Doccuments

Travel Insurance

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Phil

One of the many items on our pre-trip checklist was securing travel insurance for the voyage. First we asked ourselves “do we really need travel insurance?” After all, the insurance is just one more cost. And we’re healthy folks who can handle just about anything, right? After researching and talking with others, it turns out that the answer is an unequivocal resounding “Yes.” For the endless number of possible scenarios that could turn an easy going day in Buenos Aires to a long night in an Argentine hospital, insurance is a must have.

Hunting for the right insurance plan was a whole process in itself. There are dozens of plans that cover hundreds of scenarios. Travel Guard Chartis, CSA Travel Protection and The Divers Alert Network (DAN) are three well regarded and well-reviewed companies we found. We had success using the Travel Insurance aggregate site Squaremouth to sort through the plans.

The particular package that we ended up purchasing has similar coverage as those offered by most other plans. Practical offerings that should keep us covered in a handful of relatively likely scenarios: Travel Delay, Baggage Delay, Personal Items Loss, Life Insurance and 24-Hour Assistance Service. But the biggest coverage for us, the one that is more important than all others combined, is the Emergency Medical Insurance and Medical Evacuation & Repatriation. A lost bag we can deal with. Needing to get back to America ASAP due to an unexpected, horrific and terrifying emergency medical condition is where we would likely need a big helping hand.

We ended up choosing the Travel Guard Platinum from Chartis primarily because they’ve earned top marks on taking care of everything when a medical situation arrives after your day has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. No hospital co-pay, all paperwork covered and if something crazy happens where you need to be flown back home (Repatriation), they handle every single step. Most standard healthcare insurance plans offered by companies do NOT include the repatriation part and can be hit or miss with health care coverage abroad.

We recommend scouring through the plans, fine print and costs to find one that is tailored for your specific trip needs. For example, we had absolutely no need for “Employment Layoff” coverage, but the “Missed Connection” might come in handy to pay for a night in a hotel if needed. We also got a kick out of reading some of the disclaimers. Such as the horrifying yet humorous details on what percentage of your life insurance you’ll be compensated for losing just one leg or a finger & a thumb on a flight. Another example, you may receive compensation if your trip is interrupted by a Hurricane or Tropical storm, but only IF that storm has already been named.  Also, we are NOT covered if we need insurance because we were inciting a riot in another country or competing in a professional sporting contest abroad. Oh, insurance people. You know us so well.

-Phil

Categories: Doccuments, Health, Insurance, Packing, Trip Prep | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Looking ahead to Japan

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Phil

Yet another question we are asked frequently is, “Which stop are you most looking forward to on your trip?” Certainly hard to choose just one stop since we love each stop we’ve chosen. However, we would have to say that Japan is the country that holds the most intrigue.

We think that the ten days we will spend in Japan are truly going to be like visiting nowhere else. And we really know very little about the country, culture and people which only makes it more exciting.  I had one friend tell me that leaving your chopsticks stuck in rice during a meal is incredibly bad social etiquette and another tell me that most of Tokyo is like Times Square times ten.  But that’s about it.

We’ve relied on others to give us some tips. Our friend, wordsmith and long-time Japan resident Dax Oliver offered us some sensational insight on places outside of Tokyo to explore. Dax lived in the Tokyo area for about eight years in the 00’s working and exploring the country, so we’ve decided he’s probably a better source for info than watching “Lost in Translation” yet again (where the only thing we learned is that for relaxing times, to make it Suntory Whiskey time.)

I’m assuming that you’re already planning to hit places like Mt. Fuji, the Imperial Palace, and the National Museum, so they’re not listed here. These are a bit more off the beaten path. I recommend looking up these locations on Google Street View too, because most Japanese streets have no names. Really. That U2 song was actually about finding an address in Tokyo.

I’ve only been to Kyoto once, so I can’t give you many recommendations there, but it’s definitely worth a few days. Don’t go to Osaka –there’s nothing to do there if you’re a traveler. There’s also nothing really in Nagoya or Yokohama either.

If you have time, Hiroshima is worth a day to see everything about the nuclear bomb. It’ll really drive home the horror of nuclear weapons. On a nearby island in the Inland Sea is also one of Japan’s three official “Best Scenic Landscapes”. I don’t know if I’d say that, but the Inland Sea (a stretch of ocean between the major islands of Honshu and Shikoku) can be very pretty. Hiroshima also has good oysters.

Himeji Castle is worth a half-day, since it’s one of the only original castles left in Japan (at least the materials are original – the castle was taken apart and put back together in the 1950s). It’s also the most beautiful castle in the country, which is why it wasn’t burned down after the Meiji Restoration. Himeji is on the bullet train line.

If you want to eat something weird that you can’t normally get in the States, my most practical suggestion is natto – fermented soy beans. I love it and the best way for you to try it is the breakfast menu at Yoshinoya restaurants (they’re all over the city).  It’s only served in the morning, though. I was also partial to raw horse meat, so try it if you can find it, but it’s very rare in Tokyo (no pun intended).

More from Dax and more on Japan tomorrow!

Categories: Doccuments, Japan, Rail, Tokyo, Trip Prep | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making new friends from New Zealand to Chile

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Phil

Strangely, one of the more regular questions that I’ve gotten when telling people of our trip is, “Is your wife going with you?” Even more peculiar, I’m pretty sure I open the conversation by saying “My wife and I are leaving to take a trip around the world.” Confounding. Brooke suggests that it’s the way I’m saying it. Who knows. To each their own and what not, but, yeah, this is a trip built for two and I couldn’t imagine making this trek without Brooke.

That being said, the only person that I’m going to know once our first flight leaves from LAX is Brooke and the only person Brooke will know is me. We’re anticipating meeting new people in just about every city – fellow travelers & locals alike – to trade travel stories, learn about the places were visiting and just pick up some new world views. Maybe even a crew we can travel with for a few days or at least close down a bar one night. However, making new contacts isn’t always easy. We decided that we needed some sort of leave behind. A legitimate looking calling card that will work better than a Facebook URL scribbled onto a bar napkin.

Enter Moo—business cards with attitude and home to some really creative designs and novel ways to say hello. We each decided to get 100 high-quality cards with nothing more than our name, some sort of clever identifier and e-mail address. Because, really, what else is anyone going to need? Simplicity the key:

-Phil

RTW Calling CardCrazy Business Card Deesign

Giant PGiant P

We used Moo.com Promotional Code/Discount Code 2RB2CK, but that may expire soon.

Categories: Business Cards, Doccuments, Packing, Trip Prep | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Blog at WordPress.com.