What are some of the best ways I can protect myself on a trip to a new destination? I'm going to India and am pregnant. I want to be well prepared.
I know I can't bring anything like mace or a weapon with me because I am traveling and the airline won't allow it. Also can I leave my articles or do I have to have them with me at all times? I am going to arrange for some Atlas International especially since i'm pregnant. The vaccination is an issue because i'm pregnant. I also understand that i'm legally only able to carry a certain amount of currency? Is that true? What else can you recommend? TIA!

Firstly, get permission from your doctor to travel this long-haul trip to India and get specific information related to your condition including any medications you should have with you and suggestions specifically for you including how to keep your circulatory system in tip-top shape while you are in the air. Ask your doctor about compression stockings and exercises you can do in the air, in the airport and while traveling to keep you and your baby healthy. Also ask your doctor for references and recommendations of physicians and hospitals in India and if he has any suggestions in that regard.

Generally speaking, when concerned about health and special conditions while traveling in India, travelers should follow these recommendations:
1. Stay only in the big cities and avoid remote, rural, countryside locations. Try to confine your stay to Delhi, Bombay, and Calcutta for this reason.
2. Stay only in 4 or 5 star hotels. These hotels generally have their own resident doctors or doctors on call that are reputable and reliable.
3. Choose a hotel that is very near to a hospital in the city you choose. Traffic in cities in India is often grid-locked, making a quick trip to a hospital next to impossible. To assure that you can reach a hospital quickly in an emergency, select a hotel that is within blocks, rather than within miles, of a hospital.
4. The doctors in hospitals in India speak English fluently. Most are US trained. The quality of the medical care in city hospitals in India is reported to be excellent. However, you do not want to be admitted to a hospital in the countryside or in remote areas as your experience is almost guaranteed to disappoint your expectations for care, comfort and competence.
5. Do not travel from one part of India to another by any means other than air transportation. You do not want to get stuck somewhere along the way between one city and another, in general, but especially in your condition!


AND, I highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance that covers medical evacuation which would air lift you in a flying hospital room with medical team to the hospital of your choice even if that’s at home and not the nearest hospital available if that’s what you prefer, and covers trip cancellation, trip interruption and cancellation for any reason that might occur. It’s also important to have insurance coverage to protect your travel investment and to protect you from additional expenses that might be incurred from delays that may happen during your travels that cause you to miss your flights or have to stay longer due to unforeseen circumstances. You might want to visit the site or telephone the call center of InsureMyTrip.com which is a one-stop shopping experience for the right travel insurance for you including medical evacuation.
Let me know if you have any other questions and we’ll do our best to help you get set for your journey!

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Radio Show Host
Travel Expert
Stephanie Abrams

I think Stephanie covered the bases pretty well but just to reiterate, travel insurance is more than a luxury it's a necessity for protecting yourself and your journey.

Travel Medical Policies provide emergency medical coverage in the event of injury or illness and are the most popular plans purchased by people going abroad. These plans also provide emergency medical evacuation coverage for transport to a proper care facility and can be purchased for travel up to a year in length.

Medical Evacuation coverage can be purchased as a stand alone policy or it may be included in comprehensive travel policies. It provides evacuation to the nearest appropriate care facility or, in some cases, to your hospital of choice depending on the company and plan.

Package Policies are a prudent selection for those seeking to protect their trip investment. These policies offer the broadest protection, including coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and travel delay, as well as medical and emergency evacuation.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage may be included in some Package Policies while others offer it as an optional add-on. It is an optional benefit that empowers travelers to cancel trips for any reason of their choosing including sudden unemployment, schedule conflicts, even bad weather, up to two days prior to departure. “Cancel For Any Reason” policies vary by company and must be purchased within 15 days of your initial trip deposit.

Lastly, knowledge is power so please contact www.insuremytrip.com to learn more about protecting your trip. We have an expert team of licensed representatives waiting to help you. Bon Voyage!

Jim Grace
President, InsureMyTrip.com

Hi Vesper.

Its been a few months...your baby must be due soon. When is the due date?

Best!
Dru

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Dru Abrams | Founder and CEO | Travelers411 Family of Brands www.travelers411.com | www.sabrams.com | www.travelingfeet.com | www.jetset411.com | www.travelers311.com | www.travelers911.com

Thanks Dru, Just 2 eternal months to go! The heat and my ankles are killing me! LOL

Hey, Vesper! We've got you on our minds! Are you already in India? If so, what can you share with us about your experience? Have you learned anything that other pregnant ladies should know about traveling in general and traveling particularly in India? I hope our recommendations have proved helpful to you.
When do you return home and what region do you live in?
Wishing you an awesome trip! Keep us posted!!

__________________
Radio Show Host
Travel Expert
Stephanie Abrams

Although India is a beautiful country but there are many things that people coming from other countries take for granted, about safety issues. SO, before traveling to India please check out these essential tips:

1. It is better to take a prepaid taxi or even a radio cab from one of the registered counters inside the airport.

2. It would also make sense to do an online search for hotels and places to stay before planing trip.

3. It is also better to divide your money into different places. Instead of keeping lot of cash; it is better to use debit/credit/ATM cards and traveler’s checks.

4. Stay away from lonely places after the sun sets. A lot of unsocial elements hang around such places and chances of crimes go up.

5. Do not carry your passport and valuables in a carry bag but wear it next to your skin. So, just in case, your bag gets stolen, your passport is with you. There can be nothing worse than losing your passport in a foreign country.

6. Keep a copy of all your important documents and phone numbers especially of your country’s embassy, with you in case of any emergency.

7. Carry your medicines and list of the generic names of the medicines, in case you need to buy more in India.

8. Be alert in crowds and market places as chances of pick pocketing are high.