Your three must-have travel items. What are they?
1 - Credit Cards/Debit Cards/Access to Financials etc!!!!!
2 - Travel Insurance!!!!! (why people still leave the country without cover just baffles the shit outta me)
3 - Medications, First Aid Supplies!!!!!
I have never ever bought travel insurance. One of my work mates gives me grief about it all the time! I figure that even if something does happen next time I go on holidays, considering all the money not buying insurance I’ve saved in the past, I’ll still be up
For the cost of $100-300 roughly, compared to possible costs of $50,000+ for a bad accident/illness whilst OS, you’re takin a huuuuuge gamble!!!!!
I’ve heard/seen some pretty bad episodes that have come from uninsured travel!!!!!
Not only could it really spoil ya holiday, it has the potential to financially cripple you as well!!!!!
box of condoms insert image here.
I have never ever bought travel insurance. One of my work mates gives me grief about it all the time! I figure that even if something does happen next time I go on holidays, considering all the money not buying insurance I’ve saved in the past, I’ll still be up
OMG are you mental?
seriously…
There is no way you have saved that much money!
And for the other side ... I reckon i have already claimed more than i have paid…
It is on avg (depending on the location) about $100 - $150 for a 2 week trip.
You are looking at $1,000 upon $1,000 of dollars. for just one incident.
Clearly you have not sat on the side of the road crying because you have needed an ultrasound in Canada and have $50 to your name…
Its about $200 to go to a Dr in the US, just to be told told you need an ultrasound cause you might have appendicitis. Let alone if you did and had to have it removed…
The best dental work i have ever had, was a temporary filling when I lived in Colorado. Filling is still in the tooth. Aussie dentist said it was better than our good fillings so don’t remove it! (was prob a $1000 bill).
Travel insurance paid for it.
SLR camera stolen in New York - Travel insurance paid for it…. that was several $1000
You are very very lucky!
(i reckon since i was 16 and having spent 3.5 years of that living in other countries completely covered with Travel insurance, except for about a month where it had expired cause i stayed longer in Canada and forgot, I have probably paid about $2k at the most. And claimed a hell of a lot more.
Oh another story - a friend of mine and i booked to go to NZ. 2 days before she flew out she fell over in a night club and broke her foot. I had been bugging her since we booked to buy travel insurance. I had it but because i wasn’t injured I couldn’t claim anything. If she had of had insurance they would have given me all cost back including her’s.
You speak much sense! I know it’s something I *should* do, I think I am just guilty of the “I’ll be right, nothing bad will happen to me” attitude… Probably because the last 20 years of travelling nothing bad has happened to me! Never lost anything, never needed medical attention, nothing. But I agree, probably better to get it anyway!
I considered it on my last snowboarding trip to France but I’m pretty sure I’m covered by public health over there anyway (or so their yearly letters offering me free vaccinations and asking me if Ive paid tax would imply).
Kindle and Nurofen are my must haves 
In regards to Travel Insurance, I had it for both my o/s trips. I had to go to the doctor and get a prescription filled in the Netherlands, I didn’t even bother claiming on it since the doctor was less than half the price they are here! In fact I laughed when the receptionist at the doctors surgery was all serious about ‘Oh you’ll have to pay to see the doctor’ and the fee was bugger all!
Headphones to drown out noisy kids on that long haul flight
I see this and raise you - NOISE Cancelling headphones!
Oh snap!!!! Recommendations Kim??
1 - Credit Cards/Debit Cards/Access to Financials etc!!!!!
2 - Travel Insurance!!!!! (why people still leave the country without cover just baffles the shit outta me)
3 - Medications, First Aid Supplies!!!!!
I have never ever bought travel insurance. One of my work mates gives me grief about it all the time! I figure that even if something does happen next time I go on holidays, considering all the money not buying insurance I’ve saved in the past, I’ll still be up
For the cost of $100-300 roughly, compared to possible costs of $50,000+ for a bad accident/illness whilst OS, you’re takin a huuuuuge gamble!!!!!
I’ve heard/seen some pretty bad episodes that have come from uninsured travel!!!!!
Not only could it really spoil ya holiday, it has the potential to financially cripple you as well!!!!!
One of my mates never bought travel insurance for the whole time he was backpacking around Europe. Mind you he went twice to Switzerland and rode off-piste with out it. Madness.
I’m all for insurance especially when traveling but make sure you get the right cover because most only cover you on-piste on the groomers. You can get other insurance on the mountain from local companies if you are going out of bounds.
Travel items
1. Tooth Brush
2. Fresh Undies
3. Stubby Holder
My camera would be first but I’m not allowed to choose it 
Some really good must have items picked so far. To go for some different ones, mine are:
1. A water proof / dry bag. So handy to put electronics in for so many occasions.
2. A pocket jacket. Folds up super small and helps keeps you warm / dry when needed.
3. A backpack rain cover that also doubles as a full bag for transit (can’t think of the proper name).
You speak much sense! I know it’s something I *should* do, I think I am just guilty of the “I’ll be right, nothing bad will happen to me” attitude… Probably because the last 20 years of travelling nothing bad has happened to me! Never lost anything, never needed medical attention, nothing. But I agree, probably better to get it anyway!
I considered it on my last snowboarding trip to France but I’m pretty sure I’m covered by public health over there anyway (or so their yearly letters offering me free vaccinations and asking me if Ive paid tax would imply).
While you very well might be covered in France, if you have an incident at a connecting airport that’s in a country that has no obligation to pay your medical bill, you will be in a predicament that you really won’t enjoy!!!!!
The stories that you read, and the people that you see on tv, that are so distraught about being in those exact same predicaments, most likely thought that it would never happen to them either!!!!!
Don’t wanna be a kill joy, bearer of bad vibes, or an old fart doin a know all ramble, but I’d rather not read of anyone on BW that gets stuck in a position like that!!!!!
My eldest daughter just told me about one of her friends that went to NZ with her parents just this May!!!!!
No insurance, and flights got delayed due to those early dumps of snow they got!!!!!
So, having to stay overnight in the hotel they were already at, they got the news that the only room that was available was The Penthouse!!!!! Who pays????? Them!!!!!
Then, one of them “accidentally” left the tap running in the bath tub!!!!! Water overflows all over the floor, then seeps down into the hotel rooms below!!!!!
Now, the Hotel want compensation!!!!!
Who pays????? You guessed it!!!!!
I’ve got a couple other stories that make that one seem like nothing!!!!!
LMB was only just telling me today that some acquaintances of hers had a car accident in France in Februray, he died and she was in hospital for 6mths.
Devastating, besides the medical bills travel insurance will pay for a family member to come over - and also repatriate the body home for burial.
Headphones to drown out noisy kids on that long haul flight
I see this and raise you - NOISE Cancelling headphones!
Oh snap!!!! Recommendations Kim??
I got some sony ones in a best buy vending at SFO airport!
I think Jeremy got some recently that he loves.
I have had travel insurance once. On my first trip to Europe. the otehr trips i havent bothered. I usually travel with rad people, who would help me out should i need it, and would do the same for them ;p
Though, my old house mate was in England when the volcano in Finland? erupted, got stuck there for two weeks. Was litterally on the runway, lol.
didnt have travel insurance, but the airline put him up in a 5 star room in central London for the time. SOB kept sending me picks of the awesome view, and room service.
oh spewing, the Leatherman was in your carry-on?
Nah in my checked bag, but it wasnt the airline, they were fine with it. I also have a 4” folding knife, and lockpicks i normally have with me. They were fine… or they didnt see them, lol.
I was going to a festival (Defqon 1 NL), and going into the camping area where i would have been leaving my bags (in my locked cabin).
It was not actually letherman brand, still expensive though, but was designed for IT work, and had my name engraved on it…
So the theif will forever be reminded who he stole it from hahaha.
I have had travel insurance once. On my first trip to Europe. the otehr trips i havent bothered. I usually travel with rad people, who would help me out should i need it, and would do the same for them ;p
got some pretty wealthy friends have you?
Seriously that old ad campaign ‘if you can’t afford travel insurance you can’t afford to travel” is sooo true
God i would hate to see Dylan hospital bill from Vancouver after his incident in Whistler this year!
re: travel insurance, a lot of bank credit cards offer complimentary OS travel insurance if you pay for some part of the trip on the card. We have a CBA Mastercard and it offers a decent level of insurance. We are actually currently assessing whether it is worth taking the additional “snow pack” either with CBA or another insurer. Our current thinking is it’s probably not worth it as the basic cover on the card is actually pretty good!
I have a question for those who have kindles and iPads (or other tablets); is the iPad acceptable as a book reader or is it too heavy/shiny/whatever? I want to take readers for the whole family with me when we head to Canada. The spoilt kids and wife have iPads, I have my old Nexus 7.