Travel Tips for Artists
Here are some phone numbers, web sites, books, that you may want to check out before you travel. Also one should do research at the public libraries as well.
Best Fare's web site This web site is a clearing house for all kinds of information on discounted airfares, hotels, cars rentals, hotels, cruises, etc. They also post warnings about travel scams and how to secure upgrades and other perks that the VIPs usually get. Check out their web site: www.bestfares.com
Also see the Diversresource.com's page on bargain travel web sites. http://www.diversresource.com/travel/onlinediscounts/
A book published by Best Fares is: Insider Travel Secrets by Tom Parsons (Best Fares USA. around $20). It is filled with great info!!
Also check out current and back issues of Travel & Leisure magazine. It is filled with great info.
In Boston there is an entire store that is dedicated
to travel:
The Rand McNally Travel Store
84 State St.
Boston MA 02127
(617) 720-1125
Web address: www.randmcnallystore.com
A membership to AAA (said triple A)even if you don't have a car is useful if you are renting a car in the US. And even if you are not renting a car your AAA membership gives you all kinds of discounts and perks!! (800)222-8252.
General Travel Tips
Beside checking through the normal channels for info
(ie visitors' bureaus etc..), one should also talk with artist run organizations
and/or artist communities located in the area you are traveling to. They are
one of the best ways to find about interesting and affordable "things"
in the area you are going to. You many also want to try to locate a fellow
artists who lives in or has been to that area. NAAO
(National Association of Aritsts' Organizations) is a great contact for such
things since they are in contact with many of the artist run spaces in the
US. Once again you should check out the Artists Communities Book (see the
section on books every artist should have). This particular book also lists
artists colonies in other countries!!! Any national organization, such as
the National Writer's Union, maybe able to give you numbers of their chapters
or leadership in a particular area.
Always keep two copies of all important contacts/phone numbers. One should always be with you, while the other should be with your luggage
Info for traveling in the U.S.
One tends to forget each state has its own set of laws.
Massachusetts has a great law and system for medically caring for those who
are poor/uninsured. This is not the case for many of the states. If you are
uninsured and are traveling you may want to think about how to secure some
health insurance- especially if you are planning to do some activity that
is risky (rock climbing etc..).
Highly useful is Family USA It is a great organization Call (202) 737-6340 to reach someone from that organization. Also see our section on Health Care Info.
Info for traveling abroad
One should always have the phone numbers and addresses
of the US Embassies/US Consulates of the countries you are traveling to, in
case of any emergency. They usually will have a list of health care professionals
who are American trained and/or speak English. Once again always keep two
copies of all important contacts/phone numbers, one should always be with
you, while the other should be with your luggage.
Also remember that if you are traveling to other countries you might need to take medical precautions before you leave!! If you are traveling to the "mainstream" countries more than likely you will not need premedical attention. Check with your health care provider before hand. Make sure all your shots are up to date. Some vaccines, like the ones for Hepatitis A (a food borne strand), & Rabies, you must take at least 30 days before you leave. Before you go to your health care provider map out your trip- include even the places you might go- it makes a big difference if you are traveling to a city or traveling to remote areas on the types of things you need to watch out for.
Also check to see what kind of coverage you have with your health insurance carrier (if you have one!).
The Center for Disease Control has worldwide health info- visit their web site: www.cdc.gov. The consulate in the area you are traveling in might have better up to date info on the health care issues you might face in that geographic area. One disease to be aware of, especially when traveling to South America and Eastern Europe, is TB (it is also making a come back here in the states).
Remember to carry the proper documentation proving that you have been vaccinated against diseases- Air Port Officials are trained to inspect passports to see if travelers have been in "problem" areas. They might not let you into the country if you don't have the proof with you that you have been vaccinated.
Insect Bites
Insects can be problematic. Everyone knows about mosquitoes
(malaria) and ticks (lyme disease), but spider bites can also cause very serious
medical problems. Often times doctors are unaware of the symptoms caused by
bites from a "common" or an "exotic" spider. So if you
have traveled to another country- heck even down south- and you are sick and
it doesn't seem to be a cold- you might want to bring up the spider bite possibility.
There is now a spider repellent that is both safe for the environment and
safe for spiders. It merely repels the spiders. The product, Autre Spider
Repellent, is available at Walmart and costs around $10.
Also, as you may know, Avon's Skin So Soft, is an excellent mosquito repellent.
The Passport Shuffle
If you are frequent traveler, you should request a 48
page passport instead of the 24 page. There is no extra charge for this.
There are 13 U.S Passport Agencies- one is in located in Boston.
Check out the Department of State's web site (http://travel.state.gov). You can download an application from this site.
There is a National Passport Information Center ((877)-487-2778). It is important to check the web site or call them if you need to renew or get a passport.
So you need a passport in a jiffy eh?
If you have plane tickets that prove that you need to
leave in a jiffy, you can go to one of the 13 passport offices for what is
called a three day "expedited" service. Of course they are gong
to charge you an extra $30 for the service. Keep in mind that the offices
in NYC, Miami, and LA have different rules and they usually require an appointment.
If you are over 18, you will more than likely be able to renew your passport within one week by overnight mail to the National Passport Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Again it might be best if you are in a pinch to go to in person to the Boston Passport Office
