Developing Countries

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You've decided to leave the comfort of your home and the reliability of that recliner you sit in everyday and are taking a trip to Africa. Congratulations! We all need a rest and vacation and sometimes even if you're already living a life of luxury with no worries, it's nice to have a rest from the rest. We've already covered aspects of things you should consider when travelling to Africa but now we'll be shifting our focus to things you should consider that aren't always covered when travelling to Africa. Things you either never knew about or just never fully thought about.

Now, we're not condoning illegal drug use or anything of the sort on this website. But we know that people of all ages travel to Africa and we're fully aware that people like to partake in the occasional toke or two here and there. That may be fine and dandy where you're from but a fair word of warning is to watch out for undercover police officers who pose as drug dealers in Africa. You might be one of those who are using medicinal marijuana and run out all of a sudden, without a supplier, and need to find some right away. The best thing to do, if you can, is to wait until you get back home because you don't want to be buying from some shady dealer who turns out to be a cop and are suddenly arrested. You just might find yourself paying a huge fine, which means more hours at the electronic design and manufacturing plant. That's probably a story you don't want to be telling the grandkids about, so it's best to avoid such a situation entirely.

Terrorism is a scary word. It's also a word that has become mainstream in recent years because of certain events that have taken place in the United States. Usually when you go on vacation, you don't tend to worry about terrorism or terrorist acts. The only worry you might have on your mind is wondering if the new telecommunications equipment at the base is operating properly. But travelling to Africa might bring you terrorism worries. Popular African tourist destinations such as Kenya and Tanzania have been known to be places where terrorist acts have taken place in the past. If you're planning on travelling to those countries, it might be best to get information about their current state and find out if their governments or yours have issued any travel warnings. It's something you wouldn't normally consider but you should be prepared for such an occurrence.

You might be used to the comforts and safety that any bed & breakfast may offer but not every hotel or hostel in Africa can guarantee that your valuables will be protected in their safes. If you have any valuables such as jewellery that for some reason you take off and plan to leave in your hotel, you should consider putting them in a fanny pack around your waist and bringing them with you. Or having some sort of lockable pouch or container that you can hide in your room. It's better to be safe than sorry.

No one plans to get robbed on a vacation but it never hurts to have copies of such important stuff like your flight ticket, passport, credit cards or traveller's cheques. That way, in case of an emergency, you'll be prepared to give the information out when getting replacements and it'll stop you from hitting yourself over the head with a 2x4 you weren't prepared for such an event. Hopefully you'll consider some of these things when you plan your next trip to Africa.