Out on a Limb - Consular Affairs

Table of Contents

	Introduction
	Before you leave
	Your trip is unique ...and so are you
	Take precautions
	Getting medical advice

Out on a Limb:
Advice for the Adventure Traveller

Introduction

Out on a Limb Many Canadians look for unique travel adventures. They want to
discover relatively untouched and unspoiled lands, experience
different customs, reach new understandings of the world, see
exotic flora and fauna, or extend the limits of their physical
capabilities. These activities are exciting. But they can also be
dangerous.

Before you leave

By doing your homework before you leave, you minimize the chances of something going wrong. Take the time to learn about your destination and what you are about to do. Most of all, before you undertake a trip that will test you mentally and physically, make sure you know yourself. Is this what you want to do? Is this something you are capable of doing?

To find out about local conditions before you leave, consult the Travel Reports published by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. These reports provide information on safety and security conditions, health issues and entry and visa requirements for over 220 destinations. They can be found on FAC’s Web site, or you can order them by calling 1-800-267-6788 (in Canada) or (613) 944-6788. This information is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

FAC also publishes a series of booklets on safe travel, including Bon Voyage, But: Information for the Canadian Traveller and Her Own Way: Advice for the Woman Traveller. These publications are available on FAC’s Web site (www.voyage.gc.ca), or you can order them by calling 1-800-267-8376 (in Canada) or (613) 944-4000.

Your trip is unique...and so are you

When choosing an adventure trip or excursion, there are many things to consider. Underestimating the risks or having too much confidence in your own abilities can lead to trouble, especially in extreme conditions or at unusual destinations.

Even though others are doing it, the risk for you may be different. Research your destination and be aware of the dangers. Conditions may vary from month to month.

In 1998, a young couple from Newfoundland went on a surfing holiday to a popular beach in Indonesia. On the second day of the vacation, the woman watched helplessly as her boyfriend disappeared into the
ocean. He was unfamiliar with local conditions and had underestimated the strong currents and undertow. His body was recovered four days later.

Two high school students and an adult guardian were drowned during a field trip along the rocky coast of California. A freak wave hit and the 45-year-old woman
was pulled into the water. The two students died in a failed rescue attempt.

“It’s safe because I’ll have a tour guide.”

Having a guide doesn’t eliminate risk. There are many situations that guides cannot control.

A young, physically fit woman went on a guided rafting expedition in Nepal. On her way back to base camp, she and three others, including her guide, were crossing a small river. The current swept her down the river to her death. Her body was never found.

“It’s safe because I’ll be part of a group.”

Travelling with a group doesn’t eliminate risk, either. Never yield to others the responsibility for your own safety. Carefully research the company you plan
to travel with. Speak to other clients who have already made the trip. Is the company responsible enough to reject clients who do not meet established
preconditions?

A woman from Toronto signed on for a nature tour in Latin America. She became tired and told the guide she was going to stop for a rest and wait for the group to return. The group returned as arranged, but she wasn’t there.
She was never found despite extensive searching.

Take precautions

1. 1. Know what to expect on your trip. Enquire about the accommodations and food. Find out about the group size and about the gender, age and ability level of fellow travellers. Some companies offer adventure tours geared to families or to specific groups based on age, gender or physical ability.

2. Assess the skills as well as the physical and mental stamina that will be required of you for the trip. Carefully evaluate your level of preparedness.
Consult your physician and provide details about what you plan to do. Respect your personal capabilities. Your body will already be under stress from time and climate changes, unfamiliar food and a different environment.
If needed, upgrade your skills. If that is not possible, don’t go.

3. Talk to people who have similar interests and similar physical abilities to your own, and who have experience with this kind of travel.

4. Choose a company experienced in the type of adventure travel you’re interested in and research their track record. Such companies should:

Provide rating systems indicating the difficulty level and the risks.
Employ good risk management practices.
Have a good cancellation policy.
Offer guides who speak the local language and are trained in first aid.
Use appropriately certified guides and instructors, if certifying bodies exist, such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)
(www.padi.com) or DAN (Divers Alert Network)
(www.diversalertnetwork.org), for scuba diving.

Supplemental
health insurance

Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover the costs if you get sick or are injured
while you are abroad. At best, your health plan will cover only a portion of the bill.
It is your responsibility
to obtain and understand
the terms of your supplementary
insurance policies.
Some credit cards offer
health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone
provides adequate coverage.

5. Find out if your destination is dangerous in either physical or political terms. In many countries there is political instability, police and judicial corruption, an ongoing war, insurgencies or sporadic unrest. Tourists can be lucrative targets for kidnappers. A wilderness expedition in such an environment is risky and foolhardy.

6. Detail what equipment and clothing you’ll need. Take a medical kit, toiletries, and enough money to get you through an emergency. And remember that the longer
you’re going to be on your feet, the heavier your bag will become.

7. Buy comprehensive health, travel and life insurance. Many insurance policies do not cover activities that involve risk such as scuba diving, skydiving or even
snorkelling. Always carry evidence of your insurance with you.

Getting medical advice

The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition that could present a problem while you are travelling, it is wise to wear a MedicAlert® bracelet. Through the MedicAlert® Foundation, your vital medical facts become part of a database that can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world. Call 1-800-825-3785 for membership information or visit the MedicAlert®Web site
(www.medicalert.ca).

If you require urgent assistance abroad, call the nearest Canadian government office abroad or make a collect call (where available) to FAC in Ottawa at
(613) 996-8885.

Consular Services

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
www.international.gc.ca

Consular Affairs Bureau
www.voyage.gc.ca

General
Tel.: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788
TTY: 1 800 394-3472 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-1310
E-mail: voyage@international.gc.ca

Emergencies
Tel.: (613) 996-8885
(call collect from abroad where available)
E-mail: sos@international.gc.ca

The Consular Affairs Bureau publishes, in both official languages, a series of safe travel brochures.

Country Travel Reports provide information on safety and security conditions, health issues and entry requirements for over 200 travel destinations. This information is also available by telephone: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788.

Canadian government offices abroad
www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/canoffices.asp

Foreign government offices accredited to Canada
www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/representatives.asp

Passport Canada
www.pptc.gc.ca
Tel.: 1 800 567-6868 (in Canada and the U.S.)
TTY: 1 866 255-7655

Visit our For More Information page.

Publication Info

Published by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

Information in this publication is readily available for personal and public non-commercial use and may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. We ask only that:

Users exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada be identified as the source department; and
the reproduction not be represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

All information in this publication is provided on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accurate. The reader is also encouraged to supplement this information with independent research and professional advice.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

To obtain more information, write to:

Enquiries Service
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Tel.: 1 800 267-8376 (in Canada) or (613) 944-4000
E-mail: enqserv@international.gc.ca

We would like to receive your comments on this publication. Write to us at the address above or e-mail us at voyage@international.gc.ca.

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Out on a Limb: Advice for the Adventure Traveller