The Don’t Leave Home Without It Summer Driving Safety Kit

May 31, 2011

Are you planning any long driving trips this summer – perhaps the Alaska highway or a road-trip across North America? No matter where you’re going I’d suggest throwing in a safety kit  for cars – with some unusual items that might save you some grief.

Let me first tell you why.

Many years ago my husband and I were driving the desolate back-roads of Nevada. Not a soul in sight for miles. Not a town. Not a house. Nothing. Nada.

Nevada road The Dont Leave Home Without It Summer Driving Safety Kit

Highway 50 - The loneliest road in Nevada - and guess where we were

And we’re off road – several miles in from Highway 50 –  the loneliest road in America.

We drive over a very sharp rock and puncture our fuel tank. Gas starts leaking out. Slowly but it’s definitely coming out. We look under the car and watch it drip, drip, drip.

And its hot, hot, hot. So hot you can almost fry an egg.

egg The Dont Leave Home Without It Summer Driving Safety Kit

So hot you can almost fry an egg on the pavement

So we turn around and drive 75 miles to the nearest town. It’s Memorial Day weekend so not much is happening. The mechanic is nowhere  to be found.

But someone in the shop thinks like McIver. Suggests chewing gum.

We bought a few packs, chewed a big wad of the stuff, and patched the fuel tank.

Slept the night in Tonapah. The next morning seems the gum was holding. Decided not to risk the back road trip we’d planned and drove 8 hours home to Boulder – with nary a problem the whole way home.

Lesson learned. Carry chewing gum. Actually – don’t drive over sharp rocks.

Leigh’s Don’t Leave Home Without It Summer Driving Safety Kit List

Here’s what I think you should take.

  • Chewing gum
  • Duct tape
  • Spare tire – PROPERLY INFLATED!!!!
  • Nylons – to replace your fanbelt – any colour is OK or a spare fan belt specific to your car
  • Can of compressed air with sealant to repair tire
  • Pair of pliers
  • #9 wire – if something falls off or a hoseclamp breaks
  • Extra water – many gallons extra if you’re driving through the desert
  • Extra food
  • Books – to pass the time
  • A map – in case you don’t have a GPS or it’s stolen
  • Cellphone with battery charger
  • Blankets

Have you been caught in the middle of nowhere without the proper tools? What would you include in a summer driving safety kit? Any good stories to tell?

Leigh McAdam

HikeBikeTravel

Photo credits: Lonely road, fried egg

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Safety Tips | 3 Comments 

Fabulous Friday Finds – April 29, 2011

April 29, 2011

Fabulous Friday Quote of the Week

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Confucius

Fabulous Friday Travel Contests

Don’t forget to enter my $5000 contest where if you win a travel adventure tour, then I win a tour too, all compliments of Austin Lehman Adventures. And anyone in the world can enter!!

Fabulous Friday Travel Safety Tip

Do you know the emergency number of the country you’re visiting? – the one that’s equivalent to North America’s 911. Laurel of Expat in Germany shares her #1 Travel Safety Secret. If you click on the link you can view the three digit emergency numbers used in various countries around the world. If you know where you’re traveling just memorize the number.

Fabulous Friday Deals

Heading to Holland, Belgium, Germany or France anytime soon?? Then there’s a great deal on B&B’s if you join a group called Friends on the Bike. Membership is 8 Euros per year and with that you get a book with 3600 B&B addresses, most of which are in Holland but there are plenty in other European countries too. There is ONE CONDITION to using these B&B’s according to Richard Tulloch and that is:

we have to get there by cycling, walking, canoeing, skating or skeeling (roller-blading)*

If you can do that, then the maximum price you’ll pay in these B&B’s is 19 Euros ($US26) each. Now that’s a deal!

bikes Fabulous Friday Finds April 29, 2011

Colourful bikes in Holland

Fabulous Friday Travel Destinations

bondi beach Fabulous Friday Finds April 29, 2011

Bondi Beach, Sydney

How many of you have ever been to Sydney, Australia? It’s the largest city in Australia with a population of over 4.5 million Sydneysiders – the name given to people that live there. The city is built around Sydney Harbour so a great way to get your bearings when you first arrive is to hop on a ferry or to take a cruise.  Enjoy great views of the famed Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Do try a trip at night time too.

sydney opera house Fabulous Friday Finds April 29, 2011

Sydney Opera House

What else can you do in Sydney? Sun and water is what it’s famous for so head to Manley and the beaches there, or go to the well known Bondi Beach. If you’re not the beach type then check out the Royal Botanical Gardens, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, take in the open air cinema – in summertime only, go whale watching or visit the sandstone cliffs at West Head. Visit the Sydney Olympic Park or get some culture via the Art Gallery of NSW. Enjoying some food and drink in Sydney is probably high on your list too. You could try kangaroo, emu or crocodile but what you’re likely to see a lot of is meat pies and hamburgers. Fortunately you’re in Sydney and not Adelaide where the specialty is a floater – a meat pie floating in a bowl of pea soup. Hmm.

Fabulous Friday Helps with Math

It’s 6am in Vancouver, with daylight savings so it’s what time in Shanghai? That question is now easily answered with World Time Engine. You can look up times around the world, check out time differences and enter latitude and longitude to get the precise hour, even in the middle of the ocean.

Fabulous Friday Books

Remember the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson? It turns out he has embellished a lot. In an exclusive interview with Outside Magazine he admits to spending only two to three hours in the village of Korphe – the one that is the basis for his charitable foundation, but even that claim is in question now.  It also appears that he didn’t reach the summit of any mountains in the Himalayas since Miss Elizabeth Hawley, the record keeper of all successful summits in the Himalayas, has no record of him summiting any Himalayan peak. You can read more about the Three Cups of Tea Controversy. The unfortunate fallout from this will be erosion of public trust in charitable organizations and the age old question of whether are dollars are getting to the intended recipients.

Fabulous Friday Photo

Texas April 2011 020 Fabulous Friday Finds April 29, 2011

Take a "Ride of a Lifetime" in this car in Marfa, Texas

I’m off for a boat ride on the weekend up Princess Louisa Inlet, off of the Sunshine Coast, compliments of Sunshine Coast Tours. Stay tuned for a blog on that trip. And for those of you who haven’t got your taxes done – have fun.

Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel

Photo credit: Colourful bikes, Bondi Beach, Sydney Opera House

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Accommodation (Hotels, B&B's, Inns & Other), Australia & New Zealand, Books and Book Reviews, Contests, Fabulous Friday, Photography, Safety Tips | 4 Comments 

Tips for Buying Travel Insurance

December 21, 2010

Plan Your Trip Carefully and Save on Travel Insurance

Whether you are packing your scuba gear for your trip to Cancun or stressing out over the business meeting you have in New York, travel insurance is probably the last thing you have on your mind.  You’re not alone. Most North Americans don’t think about their coverage out of province, state  or overseas until they get hurt or their property is stolen.  Unfortunately, your current insurance policies likely don’t give you much if any coverage when you are traveling overseas.

This puts a damper on most people’s travel plans because they can’t stomach the thought of paying additional premiums.  Buying travel insurance doesn’t have to consume your travel budget. There are a few ways that you can save money when shopping around for the policy you need.

insurance Tips for Buying Travel Insurance

Research Your Options

The insurance industry is just like every other industry when it comes to pricing.  Some companies will charge a lot more than others.  This is why you need to look carefully at each company that provides travel insurance and understand their policies inside and out.

You’re not just trying to familiarize yourself with their prices.  You also need to know which plans give you the biggest bang for your buck.  With online comparison sites, you can get an overview of the entire market and choose your plan more carefully.

There are a number of sites you can use to compare travel insurance packages.  Some of the most popular sites are squaremouth.com, insuremytrip.com, quoteright.com and travelinsurancereview.net.

Know Where you Will travel in the Future

If you know ahead of time which regions or countries you are going to travel to, you can set up a policy that is limited to those regions.  There is no sense buying worldwide coverage if you are only planning on flying to England to visit your cousin.  If you are planning to travel through France, Italy, Spain and Greece, then you can get coverage for your trip throughout Europe.  Worldwide coverage only makes sense when you are planning on traveling to different continents.

How Often Will You Travel?

If you travel frequently, you will want to get annual travel insurance.  A good rule of thumb is to purchase it if you are going to travel more than 3-4 times a year.  You have to check quotes for your single trip policies and compare them with the cost of purchasing an annual plan, but single trips add up fast.  It doesn’t take long before you start to pay more with them.

When you are purchasing annual travel insurance, you have two options;

  1. Annual Trip Insurance – Annual trip insurance plans are intended for less serious problems such as cancellations or damages to property you are responsible for.
  2. Multi-Trip Travel Medical plans.  Multi-trip plans are usually necessary in the event of a medical emergency.

Buy Your Policy from a Specialist

If you are a senior citizen or have a medical problem, you can try to purchase insurance from providers who specialize in these types of policies.  Otherwise, your premiums can be much higher.  Again, you never want to make the assumption that you will save money.  Always compare charts to be sure.

Plan Your Coverage While You Plan Your Trips

If you are going to purchase travel insurance, know what you need ahead of time.  There is no sense making uninformed decisions.  You can spend significantly more in the long run if you buy services you don’t need or if you don’t take advantage of savings that are available to you.

This is a sponsored post.

Photo credit: Alan Cleaver

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Safety Tips | Leave a Comment 

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Another Free Guide – Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide

Palm Springs, a desert resort city of 40,000 plus people, is located 100 miles east of Los Angeles and 130 miles northeast of San Diego. It is one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley with mountains surrounding it on all sides.

Inside Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide you will find the following

1. Fantastic scenery, especially along the western coast of Cape Breton Highlands National Park

2. the climb in the afternoon of North Mountain rewards with excellent scenery too

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