My hotel room has a 3-inch gap in the curtain closure and the room overlooks a courtyard. So it’s easy to see into rooms, especially at night when the lights are on. I know … since I took a glance out the window to see how many other rooms could be peeped into.

For times like this when you want closure to the issue, a few things will work and all depends on what may be in your suitcase:

1. Use duct tape to tape the curtain panels closed. A small amount of duct tape wrapped around a pencil and tossed into your bag before you travel is a good pre-emptive measure.
2. Use a chip clip to pull the curtains closed. Again, this needs forethought to have a multi-purpose clip in your bag … the type of clips typically sold to keep bags of chips or snacks closed.
3. Use a slacks hanger from the closet. Assuming the hotel hangers are not permanently affixed to the closet rod (said hotels are usually off my list once I find this!), a slacks hanger does the trick!

Option 3 worked perfectly for me in my current hotel room. I’m now comfortable in my room sitting at the desk knowing the courtyard peepers will have to find another place to peep.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success – How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence, being published by Morgan James in early 2012.

When you board a plane, you would never question the route the pilot is going to take. The fare is already paid for and will not change based on traffic backups or extra miles flown. The environment looks generally clean and you’re not too scared to find something totally gross when you reach down for the seatbelt. And the flight attendants, while maybe not ecstatically greeting you at the door, are not usually the surly type either.

Get in a taxi and these are all things you consider.

To help you be a confident back-seat taxi passenger, here are some tips to help you avoid any tangles or trials with your next taxi driver:

• Be very specific on where you want to go. Have a hotel business card with an address, or a printed itinerary or a clearly-written address. This is better than saying “The Marriott downtown” as you may think there is only one but that is not the case and this also helps with any communication issues.
• If you want or need to pay by credit card, ask if credit cards are accepted and if there is any fee for paying by credit card before you get in the taxi. If the driver will not accept your credit card, or says his/her machine is broken (I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard this line!), get another cab.

   

  Another line I’ve heard often is “It’s going to take a long time to run your credit card through.” When you mention “Sorry to hear your machine is so slow. You could already have another customer if they gave you a faster machine.” You’ll quickly see how fast they get the credit card approval done.

• Ask if the fare is by meter or a flat fee before you get into the cab. If by meter, ask for an approximate fare. Keep reading the next tip for how to have confidence in the estimate you’re given.
• If you are taking a taxi from the airport to a hotel, call the hotel ahead of time and ask for the approximate fare. If your taxi driver gives you a very different fare, say something like “Hmmm, the usual fare is around $xxx, isn’t it?” If it’s a traffic issue, such as construction or rush hour backups, then any higher estimate may seem reasonable to you. Too low of an estimate and the driver may not be clear on where you want to go.
• If you know that your destination is only a short distance away, and that the taxi driver may have been waiting in a queue for a very long time waiting on a fare (this is common in many airports and at hotels), here are a few tips:
  • Call your hotel to see if a shuttle bus is available instead (often better than the hassle you may get from the taxi driver);
  • Check with the taxi coordinator onsite (typically this is only at the airport) on what the rules are. They may push back on a driver who tries to evict you from their cab;
  • Get in the cab; say that you know it’s only a short distance but that you’ll provide a generous tip. You shouldn’t have to tip extra, but again this can often be the lesser of the evils and get you to your destination with less stress.
• Always take down your taxi driver’s permit or registration number. This is typically attached to the vehicle’s visor or other visible spot near the driver. If not easily seen, ask the driver for it. Why?
  • You may forget an item in the taxi and need to call the company in search for it. (This is the one and only reason I’d give the driver if I needed to ask for their permit number. Wouldn’t mention the next tips!)
  • You may have a question on the actual credit card billing if it differs from what you thought you paid.
  • You may have a complaint to report if any serious issues or bad driving occurred.
  • It can be sent via text or email to a family member or colleague …. Not a bad idea if you do feel unsafe in the taxi that someone else has an idea of how to track you down.
• Better yet, ask the driver for a business card. This is especially valuable for the above reasons, but also gives you their contact info if they’re a truly great driver and you’d like to use them in the future. Most drivers appreciate being asked for their card, especially when they are hoping it will lead to future business.

There are many great taxi drivers, though there are lots of the other kind, too. When I think back over all my travel horror stories, many involve taxis. Had I known the above tips before many of these events occurred, most of them just wouldn’t have happened.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.

Are you protecting yourself?

Ask yourself these questions. Are you:

• Using an ATM with your debit card?
• Using free Wi-Fi?
• Paying bills online?
• Having your social security card in your wallet?
• Checking your online bank statement?
• Using online credit card statements to do expense reports?
• Shopping – online or in stores?
• Using Wi-Fi in-flight?
• Storing sensitive data on your laptop?
• Riding elevators or subways?
• Failing to stop your mail when out of town?
• Downloading movies to your iPad?

If you answered yes to any of them, you are a candidate for identify theft.

Oh, you answered yes to ALL of them? Your risk just skyrocketed. (Don’t feel alone . . . I answered Yes to all but the last – and only because I do not yet have an iPad.)

Maybe you’ve wondered about your exposure to identity theft. You have taken what you think is a precaution or two:

You look around to ensure no one is watching when standing at the ATM.

You make sure there is a little “s” behind http when doing online shopping.

You run a virus-check on your laptop on a scheduled basis.

You password-protect sensitive documents, including the one that holds your account numbers.

Phew … you should be safe.

Not so fast!

Sorry to be the deliverer of bad news but all of us are vulnerable every day – and it doesn’t matter if we’re on the road or sitting on our back porch! Whether you travel a little or a lot, all you have to do is be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And our risks increase as we move more and more to an online world and have an ever-growing wallet of mileage-accruing credit and debit cards.

Will we ever be completely safe against identify theft? Unfortunately no. But can we be smart about it? Yes!

There are people who make it their business to thwart thieves who steal your personal identification. To get specific answers for identify protection, I spoke with the experts at LifeLock® – the people who provide proactive identity theft protection. Mike Prusinski, Senior VP of Corporate Communications at Lifelock, gave me lots of great advice to share with you on how to become very smart about preventing identify theft.

Here is Mike’s advice on warding off identity thieves from attacking you:

• Realize that identify theft is not just about credit cards – that’s only 15-16% of identity theft crime. Now it’s about someone stealing your social security number to get a job or file for benefits.
• Never carry your social security card in your wallet or purse. Leave this in your home safe or safety deposit box.
• Don’t use debit cards. They provide thieves with a direct pipeline to your bank accounts. It is also more difficult and time consuming to resolve fraudulent purchases made with debit cards. Instead, use a credit card where your liability is reduced.
• When using an ATM machine, as you enter your pin number use your other hand to cover up the entry.
• If asked for your social security number on paper or online applications – leave it blank! If they want this information, ask these questions:
  • Why do you need it?
  • How are you storing this data? Laptop, desktop, paper file?
  • If something happens and I get a letter saying you lost my data, how are you going to protect me?
• Get an annual credit report and review it carefully. You are entitled to one free report annually from each of the top agencies: TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Ensure all of the account numbers are valid and that the credit cards are in your possession.
• Remove yourself from direct marketing lists. See Is Danger Lurking in Your Mailbox and You Don’t Even Know It? for how to do this.
• When using Wi-Fi, ensure you are selecting the right connection from your computer’s list of available Wi-Fi connections. You don’t want to be connecting to someone who is “sniffing out” your information.
• Avoid banking or shopping online when using free Wi-Fi.
• Get an air card (also known as a laptop card, wireless internet card, usb modem) from AT&T, Verizon or other mobile service provider. While there is a monthly service fee, you have more secure internet-on-the-go access even when no Wi-Fi is available.
• Chips in credit cards and passports were designed to be safer, but criminals have developed RFID readers. They can walk by you reading the credit card or passport information (since 2006, passports have RFID chips in them) right out of your wallet or purse. This is why everyone who answered Yes to the “Ride elevators or subways?” question is vulnerable. They even build antennas and drive by your home or office picking up the RFID signal.

You can place fraud alerts on your credit card accounts and freeze your credit file to prevent thieves from establishing credit in your name. Also, keep an inventory of credit cards and other important numbers in a safe place at home or safety deposit box. In addition, enlist the help of experts such as Lifelock or similar companies to help protect against identity theft.

Get smart. Be vigilant. Knowledge is power. Be safe.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.

It is always a good idea to arrange for the post office to hold mail when you plan to be away from home. As well as ensuring the security of your mail, it ensures the security of your house. Potential thieves won’t see an overstuffed mailbox and think it’s an “open call” to check out your belongings.

A request to stop mail delivery can be done at any United States Post Office (USPS) branch or online at www.usps.com. A hold mail request can be done 14 days in advance of the date you need the hold to begin. Mail can be held at the post office between three and thirty days. The accumulated mail will be delivered on the date that you specify, or you may pick it up at your local post office branch. There is no fee for this service.

If you are a frequent or long-term traveler, a Post Office (PO) Box is a great option. Simply use the PO address for important mail, bills and contacts, knowing that you can pick it up whenever you want from a secure location. Fees do apply for a PO Box. The hassle of stopping the mail at your home and never worrying about a change in your travel plans is easily alleviated with a PO Box. If the mail happens to overfill your PO Box during your travels, the post office will hold the balance of your mail.

If you are expecting a package to arrive via UPS or FedEx when you’ll be traveling, consider having it sent to your place of business instead of your home. It can be safely accepted by a co-worker and kept until you return from travel.

Mail boxes can also be set up at a local shipping location, such as The UPS Store. At every location of The UPS Store, you can get a mailbox with a real street address and secure 24-hour access to mail and package deliveries. Additional services include mail forwarding, fax receiving and the ability to call in and check for new mail. They can even text or email you when a package arrives. While these services cost more than a USPS PO Box, the features of receiving any type of package (regular mail, FedEx, UPS, etc.) all in one secure location may be for you. This may be the best solution if you’re not sure exactly what will be showing up while you’re away.

Identity theft can happen “offline” in the form of lost checkbooks or stolen bills, bank statements and other paper trails. Eliminate this worry by switching to paperless billing or automatic bill payment. Each month, you will be notified of your billing statement by e-mail and you can then review and pay electronically from anywhere. Most wireless providers are compatible with the major e-mail providers, including MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail and AOL. With an automatic payment option, regular bill payments will be made automatically according to the schedule you set up. So, while you’re texting, tweeting and keeping touch during travel, you can stay on top of important bills and business at the same time. [Note: While "offline" identify theft is reduced, you may be increasing the risk of "online" identify theft. Watch for my upcoming article on tips to be smart about online usage.]

While a hold mail request keeps your mail safe, and automatic payments keep it paperless, you still have to sift through all of that junk mail upon return. Statistically speaking, the average American receives the equivalent of 1.5 trees a year in junk mail, most of it going unopened and into landfills. Of those that do choose to open it, an average of eight months will be spent on that task alone over the course of a lifetime (yikes, who’s got that time??). One way to cut down on unnecessary mail and wasted paper, and protect the environment in the process, is by getting off of junk mail lists.

A few ways to remove your name from junk mail lists:

• Contact the Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association at P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512 or online at www.dmachoice.org. There is a small fee for this service and you will have to re-register every five years, but it is well worth the effort.
• Contact OptOutPrescreen.com to Opt-Out (or even Opt-In, if you so desire) of receiving preapproved or prescreened offers from magazines and credit card, insurance and mortgage companies.
• Contact major credit card companies to request to be taken off of their mailing lists.
• Request an unlisted phone number or use only your name and phone number (without your address) in the phone book.
• Refrain from entering contests and surveys that may share your information with other mailing groups.

With a little planning ahead, and the help of modern technology and available services, it is not a tough task to keep the danger thermometer low. Your important mail, bills and valuables will be safe and secure while you’re off on your business trips or leisure getaways. And you can have fun shopping online from your hotel room, with eager anticipation of the pile of goodies that will safely await you upon your return home.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.

Simply register your trip with the State Department.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.

STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency.

STEP also allows Americans residing abroad to get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  

I wish you all safe travels, but if something were to happen while abroad, the State Department will have an easier time reaching you if you are registered. So be safe out there, and register your next international trip!

Almost all hotel room doors have a peephole for looking out into the hallway and viewing anyone knocking at your door. Women staying in hotel rooms should always use the peephole before opening the door, even when expecting visitors or room service.

But very few peepholes have a cover to close up this peephole when not in use. Why is this important, especially for women? Because Erin’s story isn’t the only case of hotel room peepholes getting reversed. While the chances of peephole crime are very low, it can happen.

It’s not only perverts tinkering with the peepholes; sometimes the peephole mechanics just come apart. A hotel may tape up the peephole to keep it in place or jam a piece of paper into it (from either the outside or the inside of the door), or accidentally put it in backwards. If it’s loose or backwards, it can freak a traveler out!

What can you do to help protect yourself against the chance of peephole snooping? If there is no provided cover for the peephole, make your own. Solutions women have shared with me:

• Duct tape. Take it with you and use it for all kinds of things, and not just when your peephole is broken, but when it’s working as intended as well.
• Stuff toilet paper into the peephole. A female American Airline pilot told me that she does this in every hotel room she stays in. This is easy to remove and replace if someone does come knocking on the door. A smart woman traveler must have done this in a hotel room where I stayed this past weekend in San Diego as I had a knock on the door and discovered the paper still stuffed in the peephole.
• I’ve also heard of women smearing Vaseline on the inside lens of peepholes to prevent anyone from looking in. While this may make it impossible for someone on the outside to use a modified peephole, it will also make the peephole unusable from the inside as well, so this is not a recommended solution.

Hotels can also help. Housekeepers could add checking the peephole’s functionality to their room cleaning daily tasks, or weekly checks by the maintenance crew could be done. Some hotels use cameras to monitor hallways. Video monitoring can increase hotel security substantially. All of these solutions can help lower our fears, especially when we know that they are in place.

Hotel guest privacy violations are rare, but when they do happen, they can be high severity incidents. Help keep yourself safe by these simple precautions when it comes to hotel room door peepholes.

To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com.

Throughout countless flights, hotel stays, dining experiences and taxi rides, I’ve learned a thing or two and am always learning more. Here are some of the top travel tips I wish I had known at the beginning (all things I’ve learned the hard way):

• You can go through an entire week with just a couple of pairs of shoes. You do not need to pack your entire shoe rack and buy even more shoes during your travels.
• You can wear the same pants twice in a week. Even the same jacket if you switch up the blouse underneath or add a scarf.
• You do not need to bring every color of eye shadow or lipstick you own. You can get by with one of each.
• You do not need to iron clothes before you pack them. Roll them, or layer them in plastic bags. Then you’ll only be ironing as a last resort.
• Do not plug in appliances (a stick blender in my case) in a foreign hotel without the proper power converter. The room very suddenly gets very dark. Know the power outlets and voltage for where you’re traveling to.
• Take at least two credit cards on every trip. One may be declined because you forgot to let the credit card company know you were traveling abroad (or forgot to pay the bill since you weren’t home to get the statement). It’s very embarrassing to have your credit card declined when you’re taking a client out to dinner.
• Take more cash than you think you’ll need. Between tipping, places that do not accept credit cards, and small purchases, cash is often needed. Any excess can be deposited once you’re back home.
• Keep a list of all credit cards in a safe place at home, along with the number on each and the phone number of the credit card company. And have a set place for each credit card in your wallet so you don’t misplace them or not realize when you’ve lost one.
• Don’t wear lots of metallic custom jewelry on air travel days, nor big billowy skirts. Both end up with more airport security inspection, and the latter can get very personal.
• Keep track of your travel itinerary. Online, on paper … doesn’t matter. But know where you’re staying when you show up in a city.
• If a cab driver doesn’t seem to know where he’s going, and won’t admit it, ask him to stop at the nearest hotel. Then get another cab.
• If you ask a cab driver to take you to Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) and he asks ‘Which one?’ – get out of the cab.
• For foreign trips, always have the hotel name in writing and preferably in the local language as well as English. Give this to the cab driver rather than try to explain in a language they do not speak.
• Ask a cab driver if they take credit cards before getting into the cab. Many do not (and hence the need for additional cash). If it’s not a metered cab, agree on a price before the cab takes off.
• Always have your airline’s telephone number in your mobile phone. With any cancellation of a flight, immediately call the airline – even if you also get in the line with 200 other passengers awaiting rebooking (might as well get a meal voucher, right?)
• Speaking of meal vouchers … for any airline-caused flight delay of a significant length (maybe two hours or more?), ask for a meal voucher. It doesn’t buy much, but it offsets the stress a little bit to enjoy a coffee or dessert on the airline.
• Try to fly one airline (or it’s codeshare partners) until you reach their premium status. Spreading your miles around ten different airlines won’t get you upgrades or priority boarding, though it will get you a wallet-full of airline cards. Same goes for hotels and car rentals.
• When traveling somewhere really exciting for you, plan an extra day or two for enjoyment. Don’t go to Hawaii for work and not leave any time for the beach.
• Do squats and lunges to keep your thighs strong. This is very helpful in places without western toilets. And always carries tissues for when there is no toilet paper.

So many more things come to mind, especially around traveling with young kids at home. That’ll be the subject of another article … What I Wish I Knew as a Traveling Mom.

What do you wish you had known then that you know now?

Before Your Flight

Ask your doctor if he or she recommends the use of compression stockings. These can help increase circulation particularly if you’re at high risk of developing DVT. Get properly measured for these stockings so that they provide a comfortable fit. Try on the stockings with the shoes you intend to wear during the flight.

During Your Flight

Move around! Sitting scrunched up with your knees to your chest for long periods of time is not only uncomfortable, but it can be dangerous especially if you’re at risk for DVT. Do what you can in the narrow airplane aisles … walk back and forth, do some toe-lifts against a back wall and try to do a few stationery lunges from the back of the plane. Try to move around every hour or so during a long flight.

Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids such as water and juice. Dehydration can result in the thickening of blood and the narrowing of vessels. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks as they can be dehydrating.

Engage in exercise at your seat. Point your toes up and then down to a flat position. You can also try flexing your leg muscles and lifting your knees periodically throughout the flight. Rotating your ankles is another good way to keep the blood flowing. Don’t cross your legs or ankles as this restricts blood flow.

After Your Flight

See your doctor immediately following a trip if you have any signs of DVT. These may include swelling in one or both legs, leg pain or tenderness, red or discolored skin or warmth in the leg that’s affected. If you feel a bump in your leg, do not try to massage it out. See your doctor first.

Half of all DVT patients show no symptoms.

As with any other medical issue, check with your doctor to get their expert advice on DVT.

Good: If you are venturing out of the hotel on your own, let the front desk know your agenda or itinerary and when to expect you back.

Better: If you are returning in the dark, call ahead to the hotel and ask that someone escort you from the parking lot into the hotel.

Best: Ask the hotel if their hotel shuttle will drive you to and from a restaurant.