TOP-FIVE TIPS for staying safe this summer!

1) **Plan your hostel in advance **– Turning up in a strange city and just hoping to find a cheap place to crash is an unsafe and, in most cases, a very expensive option. Plan ahead and get cheap deals in a proper establishment with Hostelling International . http://www.hihostels.com/

2) **Get your jabs!** – Don’t forget that you need to check with your GP 6-8 weeks before you travel. Don’t know whether you need them or not? Visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/Travel-immunisation to see if your destination is listed.

3) **Check local customs **– Got a bit of a sniffle? Did you know that blowing your nose in public in Japan is considered very rude? Or that in Indonesia you should never pass or accept anything with your left hand? Get yourself a guidebook and read the local customs bit at the back (Dorling Kindersley and Lonely Planet are excellent for this), an easy way to avoid offence or being arrested!

4) **Money Matters **– Ring your bank, and tell them you’re travelling so that they don’t block your card, and to check you can use it in ATMs abroad. Get yourself some travellers cheques for emergencies, and remember to order your currency if it’s an unusual one, as many Post Offices/Banks need prior warning.

5) **Be sure to Insure **- The boring (but SO important) bit. Get yourself on a price comparison website, and buy some travel insurance. Read the small print. Does it cover medical expenses? Baggage loss? Does it cover the duration of your trip? Go to www.fco.gov.uk/gapyear for more advice.

**Packing list of things you might not have considered:**

• International Student Card (called an ISSIC, buy it from STA, £9)
• Photocopies of all your important documents
• A list of emergency numbers (bank, Mum, insurance etc)
• A good notebook and pen to record your adventure for September’s issue of THE BOAR!

For more information, visit www.fco.gov.uk/gapyear for reliable and detailed advice. Happy Travelling!