“Quito Ecuador,” by _PaulS_

So, you’re taking a vacation….awesome! Developing countries are becoming popular vacation destinations, and I totally encourage you to go out and experience another culture. However, if you’ve done any traveling before, then you know that if you’re going to a non-western country there are a few things you might not think to bring along that might be unavailable or cost you a whole lot more wherever you’re going. My personal experience? Last year my friend Julia and I went to the Dominican Republic. Okay, we didn’t speak Spanish, but whatever, we can guess. We didn’t even drink the water…but what we did do is use it to brush our teeth. Julia got sick the first three days, me the last three days. When we went looking for something to ease out gurgling stomachs we found that a). most medications were unrecognizable to us and obviously in Spanish and; b). a small bottle of tums was going to cost us $10. Hm.

So here are a few suggestions for when you’re visiting or vacationing in a developing country that will save you some money and convenience.

• Bring any medicines you think you might need: Pepto Bismal, Tums, immodium ad, Tylenol, Decongestants (very important, you don’t want to be flying with a stuffed up nose!).
• Do not not purchase or eat any fruits and vegetables from road side vendors. The chances are very good that they have either not been washed properly or have been washed with local water, which may irritate your stomach.
• On that note, while the water quality may be fine, there’s a good chance that there are additives or minerals in the local water which won’t agree with your stomach. Be sure to only drink bottled water and to carry water purification tablets with you for instances where you may not have access to bottled water.
• Photocopy your passport, ideally including the page with the entrance stamp from the country you are visiting in. Recently several Americans were removed from a bus in Limon, Costa Rica and detained because they did not have their passports or copies of their passports on them – they were stored with luggage. Always make sure you have appropriate identification on you! I recommend leaving your passport locked in a safe that your hotel or hostel and carrying around photocopies and another piece of identification such as your drivers license.
• A money belt or security belt is a great way to keep your passport and any cash hidden under your clothes. Another alternative is to carry a decoy wallet.
• Leave a copy of your travel plans, passport, and identification at home with a contact for emergency situations.
• If you are traveling alone or without plans, always let the front desk know when you are leaving, where you are going, and when you expect to return. You may also want to leave them with emergency contact information.
• Remember things like sunscreen and bug spray. If you’re going some place tropical you’ll definitely be needing them and they can be costly to purchase on site.
• Although most places will accept the Dollar, Pound, or Euro, there will be the occasional few that won’t and while credit cards assure that you are getting the best exchange rate, odds are you’ll be stopping at road side stands that don’t accept credit cards. Always have a small amount of cash on you.
• For love of everything you hold holy, please do not engage in un-safe sex practices and casual sex! Many developing countries have out of control health problems, not in the least HIV/AIDs and hepatitis, both of which are sexually transmitted and deadly. I recommend that you not engage in casual sex and if you do, to at least make sure you are as protected as possible.
• Remember to get your vaccinations! You DO NOT want to be coming home with malaria or sleeping sickness. Check with the CDC several months in advance of your trip to see if there are any vaccinations recommended for your destination.
• Leave anything that you would be heartbroken about loosing at home. This includes your engagement ring. On the same note, your camera should always be hidden and out of plain sight.
• Check to see if the country your are visiting will require you to bring an electrical adapter, as it can be difficult to find the appropriate one once you are there. I recommend the Brookstone Dual Wattage Converter Kit, which has a color coded world map that corresponds to the necessary adapter plug, and includes two different wattage settings.

So for now, that’s my 2 cents. Feel free to chime in what any other suggestions or recommendations.

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