1st time flying and leaving the country. Any advice?

Question

I am going to Honduras Saturday on a mission trip for our church does anyone have any advice or encouragement. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

Parts of Tegucigalpa can be bad for theft. Mosquitoes and sand flies can be an annoyance on the Caribbean coast.

Women traveling alone may anticipate a bit of attention, both visually and possibly vocally.  

◊ Dress culturally appropriately.  Long skirts just make sense if you want to draw less attention.  Confine beach wear and shorts to the Bay Islands.  A recent visitor wrote that after observing local women wearing contemporary apparel in La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula, women might well want to consider capris and cotton.

I heartily agree with the cotton clothing recommendation, as mentioned in our 'packing for travel' section.

◊ Ignore catcalls if they occur and move on.  This can be handled just as at home when walking through a construction workers' area.  If you engage or respond to the banter, it merely escalates.

◊ Avoid direct eye contact when talking with males.  This has nothing to do with deference. When women make direct eye contact in Honduras, it is an "invitation" that you may not want to be extending.  Don't do it.

More Ideas

◊ Most would encourage women not travel alone.  If you must travel alone, use taxis and travel during the day.  Use good sense!

◊ Arrive early for the bus so that you can sit - - avoiding the physical jostling, etc., that is inevitable in the aisle.  Buses get very crowded.  Where available, use 1st class buses rather than chicken buses.

◊ On the bus, seek out an elderly Honduran woman as a travel mate.  Age is still respected and you are less apt to be bothered by Casanova, if he rides your route.

◊ If someone tries to swipe your purse, don't resist (because you aren't carrying valuables in it anyways - see general safety ideas below).

◊ If you have issues that need police attention, stop by a church and ask that someone go with you to the police station.  While I make no promises, it can help.

.  Honduras is much, much more than gang violence.  The violence grabs our front page, just as it does at home.  

2.  The violence has not yet been directed towards tourists.

At the same time, I would tell you that if this makes you anxious, don't travel.  There is absolutely no reason to spend money and well-earned vacation time worrying about whether or not a Honduran gang is going to ruin your time.  It is your call.

•  Awareness is the key – In numerous trips to Central America, we have not had one problem with security.  The Department of State offers a cautionary warning.  Read it.  It will give you pause that is for sure, as will the numerous rifle-toting guards and police whom you will see in the larger cities.  Yikes!

I admit that I take the State Department's warning with a grain of salt.   I recognize the inherent danger in any metropolitan area, regardless of the country.  I have always been curious how our State Department would write up travel alerts (if written objectively) on New York City or Chicago.   What to do then?

Let's list some key6 ideas to help with safety issues:

◊  Always ask the front desk for the safe and less-than-safe areas for walking.  

◊  Take no jewelry with you.  A $25 Timex is sufficient.  We leave all other jewelry, even our wedding bands, at home.

◊  Use taxis after dark.  In metro areas, taxis should be used to move from bus station to bus station.

More suggestions:

◊  Don’t flash cash around.  Use a money belt for extra cash and your passport.  Carry only the day's money in your front pocket with a thick rubber band around it.  The band helps hold the wad in your pocket when you sit down.

◊  Take one credit card, leaving all the cancellation details with a friend at home.  If traveling with someone, they should take a different credit card.

◊  Split the cash and travelers' checks with your traveling partner.  Each carries half.

◊  Write down travelers' check numbers and keep in a place separate from your checks.  Have the phone number available to report lost checks.

And finally:

◊  Be aware of your surroundings.  Essentially, act just like you would in any major metropolitan area.  

◊  Use common sense.  Use good judgment.  I found that the people in Honduras were extremely “protective” of us and were quick to assist with a list of “do’s and don’ts” for us when we merely asked.



Health Issues

•  Pharmacies

Don’t bring along tons of over-the-counter items.  Honduran pharmacies are very well stocked and the prices are comparable to what you pay in North America.  

◊   Put your prescriptions4 in the bottles in which they were dispensed in your carry-on, not in your checked baggage.  

◊   In cities, pharmacies take turns remaining open 24 hours a day.  When it is a pharmacy’s turn, a green card will be displayed in the front window.  

◊   Pharmacists in Honduras have 6 years of post-high school education.  They often serve as the first line of “physicianing.”  Have a medical issue?  First talk with a pharmacist.

•  Physicians – If you get in a bind, you can find English-speaking docs in Santa Rosa de Copan, Copan, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, The Bay Islands, and La Ceiba.  Overall, medical care in Honduras is not up to North American standards.

◊   Consider buying medical emergency air evacuation insurance.  Because I have a back issue, we bought a $50,000 plan for $16 through our auto association – a bargain by any standard.  Lonely Planet offers a listing of firms dealing with trip insurance (to include air evacuation, if desired).

◊   Check to make sure your health insurance plan covers care in Honduras.  Medicare doesn't cover you in Honduras.

◊   Diarrhea.  If you do experience a bout, give it 24 hours.  Use plenty of clear liquids - - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and eat plain toast or white rice.  If it continues beyond 24 hours, go after it with that prescription anti-biotic we talked about earlier.

Answer 2

All I can say is get vaccinated, bugs are different everywhere. Another thing is try not to eat a lot a lot. If you're stomach isn't used to the food, you can get very sick. Also if you aren't vaccinated, the people there may get something from you.

Good luck... just be friendly to the people. People in Honduras are friendly too, they like company just like the rest of us, don't pound any ideas into their head, just be friendly, if you don't make a member of the church, at least you've made a friend and helped them.

Answer 3

chew gum on plane a lot. dont speak english in other contry cause then they'll like 2 rob u. act normal.  Bring a buk or somtin to do on plane bring a lot of money cause u'll se things u'll like n want 2 buy them .

Answer 4

Get a nice seat on the plane. get some really good sleep.

Because It will be a long flight and there will be a time change so you will even more sleepy.

Try to keep a good eye on your logage and learn soe of the language. So you can know what they sayin. Some times the police will stop you

O and don't try and uncooked food (lol)

Answer 5

advice dont leave you passport in a bag on a taxi

Answer 6

just relax & enjoy the flight...i bet you will want to fly again - so don't worry...you'll be fine!  have a wonderful time!

Answer 7

yes here its my advice ;

DO NOT GO!!!!!!!

YOU ARE WAY TO PRETTY TO GO THERE.!! way to pretty!!

leave the missions for ugly people ,you ? get to a pageant, that is what you should do!!

Answer 8

make sure your passport is in order,you have all your shots, you know what you can carry in the plane,what your baggage weight limit is,if you have all that.....Gbu for going......blessings be upon you....

Answer 9

Just enjoy the moment. Before you know it, it will all be over and you will miss it.

-Have a nice trip!