag to the car to let everyone know you are in distress. Use flags designed for that purpose or you can use any brightly colored material. In cold weather, keep your car engine warm by letting it run a few minutes at a time periodically. Make sure you keep a window down a few inches for fresh air while the car is running. If you are in heavy snow or vegetation make sure the tail pipe is clear of any snow or foliage. Leaving the vehicle is not recommended in cold weather. In warm weather only abandon your vehicle if you know you are only a few miles from home and know the way.
Traveling abroad can offer up a unique set of problems for travelers. You may find poor sanitation procedures in eating establishments and hotels, which can cause illnesses. Only eat foods that require heating in their preparations, and before eating wash any fruits or vegetables using water you know to be safe such as bottled water. Even fruits with heavy peels can contaminate the fruit inside as you peel it.
You can carry water purification tablets to treat tap water or you can boil it using an eclectic kettle or hot plate or even microwave the water until boiling. Before embarking, ask your health care provider to update your vaccinations and to recommend others based on your area of travel. You may even ask for antibiotics to treat common bacterial infections because you may not have access to health care abroad.
Essentials for Your Vehicle
* 72 Hours Of Food And Water
* Colored Material To Alert Rescue Personnel
* Matches/Lighters
* Multi-Tool/Knife
* Quality Nylon Rope
* Nylon Strap For Pulling Your Vehicle From A Ditch
* Rain Poncho
* Clothes Appropriate For The Weather
* Shoes For If You Need To Hike Out
* Battery Box With Cell Phone Adapter For Charging And To Jump Start Your Vehicle
* Jumper Cables
* Tarp/Poncho For Emergency Shelters
* Work Gloves
* Medical Kit
* Tools For Car Repair
* Traction Material/Sand/Gravel/Mats/Chains For Tires
* Tools For The Most Common Repairs
* Coolant And Oil
* Cold Weather Sleeping Bag
* Backpack To Carry Essentials If You Plan To Walk Out
Planning can help you avoid certain situations. You do not want to travel to an area that may be under blizzard, hurricane or tornado warnings so you must carefully monitor weather in all the areas of travel. Cold as well as hot weather can put a strain on an otherwise well maintained vehicle. Therefore, plan for the weather, such as extra coolant for hot climates, tire chains for possibly snowy or icy areas and food and water for yourself. Keep in mind it may be clear and sunny where you are at but a day's drive away it may be just the opposite.
Personal protection is something you must think about before traveling anywhere. You may not be accustomed to certain customs and rules and you will encounter strangers along the way. You may have to make changes to avoid certain situations such as avoiding desolate rest stops at night and only using well-known fueling stations, and restaurants. Some states have rest stops that are not attended and some do. Typically, highway signs will indicate whether the rest stop is attended or not and the hours. For meals at night, consider using drive through windows instead of dining inside. You want to avoid parking lots and convenience stores at night.
If your vehicle breaks down or slides off the roadway and becomes stuck, you should stay with it. Your car is your shelter and it can be spotted easier that you can if you set off walking. Attach a signal flag to the car to let everyone know you are in distress. Use flags designed for that purpose or you can use any brightly colored material. In cold weather, keep your car engine warm by letting it run a few minutes at a time periodically. Make sure you keep a window down a few inches for fresh air while the car is running. If you are in heavy snow or vegetation make sure the tail pipe is clear of any snow or foliage. Leaving the vehicle is not recommended in cold weather. In warm weather only abandon your vehicle if you know you are only a few miles from home and know the way.
Traveling abroad can offer up a unique set of problems for travelers. You may find poor sanitation procedures in eating establishments and hotels, which can cause illnesses. Only eat foods that require heating in their preparations, and before eating wash any fruits or vegetables using water you know to be safe such as bottled water. Even fruits with heavy peels can contaminate the fruit inside as you peel it.
You can carry water purification tablets to treat tap water or you can boil it using an eclectic kettle or hot plate or even microwave the water until boiling. Before embarking, ask your health care provider to update your vaccinations and to recommend others based on your area of travel. You may even ask for antibiotics to treat common bacterial infections because you may not have access to health care abroad.
Essentials for Your Vehicle
* 72 Hours Of Food And Water
* Colored Material To Alert Rescue Personnel
* Matches/Lighters
* Multi-Tool/Knife
* Quality Nylon Rope
* Nylon Strap For Pulling Your Vehicle From A Ditch
* Rain Poncho
* Clothes Appropriate For The Weather
* Shoes For If You Need To Hike Out
* Battery Box With Cell Phone Adapter For Charging And To Jump Start Your Vehicle
* Jumper Cables
* Tarp/Poncho For Emergency Shelters
* Work Gloves
* Medical Kit
* Tools For Car Repair
* Traction Material/Sand/Gravel/Mats/Chains For Tires
* Tools For The Most Common Repairs
* Coolant And Oil
* Cold Weather Sleeping Bag
* Backpack To Carry Essentials If You Plan To Walk Out
About the Author:
It is essential that every family have a bug-out bag in case disaster stikes suddenly. By studying how doomsday preppers prepare for such disasters the reader will be much safer in disastrous times.
