May 2nd, 2015 - RE-POST

From my now deleted Blog.

So I am planning another trip to Mexíco. My first step this time is going to be research, research, research. I am somewhat of a history and culture buff. I like learning about these things. I also enjoy natural beauty and as I discovered during my first trip to this area, it is chalk full of these things. So research is the key, not only to discover what exists in that area, but to learn more about it. One thing I strongly want to learn more about is the once great P'urépecha (Tarascan) Empire . This once great empire date back to Mesoamerica and was an equal to the Aztec Empire. These indigenous people exist in this area today. For more about the P'urépecha see my tab "Ruins of the P'urépecha Empire". Unfortunately the U.S. Department of State still warns against traveling to this area. In fact at this point the warnings are more stern than the last time I traveled here. You can view the current travel warnings by following this link. U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings - Mexico This post will continue to be updated from time to time. Last update: 2 May 2015 RESOURCE GUIDE: Mexsperience:

• Mexperience
• Monarch Butterflies in Mexíco

P'urépecha Community:

• Comuntaria P'urépecha

SEMARNAT (Secrataría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales):

• SEMARNAT
• Santario de la Mariposa Monarca

Visit Mexíco:

• Visit Mexíco
• Orange-colored Forests in Michoacán

Wikipedia:

• Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
• P'urépecha People

Responses to comments

Thank you all who have commented over the last few years. My trip was a short 3 week trip. I loved it and return when I can. In December of 2015 I married a woman from Uruapan. We got married in the indigenous community of Calzonzin, Michoacan, Mexico.

An anonymous reader wrote "Enjoy your posting, but no update? It is July . I know the weather around Uruapan is pretty good , but do you see any bugs problem, like mosquito,fly ... Are there any bus route maps for downloading, tia. Is Don or Dona used for respected persons same as other latin country? Having a nice trip."

• Yes, the trip was awesome. I return when I can.
• Additionally, there were no updates because my trip ended. However, it looks like I never posted a conclusion. I will have to do that.
• I really have not experienced much for bugs anytime I have been there. Being from Minnesota, I am all too familiar with mosquitoes. I have never seen one. There are flays and other bugs, but the only thing I have been bothered by are " alacrán " or in English scorpions. I was surprised how common they are. 
• I assume you are referring to local routes. No, I have not found and online or even print maps for those routes. I just ask locals what route I want to take. I find everyone here very friendly so it does not seem to be a problem.
• Don and Dona are used! Usually with their first name. As far as the same as other Latin-American cultures, yes and no. Each culture has its own little nuances, but in General, yes. It is used with the older generations, and when addressing someone you don't know, such as a store clerk, who is mature. I have not see it used in addressing younger folks.
• Another reader posted this in response to your question. This is my best translation: "Yes, anonymous, there are maps to guide you to any area, as well as there are, information centers for tourists. I these centers you will find information about galleries and restaurants. I hope you will soon have the joy of visiting and enjoying this beauty that nature only offers in these remote areas of Michoacan."

Again, thanks to all those who have read and commented. I will get on that conclusion soon. By for now.

By the way, I have just started YouTube channel. The current videos are a bit rough, but I am sure they will get better as I learn. Visit my channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDmEhQTWjGDOoiE8ddxS3SQ

I also now have my own webpage where I post many of my projects and related stuff. Take a moment and visit my page: Joyce Productions

My best translation for this: "Yes, anonymous, there are maps to guide you to any area, as well as there are, information centers for tourists. I these centers you will find information about galleries and restaurants. I hope you will soon have the joy of visiting and enjoying this beauty that nature only offers in these remote areas of Michoacan."

I agree with this post.

Day Eight: June 15th, 2012 - El Centro and San Juan Nuevo

Day Eight

El Centro Histórico

This morning I decided to take a trip to the central square of Uruapan, in this city it is called "Centro Histórico" in other cities and even sometime here the city center is referred to as the "Centro Comercial" or "El Zocalo". So to get there I decided instead of taking a taxi I would instead take the city bus, simply for the experience. The bus trip wasn't bad, about 20 miniutes and $6.00MX or about 50 cents US. I got dropped off right at the city square.

The Center Square

The center of the city is the main location for shopping. In the center is major department stores and a couple of larger restaurants plus four or more hotels. As part of the center is their main history museum and a two large churches. Also just around the corner from this center is the entrance to the National Park of Uruapan. Access to several markets/malls can also be gained from this area. Branching out from the center are streets full of Tiendas and small specialty restaurants. I have spent several days exploring this area. It is very different from anything in the US. Within this area you can purchase just about anything you could want.

One of the Churches

San Juan Nuevo

The day I took the photos of the central square I also choose to visit a nearby city called San Juan Nuevo. Formally called Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, it is a small town near the volcano Parícutin. The city is called "Nuevo" because the original San Juan Parangaricutiro was destroyed during the formation of the Parícutin volcano in 1943. Along with the village of Parícutin, San Juan Parangaricutiro was buried beneath ash and lava. The tops of cathedrals in old San Juan Parangaricutiro still protrude from the volcanic deposits. The current cathedral, shown below, is also a shrine and a museum, to those who were lost during the formation of the volcano.

The center square of this small pueblo is just off the entrance to the cathedral. With in this square almost daily you can find vendors of all sort including entertainment. San Juan Nuevo is also know for it's Cajeta, a Mexican confection of thickened syrup usually made of sweetened caramelized milk. This confection that is made in San Juan Nuevo is know to best some, if not the best in Mexico and boy is it delicious.

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Days Five - Seven: June 12th - 14th, 2012

Days Five - Seven

Nothing too adventurous to report. Spent most of my days simply exploring the "Colonia", Mexico's version of a suburb. What I like a lot about the Colonias is that about every so many houses is a Tienda ( small store ) or someone selling food, good, home cooked food. Tiendas are usually about the size of a single car garage and range in wares from a convenience store to party store. The simple fact is you can find just about anything you need for daily life within a short walk from your home.

There are stores that sell fresh vegetables and fruits. Others that sell meat and so on. Each has a kind of specialty. The little restaurants range from a table where prepared food is sold "To Go" to mini restaurants with tables and the works. Life is casual and relaxed, everyone is polite and friendly, and everyone pretty much looks out for each other.

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Day Four: June 11th, 2012 - La Pressa

DAY FOUR

The first place we visited was the park La Divertiolas. This park was real nice. They had horseback riding along with the awesome view. The path to the waterfalls and river was long and steep. Unfortunately with 3 kids in tow, it proved to be too much. We made it about 1/2 way and chose to return. The kids kept us so busy keeping them safe that I was not able to take any photos.

After our disappointing trip to Divortiolas we went to a different park. This park was called La Presa Calitontzin. La Pressa is located along the same river as The National Park and La Divertiolas. This park is in the Urban area nestled within  residential area. Once you are with in the confines of this park it is set up so well that you do not realize that you are in the middle of an urban area.

The park was beautiful and the kids had a grate time. Especially the middle one, chasing the ducks and geese.

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Day Three: June 10th, 2012 - The National Park of Uruapan

Day Three

Here is one location that I was was told is a “Must See”.

New day, new experiences. Today Don Carlos and I went to the National Park of Uruapan. This park has to be one of the most beautiful places I have every visited.  First of all you need to know a bit about the geography of the area. The city of Uruapan is nestled in a valley created and surrounded by dormant volcanoes, so the earth here is comprised mostly of volcanic rock.

Fountain power solely by nature

In the center of the city is located the National Park. Within this park is the source of the river Cupatitzio. The Cupatitzio River (dubbed "the river that sings"), because along its flow are tourist attractions. The National Park Eduardo Ruiz is home of "La Rodilla del Diablo", the source of the river which courses through the city and out toward "La Tzaráracua" and "La Tzararacuita", waterfalls on the southern outskirts of the city, and flows into the Presa Infernillo and eventually the Pacific Ocean.

La Rodilla del Diablo

The river begins from a small spring fed pond that splits in to two streams. These streams run throughout the park and are joined by additional natural springs along their journey. These springs themselves are wonder of nature. They seemingly just spout from the rock without rhyme nor reason.

 One of many waterfalls

Waterfalls abound in this park, yet they are not the only beauty. All parts of this park are heavily forested with many species of beautiful flora and fauna.  Along with the flora and fauna are numerous species of birds. The sounds lend to the extreme tranquility and beauty of this park. My words cannot due this park justice, so I will let the photographs speak for me.

• http://www.uruapanmich.com/parquenacionaluruapan.HTM 
• Fotos // Photos  

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Day Two: June 9th, 2012

Day Two:

Well, I survived the first night. Ha Ha Today I had a great time. Breakfast, more new food! J Then we went and visited the Father of my friend, Don Carlos. Don Carlos is an interesting person. During the week he is a radio announcer/DJ for a local radio station. On the weekends he is a holistic / alternative medicine Dr. He is also an artistic painter. I will be spending the next few nights with Don Carlos and his wife. How long, I don’t know.

We hung out here for a while, what is now the locations of Don Carlos’ practice one used to be the home of my friends. This was interesting. I also met more family of my friends. There was a steady stream of clients for Don Carlos, so have any type of extended conversation was difficult. So from here it was off to lunch.

 Don Carlos, Panchito and I

Lunch was great, as has been the case I don’t remember the name of the dish I had, but it was oh-so-good. From lunch we went to shop for the perfect bicycles for a 3 year old. Everything in Mexico is not cheaper than the US as you might think. We went to buy Sandra’s 3 year old a bike. It cost about $150.00 where I would have expected to pay about $60 - $80 in the US.  With the new bike and helmet secured in the truck it was off to shop for dinner. Sandra’s mom was cooking.

 The god mother of one of my friends, Sandra and I

We had a combination of Carne Asada and Chorrizo. It was very good. We hung out there for quite awhile and  visited with Sandra's mom and brother. Played with the kids and the new bike. Overall had an good visit. After this is was off to pack my bags to go to stay with Don Carlos and his wife Mary.

Panchito and I with the new bike

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Day One: June 8th, 2012

Day One:

The day started out at 3:00 am. I arrived at the airport at 3:30 on the airplane to Huston, Texas. I was busy completing my final preparations for my trip so I really did not get any sleep. I arrived at Huston with just enough time to grab a coffee and board the plane for Morelia, Michoacán. My total travel time thus far has been 7 hours. Upon my arrival in Morelia, I secured a taxi. This was much easier that I though because at the airport there was a little office where you go, state you destination. They give you the price and a ticket for the ride. I this case I was going to the Central Bus Terminal to grab a ride to Uruapan, my final destination.

At the bus terminal I was surprised that I needed my passport, and this caused some trouble because I had already secured it in one of my bags. So for about $10.00 US, I got my tickets and on to Uruapan where the sister (Sandra), mother and aunt of my good friend (Fanny) met me.  My total travel time was about right about 11 Hours. Now I really begin my three week adventure. We loaded my bags into the truck and off we went.

I was starving so I asked if we could eat right away. As we traveled around the city, it became very apparent that indeed Mexico is a 1^st world country not what the typical American has as a Stereotype. So my first stop was a restaurant, well I call it a restaurant for lack of a better term. In this case in was a little place that was set up in what we would call a garage. It was clean, a bit cramped but the food was awesome. I just wish I could remember the name of the dish I had.  At this point it was on to the house I would be staying this night.

So, I unpacked. Then we sat a talked. Well at least tried. My Spanish is not good and they do not speak English. The dictionary really came in handy and much of what I learned in class is beginning to make sense. Needless to say my Spanish has improved already. After chatting until dinner time, then off to another similar restaurant. This place was a true restaurant and again the food was awesome.

 Sandra and the bottles of German wine I brought her

After dinner we went to a pastelería, a bakery especially for cakes, the day before was Sandra's birthday and we were going to have a party! So, cake, awesome, beer and wine and an overall good time. I didn’t get to bed until about 11:00pm.

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PREP AND PACKING // PREPARACIÓN Y EMBALAJE

PREP AND PACKING // PREPARACIÓN Y EMBALAJE

I don't take travel to foreign countries lightly. The following in my process PRIOR to departure to a foreign country. My bullet point list is follow by more specific information on each topic.

• Check Travel Advisories
• Book Flights
• Book Accommodations
• Register with US Embassy in destination country
• Prepare travel documents
• Exchange Dollars for Foreign Currency

Check for Travel Advisories

Check the US State Department's web-site. ( Travel Alerts - Mexico )  I check this site as a precursor to deciding should I even visit this country or area. During my planning and frequently prior too my departure I will check for travel advisories. I will usually check once a week during my trip as well.

Book Flights

Booking flights. There is lot's of good advise out there on getting the best value airfare. I like to search. Most search engines like Expedia.com offer relatively the same price for the same flights. I have found that if there is a variance between sites, it is only a few dollars. Don't forget to check budget airlines and regional carriers. There flights generally are not available on sites like Expedia.

For this trip I primarily searched Volaris, Southwest, Sun Country and Expedia. Volaris is a discount Mexico based airline that flies from Chicago and Los Angeles plus a couple others. They are also partners with Southwest Airlines. Prices very by day, sometimes dramatically. What I did was search Volaris' prices from L.A., as Southwest and Sun Country do not fly to the same airport in Chicago as Volaris. Sun Country was always cheaper than Southwest, but Sun Country charges baggage fees for the 2nd bags and this placed Sun Country at a higher cost.

So for awhile it looked like I was going to fly Southwest/Volaris. At the time I went to go make my reservations however, the Southwest/Volaris package had jumped almost $300.00 while a quick check on Expedia showed a drop in United Airlines price a bit over $200.00 cheaper. Placing their cost just a touch over what I had planned for the Southwest/Volaris package, however I will have to pay a bag fee with United


Ok then, here is my advice. When traveling to a foreign country, you generally will need to go through a hub city like L.A., New York or Chicago. Search airfare from these departures to your destination. Then look to budget or regional carriers to get you to the hub. You can also search air-carriers that are from your destination country who have gates at a major hub. Many times by using a budget carrier such as Sun Country Airlines or South West Airlines to get to a hub and then using a foreign carrier from there to you destination you can save some big $$$.


This process can take a bit of extra work though. You will usually have to pick up your bags and transfer them yourself to the next carrier. Also when figuring in Savings include checked bag fees. These vary so much from carrier to carrier it is crazy. Airlines are always adding little fees so pay attention to those as well.

Book Accommodations

When booking accommodations within the US I don't have a problem booking directly with the hotel or hotel chain. However, when booking abroad I prefer to use a service like Expedia, then have people to help you if you have issues with your hotel or stay. When looking at hotels in a foreign country I always like to take a star off the 5 star rating system. I generally stay at 3 star hotel, however, many times these so called 3 star hotels offer the services that meet the 3 stars, they are usually dated and a bit worn. 

When I have traveled to Acapulco I have stayed at 3 star hotels, the Excalibur once and Ritz twice. I chose these hotels more do to there location withing the city than for their star ratings. All three time I booked "All inclusive" packages, even though when I price things out it tends to cost me more that if I would eat out of the hotel every meal. I choose to do so for the convenience and stability. I will generally eat my breakfast at the hotel and one meal off the economy.

For this trip however I will be staying with local families. I have secured rooms with differing families through the city of Uruapan and I will be staying a few days or so with each. For my side trip to Zamora I will be staying in a budget motel. For this I have not secured a reservation, I will risk it and find something when I get there. I have made arrangements with a local  travel agent/tour guide and I am sure she will help me find a place to stay if needed. I will be traveling with minimal luggage so it should be fairly simple.


I usually like to find the "Mom and Pop" restaurants wherever I travel. They usually have the best food, best price and best service. When in Mexico, I really like to get off the beaten path and search out residential areas, here you can find people who have set up shop and sell food, basically right out of their home kitchen, sometimes literally. BUT, be careful if you choose to do this. I would not recommend to do such in the late night. Oh, and don't for get to bring a few of your "travel gifts".

When traveling "Off the beaten path" getting around can be quite difficult. I prefer not to rent vehicles but use transportation that is commonly available. My main motivation for this is because this is a great way to meet people and see parts of the area you might not see otherwise.

Register with Embassy

Registering with the Embassy is a real smart thing to do. This is something  I ALWAYS do when traveling out of country. It is easy and if there is any trouble in the area you are staying they will contact you. Also in the event of some sort of disaster they will know to look for you. I cannot emphasis this enough, it is very important. 

Prepare Travel Documents.

I discussed this in my previous blog but it is worth mentioning again. A copy of the first page of your passport, travel itinerary, and emergency sheet should be left with at least one person at home. This person should also be your emergency contact.

Exchange foreign currency.

I use Travelex to exchange my currency. Usually I will order my currency ahead of time and pick it up at the airport. This time however I am leaving before they open so I had to go into the city to their office there and pick up the currency. With ATM's being real prevalent, especially those the belong to or are connected with HSBC I leave most of my travel monies in my ATM only account. 

Summary

So, I have finished my check list and packed my bags. All I need to do now is go to be early. That 3:00 am departure to the airport is going to be tough.

RESOURCES

US State Department - Travel Alerts
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (Step)
Travelex
HSBC Bank
Volaris Airlines
Sun Country Airlines
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
Expedia
Ritz - Acapulco
Avalon Excalibur - Acapulco
The City of Morelia
The City of Uruapan
Zamora
The City of Acapulco

The State of Michoacán

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TRAVEL IDEAS AND SAFETY

Ideas and Safety

Travel Gifts

When I travel abroad I love to bring with me what I call travel gifts. For Mexico, I like to bring bottle openers. In Mexico pop and beer, especially beer, come much of the time in bottles, NON-twist off tops. So I think the perfect thing to bring is some bottle openers from a local brewery, for my previous trips I have brought bottle opener/key chains from Leinenkugel and Summit Breweries. I give these to people I meet and like or like a restaurant where the service was great, or I was able to chat with staff, or at one of the "Out of the house" eateries.

I give these as a thank you gift on top of any tip deserved. Never in place of a tip. Sometimes I get small gifts in return. One time, during the mid-day, I went and sat and had a couple of beers with an artisan at one of those artisan markets. After sitting and chatting with him for like 3 hours and watching him decoratively paint things like seashells into ashtray's and upon my departure I thanked him for his time and gave him the Summit Brewery bottle open I had been using. He unexpectedly gave me one of the ashtrays he had beautifully painted and signed it. I have also received posters, keys chains and other things. But most of the time, I get a genuine smile of appreciation and really that's all I look for.

Using social media

I have, since the advent of MySpace used social media as a per-cursor to travel. Months in advance I like to search and communicate with people living in the area I wish to travel. Once in country, I try to set up a meet and greet at a local coffee shop or other easy to find location. I have found some of the most coolest things to do this way.

I have also found great deals on stuff like deep sea fishing. Such was case the last two times I visited Acapulco. From the hotel or through Expedia, deep sea fishing was offered by the person at $500.00US to $700.00US a head. Through networking by Brother and I found a boat for $300.00US for the day, this included up-to 5 people. The only extra cost, per person was about $30.00US per person for fishing licenses. Other things were finding the best night clubs, hangouts and general fun. If your a younger person, I would highly recommend this. Older folks such as myself, you may find it difficult to find people of similar age on social media, especially if you do not speak the native language. Many younger people do know some English, however do not assume.

Using local currency, ATMs & banking

A few days before I leave on my trip I will arrange to pick up local currency at the exchange located in the airport here. With the internet it is very easy to pre-arrange this and then simply pick up the currency when you enter the airport. When in-country, I believe that using local currency is an important part of showing respect to the locals and there home. While I have rarely had trouble using the US dollar, I believe that by doing so reinforces the stereotype that Americans are arrogant. Additionally, the exchange rate you get is not going to be the going rate. On this trip the US-MX exchange rate is about 14to1, however, I am expecting that should I spend dollars, say at a restaurant I will get about 10 to1.

Most hotels will have an available currency exchange, but again it, the exchange rate will be lower than the going rate. For my travels I have an ATM only card that I use. I get local currency from my bank (HSBC) through the ATM. You will need to check for the availability of ATMs. In 2006 during my first trip to Acapulco, ATM were scarce, by 2008 the were very prevalent. Also be sure that you are aware of ATM and exchange fees.

The bank I use for travel is HSBC they are everywhere in the world especially in Mexico. If fact banking with HSBC in Mexico is more convenient than here in Minnesota. There I can easily find a branch if needed. In Minnesota they do not have one single branch. All my banking with HSBC here is through the internet. This is why I only use them for travel versus and other banking needs.

Destination Travel

Airport to hotel / accommodations

I have found it is best to pre-arrange transportation to and from your destination hotel ahead of time. This goes for US or foreign travel. Airports are hectic and if you don't have the travel set up ahead of time you can find it very stressful and taxi's are usually very expensive coming from/to an airport. Many times, especially in the US you can find a service that you can use. It may be a free shuttle sponsored by the hotel or a company that run's a route. These are usually much cheaper that other means.

For this trip I am not staying in a hotel, but with the family of friends. This family does not own a car or drive. I am arriving in the city of Morelia which is about 2 hours drive from my destination city of Uruapan. There are friends who do drive in the area, but as I am arriving during the workday, it will be difficult for them, basically they would have to take a full day off work to come get me or transport me back to the airport.

A taxi would work but will be on the high side of cost. There are commuter flights, while not too expensive I would have to stay a day in Morelia due to the timing of flights. My choice here is to take a taxi from the airport to the central bus terminal of the city, there I will catch a bus to Uruapan and a friend will pick me up at their central bus terminal. Buses from Morelia to Uruapan run about every 30min. The reverse will be utilized on the return.

The other obvious option would be a rental, but honestly, in this part of Mexico traveling alone by car is not the smart choice. Not much of an issue in cities, however, in the rural area between cities could be an issue. I will probably utilize a rental on some of my excursions later on, once I get the feel for the lay of the land, so to speak. I will make that decision once I get there, get a feeling of the area and the advise of friends as to my safety for some of the ventures I want to take. So this part I am going to play by ear.

Taxis

Any major city you travel to will have a taxi system of some sort. It is best to do a bit of research on how their system works. In Mexico, taxi cabs do not have meters. ALWAYS ask your driver how much ahead of time. If you think the price is too high, move on to the next one. Also if you do network with locals, you can expect that the price a cab driver gives you will be as much as 2x what they will charge a local.

During the first couple of days I like to find a cab driver that hangs out near the hotel where I am staying and try to use him/her regularly, especially for longer trips. The last time I was in Acapulco, the driver took me to a laundry, probably a friend or family of his, I dropped off and paid for the laundry service. For a very small fee he picked up my laundry and delivered it to the front desk of the hotel for me. A word of caution, you could loose you laundry this way, but after a week of using the same driver and the fact he was know to the hotel offered me a measure of safety for this endeavor. Also after awhile he began to charge me flat $80.00MX to anywhere in the city. While at for some trips it may have been a little high, for the most part it represented a deal. 

SAFETY

Drug War

Ok, so I have been skirting around this most of this post, so far. We all know that in Mexico there is a drug war. There is infighting between cartels and between cartel and federal authorities. Directly this violence stays between those players. However, outright firefights have occurred in open streets and innocent bystanders, local and foreign have been seriously hurt or killed. What to do?

Be vigilant and aware. First of all expect or plan that at some point you will see/experience some of this violence. If your expecting it and it does not happen, awesome, and this will probably be the case. However, if your expecting it and you do experience it, you will be prepared. If you follow everyday safety precautions you should be fine.

Everyday Safety

This first part is basic and everyone should know already. If you are not a VERY experienced traveler DO NOT travel in non-tourist areas, especially alone. If you are a experienced traveler do it safely. I usually do not travel alone. So if I want to go into an area that is out of the tourist or common area's I will go with my travel companion, usually my brother. We walk in the streets of narrow areas or when walking on sidewalks walk near the street. This allows us to see into nooks, cranny's and corners well before they can become a danger. We also do not walk close together. Spread out a bit, side by side or one slightly in-front of the other, makes us a larger and more formidable target.

Mexico or else where, violence can erupt with out much warning. First of all, if you can, stay in busy areas. Second, walk away from buildings or store fronts, as close to the street as possible or near the center of walk ways. Be aware of what is ahead of you. If something ahead does not look safe, believe that it is not. This may or not be the case, but respond as if it is. Cross the street, turn around or find an alternate route around the suspicious activity or area. As a last resort, pass through the area being hyper vigilant.

Wallets, Purses and Money

When I travel I carry two wallets. One with most of what I will need for my complete trip. An emergence credit card, a second ATM or Check card, Medical Insurance Cards and the like. All this is in my primary wallet which I will lock up (If there is an in room safe) or will hide with-in my luggage or some place in the room I believe will be safe. That leads me to the second, the one I call my travel wallet. In this I will keep a minimal amount of currency and my state issued ID. I don't go anywhere with out some form of real ID with a picture. I also have folded up in this wallet a copy of the first page of my passport.

The wallet I currently use is a cheap nylon wallet. I keep only a minimal amount of cash in it, what ever I plane to spend where ever I am going, unless I plan to spend a large amount, then I carry it alone in a front pocket. Separate from all that also in a front pocket I will carry contingency cash, or if visiting more than one venue, cash for those as well. I will transfer money from pocket to wallet in a restroom or other private place as needed. The bulk of my cash I keep in my room, in several places if there in not a room safe. I usually have a sealed envelope in each of my bags with part of my monies in them. 

The whole idea here is plan to be robbed, no matter what country your in, including the US. Robbers are usually looking for the quick and easy, so they find one envelope, more than likely they are going to move on not looking for the other envelops. If they get your travel wallet, or one wallet, your loss is minimal.

For women, do not carry a large purse. If your carrying something like a beach bag, use a mans wallet and carry the important stuff and cash in a pocket. If your going to dinner, club or other venue, use something like a clutch purse, if you have to have a purse, but like a man, it is best to use a wallet in your pocket. Keep extra cash stashed somewhere else. Like I said, while unlikely, plan to be robbed. My philosophy here is that if you are robbed, you hand the dude your wallet and he moves on. Money is replaceable you are not.

What to leave at home

First and foremost leave a copy of the first page of your passport with your at home emergency contact. YES, set one up an emergency contact before you go. With this person you should leave have a complete copy of your travel itinerary including phone numbers and other contact information for your destination. A copy of your emergency contact information should also be included with this.

Emergency Contact information

This should be not longer than one page front to back if necessary. It should list who you are, a stateside emergency contact person. Contact information for your primary care clinic or physician, any medical conditions you may have and and medications you take. For medications list them by their generic or international names, DO NOT use brand names. Also include any and all supplements you are taking, as these can cause interactions with other drugs. Low does aspirin and vitamins are the most commonly forgotten. Low dose aspirin is important because it thins the blood like many medications that are use in emergent care. If you are taking such, medical personnel need to know so they can adjust any doses of other medications appropriately. Be sure to list your blood type as well. This goes for just about everything so be particular with this list. 

If you are able, have this sheet written bilingually, for this case mine is in Spanish as well as English. Do not assume that someone involved with be able to understand English. Again, make sure you use generic or international names for the medications and supplements you are taking. Generic names are fairly universal not using them will take time for a caregiver to translate or convert. For example, Prilosec OTC is omeprozol. Also be sure to list the dosages and when they are taken.

A copy of this should be kept in your room also with each your other travel companions, kept in your wallet and left at home. I also keep a copy in my carry on bag. The hardest part of putting together this sheet, is providing detailed information without giving up real sensitive personal information.

RESOURCE

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company 
Summit Brewing Company

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