In March I was traveling on business when the earthquake/tsunami struck Japan. My brother was in Japan at the time on business travel. My brother finally made it home five days after the earthquake struck. Meanwhile I was in Israel when the rockets from Gaza started up again, and a bombing occurred at the Jerusalem bus stop. We both travel considerably throughout the world, and have often discussed preparations during travel for emergencies. My brother is less concerned about preparations at home, but our experiences have convinced him over time on the need for backup options when away from home. We have learned several lessons over the years that might be worth considering if work or pleasure takes you far from home base.
I like to travel light, so the amount of gear I carry is carefully evaluate and screened. The other factor is that I often travel to foreign countries which scrutinize or control what articles I can or choose to carry. Many times I’m in environments where theft is a major concern, so I’ve also learned to minimize the temptation, and have chosen gear that is inexpensive but reliable. Over the years I’ve found several items and ideas that have worked well for me in surviving tsunami threats, earthquakes, and civil unrest.
I keep several small sources of light – all of them LED-based, with spare batteries. I prefer pen-lights with single LEDs which run on the very small coin batteries, and a larger, aluminum “fist-pack” lamp that runs on a few AAA batteries. Smaller batteries provide long lifetime while minimizing weight. I also buy (and confirm) that the lights I carry are waterproof. Power outages are common around the world, even when no natural disaster has occurred. Stumbling about in the dark in a strange room or building will slow you down and invite injury.
Security is the main concern in my travel, so self-defense options are given attention in my travel preparations. Most countries do not allow non-residents (or even their residents, for that matter) to carry firearms, and I don’t trust prying eyes in my bags to keep my weapons secure, so traveling with a firearm is not an option. Instead, I keep two simple knifes with me – one utilitarian for everyday carry and use, the other more defensive in purpose. Both are small, discrete, and functional. A small knife sharpener is also valuable and easy to include. The utility knife is used daily and fortunately the defensive weapon has never been deployed.
I used to carry a small, two ounce canister of pepper spray for security as well but have not bothered with it in the last few years. Some countries have restrictions on sprays such as this so spend time investigating local laws before you enter. Instead, I often will move furniture around and position a chair at the door to help in an unwanted room entry.
A small bottle of water purification tablets is also standard carry for me, while my brother carries a small filter “straw” device for purifying water. These are very important and priceless when natural disaster strike, even in a well developed country like Japan where citizens are often less prepared for the unexpected. I believe a traveler is most vulnerable to water availability and should keep this item in the forefront of their consciousness, even in modern countries. Bottled water was the first item to disappear from stores in Japan within minutes of the March earthquake.
The only other “must have” emergency gear I carry includes: plenty of reading materials, my camera, ear plugs, packages of Tic-Tacs or gum, extra toilet paper, and a small compass. A couple of cheap, disposable, paperback books that are interesting and easy to read are invaluable after the initial emergency when circumstances keep you in a “hurry and wait” holding pattern. I also keep a small copy of the New Testament (and Old Testament when in Israel). I keep at least one Louis L ‘Amour novel because they are small and easy to read, and because when I’m done they have wide appeal to someone else waiting with me, even in other countries. The tic-tacs and gum keep my mouth occupied and refreshed after stale, purified water and also are a valuable pacifier for children in a traumatized crowd. The tic-tacs are small and numerous, so many children can be quieted for little expense or hassle. A small gift in my opinion always works better than scolding looks from others to quiet a youngster, and always brings a very heartfelt smile from a distraught mother or grandparent. Orange tic-tacs are the best option as they resemble candy more than medication.
The compass is another no-brainer for me when trying to sort out location or travel. It is very helpful in keeping a bearing when in a strange city, and doesn’t require batteries. GPS receivers are useful, but too needy for me in an emergency. My brother travels with his, but in Japan he couldn’t work it reliably for him to navigate with and so it became dead weight. He also discovered that in some countries, the GPS automatically reverted to local language options, and since he can’t read Japanese or Czech, it took some time to fiddle with to revert back to English. If you do carry GPS, get to know it well – especially it’s most basic and most exotic features.
I love maps, and have the curious habit of gathering them up as I travel – to help me move about and to help me remember the trip. Most hotels have basic, complementary maps available. If your hotel doesn’t, one of the other hotels in the area will, and they are often eager to give them out to future customers. I’ve never found good maps in English at local bookstores in the area I’m staying. If you want a detailed map of the area, I suggest buying one in the United States before you travel. At the end of a trip, I’ll file my best maps away for future travel, and also make notes about favorite things or places I went, as well as a list of places to visit if/when I return to that area.
I always carry a camera with extra memory and battery for obvious travel use, and to help me improve my memory in the field. A snapshot of a street sign, posted map, or storefront is a big help getting directions from a 50 year old Chinese man who speaks little English. The extra memory also is important for saving business data. Most of my international travel is for business, and in an emergency I am not willing to carry my laptop around unless it is easy to do so. I keep important data backed up on a small flash-drive, and in a real pinch, can quickly remove the hard drive from the system if I do have to get out lightly so I don’t loose the important information. Remember to keep the camera discretely tucked away when not in use to avoid drawing the label as tourist. I’ve never had problems with taxi drivers when I first snap a picture of their cab’s license plate before getting in.
Finally, I keep several quart and gallon size Ziploc bags with me at all times. The bags protect my camera and batteries, and also work well to protect my wallet, maps, and other fragile items in normal, daily outings. Their value in an emergency should also be obvious for carrying/treating water, food, and other necessities.
I travel with a shoulder-bag that doubles as my BOB on daily excursions. Unless I’m to be in-country for an extended period of time, I do not carry a cell phone. In an emergency they usually don’t work reliably, and if I do need to make a call, I have easily found help from someone nearby who has always lent me their phone. This probably doesn’t make sense to everyone, but it is my personal preference. It has also forced me to become better adept at using local phone services, phone cards, and communications options. I believe a little extra effort and experience are much more valuable than convenience. Maybe I just had too much trouble figuring out the foreign cell phone operations.
Besides these emergency items, I also make it a point to carry plenty of prescription medication and pain relief medicines – at least twice as much as my trip would call for. For years I carried a small tube of oral numbing gel, and when I finally needed it I was happy to have it. Ear plugs are another valuable item I keep, to help sleep and just keep out noise in general (the tic-tacs don’t last forever!). Finding a pharmacy is very difficult when afflicted in a foreign land.
I also carry plenty of cash, and keep half in US Dollars and half in local currency. As bad as the US Dollar is getting lately in world economics, it is still the currency of choice in 99% of the world’s local markets and has more power in negotiations than most local currencies. One last suggestion is to keep a small phrase book of the local language handy. It is good practice to pickup conversational skills with the locals and is very rewarding. The phrase book will make it easy and quickly expand your ability to enjoy where you are at. Find one you can use and operate well. Most books I’ve seen are not well designed for constant, daily use.
Other honorable mentions for gear are 10’ of paracord, a few feet of rescue tape, and a small inflatable pillow (the type that fits around your neck). None of the showers I used at any of the 8 hotels I stayed at on my last trip to Israel worked properly. All of the rooms had the “wand” showerheads in them which all seemed to work, so for the entire trip I used the paracord to tie the wand up to the main showerhead. The rescue tape worked even better to hold the wand in place. A nice shower is critical to enjoy extended travel.
While gear is important, plans, behavior, awareness, and trust in the Lord are vital.
Once I’ve arrived in country I take several steps to prepare before beginning my work. I secure several liters of bottled water in my room. Most hotels are willing to provide free water, and at the end of my stay I return the extra bottles not consumed. Many local markets will also sell bottled water, but be aware sometimes they are not bottled sanitarily or reliability. Getting extra water on hand – at least twice what I’d normally use in a day is a big, first priority. Another suggestion is to get a bottle or two of soda. I prefer Sprite, which gives a little more than just hydration, and works well to sooth an upset stomach. Also, I ask for an extra blanket from the hotel to keep in my room, wither I need it or not. I also gather some extra calories to keep on-hand. I have a big family, and when I travel it is now customary for Dad to bring home candy from the country I visit. It is a simple treat for the kids. At my first option during my trip, I go out and buy this load of candy and keep it on-hand. I expect I could easily get buy on the candy for several days in a real pinch.
This candy/calorie loading was an important step for my brother in Japan. On his arrival, he took this water and food step immediately and had a good cache on-hand when the earthquake hit the next day. After the hotel stopped swaying and he finished his prayers, he headed down to the street to look around and get more food. The convenience stores all around Tokyo were swamped, and shelves empty within an hour. Fortunately the Japanese are known for their patience and calm personalities, so there was little panic other than the frantic search for food. That night, his hotel was full of stranded business people sleeping on the floor in the lobby, restaurants, and hallways. His meager room felt like a palace.
My first trip in Israel, arriving at the airport on a Saturday I’d underestimated my ability to get a meal in the less populated area I planned to stay that first night. I had arrived at the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath which is observed throughout the country and by many of the hotels, too. The candy bars I had on-hand was good enough for the day and the lesson learned has lasted much longer. The trains had also stopped running, so my backup travel option was needed.
As I mentioned before, personal security during travel deserves highest consideration. In general, keep aware of your surroundings, keep a low profile (even as a tourist), ensure your own security in your room and hotel, and mind your back. One idea is to keep a couple of the small, adhesive alarms on your windows and door. They are easy and disposable if you want to do more than keep chairs in the hall between you and the door. Hotel security and location should be considered thoroughly.
Whenever staying at a hotel or when I find a good restaurant, I always collect a business card from the front desk. I keep these cards on-hand as I travel because they are very valuable to communicate with a taxi driver. The cards typically have the business’s name, location, and information in the local language, and so in a new taxi I simply pull out the appropriate card to indicate where I’d like to go.
My most important resource in traveling (besides contact with the Almighty) is to have several “quality” contacts locally. Usually my travel is sponsored – with locals expecting and needing me to be there. Upon arrival, I work hard to create and maintain a good relationship with various people, not just those I work with. This takes some tact and discretion, because often some locals are looking for an easy mark. I try to take co-workers and others I’m fostering contact with out to dinner – they often know the best local places to eat any way which works great for me, and the extra expense is a pittance. When we are comfortable working together I ask about using them as an emergency contact, and keeping daily or regular contact with them during my stay. Usually they are very flattered and agreeable with this. I cannot stress enough how valuable even a single local person can be to keep on top of local factors, and as an immediate source of help in an emergency. People are people everywhere, and quality people throughout the world are eager and willing to help others in a crisis. Find some common interests, beliefs, or experiences. Many of my foreign contacts have also traveled previously to these United States, so my efforts screening and fostering mutual trust can begin here on native soil.
Working with Chinese and other Asian cultures, guan zhou (sp?), “giving face” is very important in relationships. This consists of giving honor, notability, and recognition even in small ways to a friend or host. Working through friends is very important. Look for ways to let your local contact help you, and then thank them in front of their peers and supervisors, but also let them see you mention their help in front of your peers and supervisors. In a small village of 8 million people an hour’s distance from Shanghai, I planned to buy pearls locally for my wife and daughters on a trip. I asked my local contact to find a source for me, which of course he had already. Not only did I get high quality merchandise brought at my convenience, but with my poor Chinese language skills coupled with my contact being involved in the transactions (he was on my mobile phone, while I negotiated with his friend who spoke no English) I received very good “friend” prices on the goods. The best part was that both the seller and my local contact were very pleased with their side of the transactions. I took my co-worker out to dinner with his family and supervisor at a fantastic restaurant they knew of, and the extra cost to me came to $7 USD. I also made sure to recommend both men to other co-workers interested in similar deals. Win-win and they were very happy. This is just a simple example but went a long way to my safety and the quality of my stay that trip.
Middle Eastern cultures are more subtle to understand, but everyone loves food and asking locals to take me to their favorite falafel or local cuisine has worked well to help me build working relations of trust. Most folks I’ve worked with have friends or family that drive taxi, so as I need a car I work with those I know. This can be very tricky, though, so make sure you have enough confidence in your local friend before ever opening that door. Many family members drive taxi, but many are also unreliable, undirectionable, and more expensive than they are worth. My recommendation is to stick with food as a means of establishing a relationship that you can rely on when an emergency strikes.
I do not drink alcohol but travel with colleagues which do, and I have always been grateful for the trouble and risks I’ve avoided by abstaining. Alcohol is a high-risk factor in life, and even more so during travel.
One other thought is to pick up a sack of small candy bars at Wal-Mart before your travel, and when you find local co-workers have children (or if invited to meet their families), you have a small, simple present for the kids. This really endures parents to you. Make sure only to have just the right amount with you, though, because the children will not let you leave with leftovers!
One trip in Mexico we took small bottles of bubbles and candy bars for the kids, and made the mistake of opening them up in a semi-public area. The six children and their parents (family of the local friend we were staying with) rushed us, to get handfuls of each. Some neighborhood women must have sensed the presents, and soon we were literally surrounded – we counted at least 25 people! Of course soon the goods were all gone, and some kids didn’t get any. Mothers and fathers got testy, and wanted something – the situation started to turn ugly. Our host was very distraught by his neighbor’s behavior, but couldn’t do much. The adults wanted paper, pens, even our dirty laundry in a bag – something for their child! Fortunately we didn’t have our belongings or equipment with us (keeping a low profile) and finally the group left, disgusted. Instead of being a gesture of friendship the situation backfired and while our friendship remains, I don’t rely on that contact for an emergency need.
Two notes of caution here – I never establish these contacts with females (being a man, myself), and I rarely will rely on local help for medical issues. The female part goes without saying – I’m happily married and any questionable contacts add to personal risk. Medical advice, even from ‘professionals’ in many countries can be very risky, too. So many local remedies or “Aunt Bibi’s herbal poultice” can add up to real hurt in a hurry. For example, I had an upset stomach in the Philippines – nothing extremely serious, though very uncomfortable. My sprite at dinner had come with a lot of ice that I didn’t take notice of (it was the first night in country). Ice is made with local water, and local water is a no-no. Working with my local co-worker, he put me in touch with their family’s “doctor”. This doctor informed me that my troubles were not caused by the ice/water (which she said was very safe), but was caused by my eating both oily food with sweet food. She was horrified that I had eaten both oily food (fried chicken) with sugary sprite, and had used salt in the same meal! That made me smile. After all, I’m an American – most of our meals are based on these key ingredients. Thanking the doctor for her sage wisdom, I found a pharmacy with Imodium AD and any international crisis was averted.
Much more could be said about emergency needs and tips during travel; these are a few ideas that have worked (and are currently working in the field) with me. In closing I will disclose the greatest piece of gear I carry and that is of faith. No hardware (gear) or software (knowledge) are as valuable as the Lord. Trusting in His arm is the surest chance of safety and peace in this life and the next.
When not traveling overseas it is easy to keep my travel bag in my daily commuter vehicle to have on-hand while in-country. It makes for good practice in using and relying on these items, and keeps my perishable stocks up-to-date. Hopefully these ideas and experiences have given you food for thought. My travels have been very rewarding, enriching, and gratefully very positive.
