Travelling overseas can have risks, especially when the health systems and emergency response teams you find overseas may not be as advanced or available as they are here in Australia.
Here are some useful tips:
- Travel insurance – ensure your child has comprehensive travel insurance and make sure this insurance covers your child for any activities they plan to participate in and is valid for the entire trip. Any hiring for cars, motorcycles, jet skis or any motorised vehicle, check with the travel insurance policy. Some insurance cover does not cover your child if they don’t wear a helmet or not licensed to ride a motor cycle in Australia.
- Make copies of your young person’s travel documents (passport, insurance, visas, credit card numbers) – you keep one set and ask your child to keep a set but not with the originals.
- Alcohol and other drugs – let your young person know that the strength of alcoholic drinks may differ from here in Australia. Alcohol content of drinks are not always marked or accurate. Some places may use methanol (non-drinking type alcohol used for industrial and automotive purposes) and there have been cases in Bali of alcoholic drinks adulterated with methanol. Also, different countries may have laws about drugs that attract heavy fines or jail sentences… make sure your young person knows about the local laws and customs.
- Check out Smarttraveller – the Australian Government’s travel advice site.
