Don't Let Disaster Ruin Your Trip: Tips for Safe Vacations

July 28, 2009 — -- The 16-year-old boy's European jaunt was coming to a close, and he was just about to hop a plane to visit his grandfather in the U.K. before heading home to the States when it hit him: "My backpack!"

He'd left the backpack -- with wallet, passport and iPod inside -- on a train in Berlin.

The kid was lucky. He had an understanding grandfather who guided him through the hurdles of getting an emergency passport. "Haven't we all left something on a train?" chuckled the grandfather. The teen's father was less amused, since this meant a missed flight and a replacement ticket that cost a staggering $2,000.

Now let's talk about you (and I'll assume you do not have a helpful grandpa in Europe): What do you do if you're traveling and: (A) You meet up with pickpockets, (B) You notice bedbugs, (C) You're offered a spiked drink, or (D) there's an emergency aboard your aircraft?

Fortunately, I've got some tips.

For more air travel news and insights visit Rick's blog at: farecompare.com

First things first: who do you trust?

Select a Go-To Person: Choose a trusted friend or relative back home to be your "go-to" person. This contact -- like you -- should have copies of passport and any visas; credit card numbers and lost/stolen card contacts; copies of travelers check information; addresses of embassies/consulates in the countries you'll be traveling to (see the State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov/passport/).

Make sure your "go-to" friend is reachable 24/7 -- lend them a cell phone if you have to, and be sure they keep it on at all times. And give them a house key so you won't have to go through what I did, when a nosy (and keyless) neighbor spotted water spilling out of my traveling parents' home!