A Summer Survival Guide

By Tiffany Sharples
May 9, 2006
redesign_survival
Learn some basic rules for getting along with nature.

You're more likely to get struck by lightning than mauled by a bear. But if you actually run into a grizzly, statistics are cold comfort. To be safe outdoors, follow some basic rules: Don't feed wild animals, stay in designated areas, and use the buddy system.

As for whether you should run, play dead, or hold your ground, it all depends on who's staring you down.

MOUNTAIN LION

Avoidance: Mountain lions tend to attack smaller, isolated animals, so have kids and short adults stay close to taller people in the group (and consider leaving the dog at home). Mountain lions are most active from dawn to dusk, though attacks can happen anytime.

First Sight: Make eye contact, stand up straight, and raise your hands to present a formidable appearance. Pick up small children and retreat slowly, never turning your back.

Last Resort: Create loud noises and bare your teeth. Fight like hell when attacked. Do your best to keep the animal in front of you, as mountain lions deliver most fatal blows from behind, by clamping down on the neck.

SHARK

Avoidance: Be careful when swimming in areas with sudden depth changes, especially during early morning and twilight. Don't wear reflective outfits or jewelry, which attract sharks.

First Sight: Swim or steer your boat away at an even pace. Try not to make sudden movements or splash around, and always keep an eye on the shark.

Last Resort: Fight back with everything you've got. Jab at the shark's eyes and kick and throw punches at its gills to convince it to let you go.

BEAR

Avoidance: Most bears want to stay away from people, and talking, singing, or ringing a bell alerts them to your presence. Don't cook near your tent, and keep all food supplies, trash, and anything scented--even deodorant and sunscreen--locked in bear-resistant containers. Bears have been known to break car windows when they smell something good inside.

First Sight: Wave your arms above your head slowly and speak in an even, firm tone as you back away. Do not make eye contact or turn your back. Most important, do not run, as this may prompt a bear to charge. If the bear is within 15 feet and you had the presence of mind to pull out bear spray, discharge it at the bear's face.

Last Resort: Respond to a grizzly attack by curling in a ball with your hands behind your neck and playing dead. But if it's a black bear, use sticks, rocks, fists, and anything else at your disposal to persuade the bear that you're better left alone.

JELLYFISH

Avoidance: Jellyfish populations migrate slowly and can inundate beaches, so ask lifeguards about the conditions. Wearing a wet suit lessens your risk of being stung. A dead jellyfish will still sting, so don't touch one even when it's washed ashore (it'll look like a plastic bag).

First Sight: A jellyfish stings on contact; it doesn't matter if you bump into one unintentionally or you're foolishly trying to pick one up. The best defense is to keep clear of them. And don't get carried away: The stings of a scyphozoan jellyfish (the most common type in North America) are seldom life-threatening.

Last Resort: After a sting, get out of the water immediately and brush off any tentacles using a towel or other object (not your hands--you'll continue to be stung). Rinse jellyfish wounds in salt water or vinegar, which lifeguards often have on hand. Seek medical attention for severe rashes, fever, or shock.

SNAKE

Avoidance: Wear thick boots that are at least ankle-high. Tapping the ground with a walking stick helps scare off snakes. Bring a snakebite kit if you know you're going to be spending time in an area where poisonous snakes live.

First Sight: Maintain your distance. Many bites occur when people try to catch or kill a snake. Snakes bite humans in self-defense and rarely chase large creatures. Be cautious even around dead ones--a full hour after death, a snake's jaws can still clamp down.

Last Resort: Most snakes aren't poisonous, but once bitten you should take all precautions. Keep the wound below your heart and limit movement to minimize the spread of venom. Catalogue the snake's features to help an expert identify what kind it was, and alert doctors you're on your way.

WOLF

Avoidance: Wolves are attracted by the smell of food, so when camping, keep your cooking area separate from where you sleep. Dispose of your garbage and store cooking supplies and food properly.

First Sight: Keep 300 feet away, stand tall, and flail your arms. Retreat slowly, never turning your back. Make loud noises and throw objects if it continues to approach or otherwise acts aggressively.

Last Resort: Use pepper or bear spray on a wolf that comes within 10 feet or so. If you're attacked, punch, kick, or swing tree branches or a hiking stick--whatever you can do to keep the wolf's jaws from latching onto you.

MOOSE

Avoidance: Moose aren't naturally aggressive, but may charge or kick when threatened or surprised, so make noise in areas where they live. Be especially wary of females during the spring, when they're calving, and bulls during the fall mating season.

First Sight: Give a moose plenty of space, and walk so that a tree, boulder, or other large object is between you. Moose aren't agile, so you should be able to run around the object more quickly than it can. Run like the wind from a moose that charges; it probably won't follow.

Last Resort: If a moose knocks you down, it may stomp or kick until it feels that the threat (you) has been quashed. Curl up in a ball and protect your head with your hands. Don't move until the moose is a safe distance away.

ALLIGATOR

Avoidance: Avoid shorelines with thick vegetation. Keep a close watch on young children and small pets; they're similar in size to gators' usual prey. Be careful in particular during early evening, which is when they normally feed.

First Sight: Get out of the water now. Gators tend to stalk victims, using the element of surprise; if you flee, they won't necessarily give chase.

Last Resort: Kick, punch, and poke. Gators often mistake a human limb for a small animal--when they realize it's part of a larger creature, they generally unclamp their jaws.

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There's No Need to Fight Over the Car Keys

Car-rental agencies say the odds of an accident increase when more than one driver is allowed to take the wheel. We're skeptical: After all, isn't it safer to have two drivers, especially on long trips? In any event, you'd think that since it's a question of risk, extra drivers would be an issue handled by insurance companies. But that's not how things work. Agencies often tack on fees of $3-$10 per day for each additional driver, while rental insurance rates stay the same no matter how many drivers are on the contract. Perhaps even more confusing is the inconsistency. Payless, for example, charges $8 per day in Phoenix, $3 in Newark, and $5 in Miami. Sometimes fees are regulated by the state: Iowa rental agencies can't charge if the additional driver is a spouse or business associate, while Nevada law says that adding a second driver must be free, and drivers beyond that can cost no more than $5 a day. But trying to make sense of extra-driver fees is a waste of time; what's most important is knowing how to avoid paying them. The most common loophole is when the additional driver is a spouse (or sometimes, a domestic partner). Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and E-Z never charge for a second driver who you're married to. Hertz and National, meanwhile, don't charge for spouses or domestic partners as long as the primary renter is a member of their frequent-renter club; Hertz's basic membership is free, while National's club costs $50 annually. Many Fox and Payless affiliates also allow spouses to drive for free, but the policy varies by location. Most agencies say they require domestic partners and spouses to share the same address for fees to be waived, but they don't always ask for proof. Sometimes the extra driver doesn't have to be a spouse. At Hertz, there's no charge for two drivers as long as both are AAA or AARP members. National and Alamo have similar policies for members of a wide range of organizations--so ask. Special promotions may also allow more than one driver for free. Costco recently advertised a 25 percent discount for Alamo that included an additional driver at no cost. Other wholesale stores, including BJ's and Sam's Club, regularly post similar offers. If you're reserving through the rental agency directly, it's worth mentioning any discount-club affiliations, as additional-driver fees may be waived. Finally, playing up your business connections can save a few bucks. Avis, Advantage, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, National, and Thrifty regularly drop fees for drivers who are "business associates." Agencies may stipulate that your company have a corporate account with them; other times a couple of business cards will do--and in many instances, an agent will simply take your word. To eliminate hassles, clarify the agency's policy when reserving, get it in print, and have it handy when you arrive at the pickup counter.

Trip Coach: May 9, 2006

Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Welcome! Let's get to your questions on travel safety._______________________ Fountain Valley, CA: I have a daughter that I need a passport for. Her father isn't around, nor can be found. I have 100% custody because he never contested, but there is no paperwork stating such, it just is. Therefore, how can I get her a passport if he can't/won't sign and there is no court order? -Trudy Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Dear Trudy, We're quite sure your signature will be enough, but all the rules and regulations are available at most local post offices, just check with your postmaster for the one closest to you. Best, Sheila and Peter. _______________________ Hong Kong, China: Hi, I have a planned trip to Hong Kong for May 18-28, 2006. It will be myself and another girl both 27 years old. We are concerned with safety. We'd like to include a side trip to Malaysia or Philippines. Our interest is getting both beach and city and exploring culture for Hong Kong and Malaysia. Any suggestion would be helpful like cheap airfare, best scuba local, hiking, city life, etc. Thank you! Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Boy, you really are waiting until the last minute to plan this jaunt! Seek bargain airfares via the Internet at sites such as expedia and travelocity, but know that many such tickets mandate NO changes. Guidebooks from Rough Guides and Lonely Planet offer specific destinations suggestions. Use common urban sense in Hong Kong, and you'll be as safe as you can be, in the countryside of Malaysia and the Phillippines you MUST do some homework first and learn aboout those regions where it is possible to encounter potentially dangerous circumstances. Check with the State Department (which you can do on line at State.gov). Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Lewiston, ID: I am going to Venice in October. Is there a safe place to stay that is reasonably priced? I will be in Venice for 4 days. Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Venice is realtively safe, but reasonably priced? Not by Lewiston standards. Best advice for you if money is a key concern: find a package tour before you leave. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Raleigh, NC: My husband and I are in our 30's, and have 2-3 weeks to take a dream trip to India this August or September. We're definitely interested in seeing the Taj Mahal - what are the other "must-sees" you would recommend? We're very interested in natural beauty as well as cultural immersion. Also, we're not sure if independent travel would be either unsafe or too chaotic - what are some good budget-friendly but reliable tour operators? Thanks very much! Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Perhaps divide your trip between an organzied tour group for the must-see destinations followed by a second honeymoon-type period of the two of you meandering around the countryside. By doing the group tour first you'll have a good sense of your safety needs. To choose a good tour operator, pick a few you think are appealing and ask them for references from past customers. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Honolulu, HI: How safe is the water in China and Hong Kong? Many guides indicate not to use hotel water even for brushing teeth. However, during our pre-departure briefing, our tour leader indicated this practice is safe, along with using ice cubes -- this is in 4- and 5-star hotels, if that makes a difference. We are confused by the conflicting guidance. What is safe, and what isn't? Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Hong Kong is First World. Don't worry about their water. But no matter what anyone says, as soon as you cross into what we used to call Red China, it should be bottled water only no matter what, including teeth brushing. Sure, that fancy hotel may have a purifier -- and maybe it's out of order the day you stay. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Mesa, AZ: Going to the Czech Republic July 19th through August 3rd alone. Have never travelled outside the U.S. before but in this case I have a basic Czech vocabulary. What precautions should a women take in this country and what is the best way to bankroll this vacation besides cash? - Holly Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Take the same precautions you'd take in Chicago or New York, and that includes carrying no more cash than you can afford to loose. Your ATM will not only provide you money when you need it, but at a good exchange rate. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Clearwater, FL: I would love to travel to Egypt in Jan. 07 but fear of safety is stopping me and my husband from making our plans. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Pat Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Very high profile terrorist attacks have occurred over the last few years in Egypt, but overall the country is remarkably safe and the people warm and inviting. Check with the state Department for their latest warnings, but remember, life is a risk . . . ! Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Cedar Rapids, IA: Is it safe for a woman to travel to Costa Rica alone, or should I go with a tour group? Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Why take off for an unknown location worrying about whether you should be alone? Why not join a group, test the neighborhoods, and then leave the group for your own jaunts knowing its their to rejoin when and if you wish. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Gladwin, MI: In late fall (usually the second week in November) myself and 3 girlfriends like to take a trip to the Carribbean. We want a great beach for relaxation, an all-inclusive hotel and maybe some shopping. We usually go for 4 nights and like to keep it around $1,000 each (The price and # of nights is somewhat flexible). We are from a small town and would love your advice for a safe (and clean) place!! Thank you. -Beth Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: This is really a question for a travel agency or an online travel operator. If you're buying an all-inclusive package at a resort, you're likely in a safe enough neighborhood. Just know that some resorts abut desperate poverty and if you cross into the local town you will considered very rich (and hence perhaps vulnerable). Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Schenectady, NY: I'm planning a trip to Amsterdam. My main interest is visiting museums so I want to stay right in the heart of the city. However, because I am an older woman traveling alone I want to make sure I'm in a safe neighborhood. Is the price of a hotel usually an indication the type of neighborhood? I'm trying not to spend too much money on this trip. My airfare is free (frequent flyer miles)and I don't spend a lot on food when I travel so if I can keep the hotel cost down while still feeling safe it will be a great trip. Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Amsterdam is more expensive than Schenectady, for sure! But there are many modest, safe, and clean hotels in the nighborhood directly adjacent to the State Museum. A good alternative is a pension where the bathroom may be down the hall, but the informal atmosphere may result in you meeting some new friends. Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Greenville, NC:: What are some of the travel clubs or opportunities that focus on singles or unaccompanied women? I will be taking a trip this August without my husband (but with his blessing, smile) and would like to go to Brazil or Italy but am concerned about my safety in traveling alone. Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: Brazil and Italy are great destinations for you. Many books (including ours! -- Safety and Security for Women Who Travel) list such clubs and groups. Bon voyage! Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Mason City, IA: I had never really considered making the trip to Romania until a distant cousin recently called with an invitation in response to a letter in which I had asked him for some help with some family genealogy. As far as I know, he's one of the last of any living relatives on my maternal grandparents' side. Now that he's mildly chastised me for making other travels but not yet coming to Romania, he's got me seriously thinking about it! I would plan to depart from Mason City if possible, as we have a Mesaba Airlink to Northwest Airlines/Minneapolis. I would prefer to utilize NWA due to accumulation miles already achieved. Dates? Most likely early summer of 2007, or perhaps 2008. I would most likely be traveling alone (female, age 52) or perhaps with one additional person. I have previously traveled abroad, to England/Scotland/Ireland with a tour in 1995, and in May of this year I will be traveling with one family member to Sweden via Copenhagen to visit family. The more I think about Romania, and the possibility of seeing my grandparents' homes before they emigrated in 1921, the more excited I am at the prospect! However, I'm unsure of the safety and ease of traveling alone to an Eastern European country. I appreciate all input! Thank you! Kathy Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: It will be a challenge compared with the tourist-experienced England/Scotland/Ireland landscape, but you will have a terrific time. Not only your cousin, but his neighbors will welcome you, feed you, and offer overnight accommodations. The only real caveat: good luck if you're a vegetarian! Best, Sheila and Peter _______________________ Peter Laufer and Sheila Swan: We wish you all a bon voyage (and don't forget to pack a copy of Safety and Security for Women Who Travel!) Best, Sheila and Peter

This Just In!

A temporary theme park dedicated to Pokémon, called PokéPark, takes over Taipei from June 23 through September 24 (pokepark.tw, $26, kids $20). Yotel, a new chain from the company behind the popular Yo! Sushi restaurants, allows travelers to sleep inside terminals at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The 108-square-foot rooms have fold-out beds, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. They can be rented by the night, from $70, or in four-hour increments, from $44 (yotel.com). Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mesa Verde National Park June 29 through July 2 with crafts demos, birthday cake, and music. Rangers will also be leading hikes and horseback rides in September to three former Native-American cliff dwellings--Mug House (left), Spring House, and Oak Tree House--that have been closed to visitors for at least 40 years (mesaverde2006.org, park entrance $10). Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, designed by I.M. Pei, opens July 1 in Luxembourg (mudam.lu, $6). Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall" runs June 4 through September 3 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Interactive exhibits teach about walking, communicating, and climbing like the chimps in Gombe National Park in Tanzania (cmnh.org, $7.50, kids $5.50). Puerto Rico recently passed a law prohibiting smoking in all enclosed public places. It goes into effect in March 2007. Vancouver's public transportation SkyTrain has launched a SkyTour service. Visitors rent headsets that provide commentary during the ride, and also guide them along walking tours of the Gastown and Chinatown districts, and nearby New Westminster (translink.bc.ca). Lufthansa announced a new fare program in which round trips within Europe start at $132. The Southern California CityPass has expanded and now covers admission to Universal Studios, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, and three days in Disney parks ($199, $159 kids 3 to 9). During off-peak hours, up to four kids under age 11 accompanied by an adult can ride the London Underground for free. If a Hyatt guest reserves a non-smoking room and the hotel doesn't deliver, Hyatt compensates with a $100 gift card or 5,000 reward points. Walt Disney World has extended its Magical Express airport shuttle, which allows resort guests to bypass baggage claim in Orlando, through 2011. Avis and Budget rental cars in Houston and the New York City metropolitan area can be equipped with electronic toll-collection systems such as E-ZPass starting at $1.50 per day (plus the tolls). Marriott now factors in taxes and surcharges when a guest books, so no one is surprised at checkout. Bus trips between Midwestern cities cost as little as $1 each way through Megabus.com, which is owned by Coach USA. The Holland America Line is staging regular 5K walks on cruise-ship decks to raise money for breast cancer. On its red-eye flights, JetBlue gives out Bliss spa overnight kits with moisturizer, earplugs, and eye masks, and lets passengers help themselves to a pantry loaded with snacks and hot towels.

Cutting-Edge Pittsburgh

It's an unseasonably chilly Friday night in Pittsburgh, but inside the Andy Warhol Museum, a swarm of stylish 20- and 30-somethings aren't letting that stop them from imagining themselves at a Factory party. Wandering around the lobby, wine glasses in hand, they gather around Pop Art prints. The museum's theater has been temporarily turned into a concert space, and indie rockers The Mountain Goats can be heard tuning their guitars. It's part of the museum's weekly Good Fridays event; admission is slashed in half, and young folks gather from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for drinks and special programs, such as a mixed-tape exchange, in which participants swap cassettes they've made. Among them is Rob Conroy, a 35-year-old lawyer and music writer. "The Warhol is one of my favorite things about Pittsburgh," says Conroy, a native who returned in 1996, after graduating from Widener University in Harrisburg, to practice law (and go to concerts). "I love that it exists here--despite the fact that Warhol is probably turning in his grave. He hated our city so much." The artist fled home when he was 21 and never looked back. But his legacy looms large, and thanks to developments of the last two decades--cheap rents and plenty of grant money--he'd find it far more welcoming than in the old days. "People come to Pittsburgh to visit family or college friends, and they say, 'Wow!' " says Stephanie Giuffre, who moved from San Diego two years ago. Giuffre is a cofounder of Art From Chaos, a collective that puts on avant-garde exhibits and concerts (artfromchaos.org). "Lots of people are working at making Pittsburgh more culturally recognized," Giuffre says. Next month, her nonprofit will be doing its part by staging a fashion and live-music event, called Pendulum, with video art and works by local designer Kairi Kramer that will show how fashion trends evolved between the 1920s and 1970s. One of the best of the museums on the city's North Side is the four-floor Mattress Factory, devoted to contemporary installation art. Among its holdings is James Turrell's fascinating Pleiades, a dark room in which viewers sit and wait for their eyes to adjust, revealing a purplish cube of light. Two doors down, at 408 Sampsonia Way, is House Poem, a living installation by Huang Xiang, a Chinese writer who spent 12 years in prison for defying the Communist government. Huang moved to Pittsburgh in 2004 as part of a program called City of Asylum, in which the city provides housing and funding to exiled writers. Huang has never succeeded in having a poem published in China, but he has found another outlet: his house. Visitors aren't allowed inside, but they can see parts of a dozen poems, in bold calligraphy, on the wooden walls. An inscription on the door translates to NEST OF DREAMS. "People are making the most of what was here before," says Conroy, the lawyer/ music writer. Take the Church Brew Works, a popular spot for pierogies, steaks, and Steelers talk. It's in an abandoned church--brewing tanks full of ales and lagers now stand where the altar once was. The Grand Concourse, a 500-seat restaurant where light pours in through stained-glass windows, is a former train station. It's now a Sunday-brunch mainstay, with a buffet featuring made-to-order omelets and homemade doughnuts. Even some of the best "new" hangouts are throwbacks: Hipster nightspot Kelly's Bar and Lounge was recently refurbished to look like it did during its 1940s art deco heyday. And the Prelude Wine Bar is in a historic-landmark building from 1906 that once housed offices and a nightclub in its lobby. It's since become the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel. Lodging Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel 107 6th St., 412/562-1200, marriott.com, from $149 Food Church Brew Works 3525 Liberty Ave., 412/688-8200, pierogies $6.50 Grand Concourse 100 w. Station Square Dr., 412/261-1717, buffet $21 Activities Andy Warhol Museum 117 Sandusky St., 412/237-8300, warhol.org, $10 Mattress Factory 500 Sampsonia Way, 412/231-3169, mattress.org, $8 Nightlife Kelly's Bar 6012 Penn Circle South, 412/363-6012 Prelude Wine Bar 107 6th St., 412/562-1200