European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A i pointers to make Holiday travel smoother by Paul Lasle Yand Elizabeth Harryman up travel writers thanksgiving weekend is typically the busiest travel time of the year. To make your Holiday travel less stressful allow plenty of extra time to get to the Airport. Plan to arrive at least two hours before your flight is scheduled to leave. Consider taking an Airport bus or using a shuttle service rather than driving yourself. You la arrive More refreshed. Be especially Alert for pickpockets and thieves. Keep one hand or foot on your Luggage at All times and be on guard if someone accidentally bumps you or tries to distract you. If you re travelling with children be sure to bring along a favorite toy and some healthful snacks in Case of unexpected delays. The myth of the first thanksgiving what was the first thanksgiving really like not All buckled shoes and starched White collars. According to the folks at Plymouth Plantation a living history museum outside Plymouth mass. Pilgrim life was grueling. Conditions were primitive and just staying alive was a struggle. About half the population died the first Winter. To the Early pilgrims thanksgiving was a Day of prayer and fasting not feasting. The survivors of that first year did celebrate but the occasion was More like a Harvest festival. There May have been Turkey but it would have been pretty scrawny by today s standards the meal probably included Corn shellfish from the Atlantic and anything the settlers were Able to grow on their meager farms. There were Only eight women left to Cook the first thanksgiving dinner. Plymouth Plantation is open april through november including thanksgiving Day. For More information Contact Plymouth Plantation . Box 1620, Plymouth Maine 02360, 508 746-3440. Tips to make your next trip safer and easier travel and safety affect everyone. Being a Safe traveler really Means being a savvy traveler. Here Are a few tips from experienced travellers that can help make a big difference in your next vacation. Be prepared. Before you leave reconfirm All your arrangements. And consider trip cancellation and interruption insurance when you Book your trip. Also pay by credit card. Most cards won t make you pay for services not delivered. Take copies of the first Page of your passport and two passport photos and keep these separate from your passport. Also take a list of credit card numbers As Well As phone numbers to Call if the cards Are lost. It is a Good idea to take Only one or two major cards with you. Of course always make a list of traveler s Check numbers As Well. When travelling by plane remember to Check in Early. Get through the Security screening quickly and wait for your flight on the other Side and Fly nonstop whenever possible. Don t carry Large amounts of Cash credit cards or your passport with you. Make use of the hotel Safe never leave valuables in room. Only a few countries require that you carry your passport with you at All times. You Are How Lotf dress. Don t look like a tourist dress simply and appropriately. Jewelry cameras around the neck and loud travel clothing have no place in today s travel scene. Look around and blend in As much As possible with what the locals Are wearing. Also be sensitive to local customs. Shorts May be an insult in some parts of the world. Avoiding crime is an important part of being a savvy traveler. Be aware of your surroundings at All times. Have fun but be conscious of what is going on around you. Criminals look for victims and not being aware is an invitation to becoming a victim. Never lose sight of your Luggage for a moment. Never let anyone pack your Luggage for you and never accept packages and gifts from anyone to take Back Home to another person. Know what is in All your packages. Always think about what you Are carrying. Never put your Wallet in a Back pocket and always carry purses in front and not in Back of you. Best of All try not to go loaded Down with heavy shoulder bags they announce your presence As a tourist More than anything else. Remember to be safety conscious. Refresh your memory with the flight safety demonstration As you begin your flight. Check fire exits in hotels and know where yours is and How to get there. Always attend and pay attention to life boat drills on cruises. It Only takes a moment to do these things but they pay big dividends in peace of mind. Beware of scams and cons at Home and abroad. If it seems too Good to be True it probably is. Never let strangers into your hotel room a simple Call to the front desk will establish a worker s identity. Travellers checks still make sense in an atm world automatic Teller machines arms Are almost everywhere. Not just in the United states but around the world. But Don t count on your card being welcomed in every machine. First you need to make sure that your Access code will work overseas and that Means it should not be More than four digits Long. Next be aware that arms overseas Don t always work As easily As at Home and May still not accept your card. Worse atm networks can go Down As a French one did this summer leaving you without a source of ready Cash. Small wonder that traveler s checks remain popular with vacationers. You can often buy them without a fee. At Home through your local Bank or through some travel agents like american express and the american automobile association aaa. People read Small ads. Gar on bring me this Symbol please Boj a by Donna Miskin new Day lugging phrase books through 28 countries on a two year Bike tour convinced Alan Stillman that there had to be a better Way. To communicate that is so he came up with Quick Point a laminated 9-by-12-Inch card with 400 pictorial symbols that folds like a brochure. Found about pictures go beyond basics of Gas food and lodging to cover details of transportation shelter and several other areas everything from haircuts to weather. The idea is to Combine the symbols for instance you can ask a French waiter for a Steak medium save big with Max reap big savings with the upcoming dec. 2 Maxi Saver insert. Use Maxi Saver s advertised specials and coupons to save More than $7 off popular Brand items at your local  for Maxi Saver inserts in future issues of nobody does it better. Coming in the dec. 2 Issue of the stars and stripes rare broiled without Salt with steamed asparagus. Once you get the main theme you d be surprised How far you can get says Stillman. Under food for instance there Are Many entrees to Point to including a Frog As in legs s in Vous Plait. Quick Point is available for $5 from Caia communications inc., . Box 239, Alexandria a. 22313-0239 703 548 8794. Here s a Chance to take a vacation volunteering to work in developing countries or . Communities. Global volunteers is open to All Ages and skill Levels and has slots at one two and three week projects in the former soviet Union Poland Tanzania Indonesia Tonga Jamaica Guatemala Mexico Costa Rica and in the Mississippi Delta and along Rio Grande in Texas. Fees run from $300 for . Projects to $2,350 for the free Enterprise Institute in Russia and cover materials land costs lodging meals and project expenses. All costs to the individual including air fare Are tax deductible a spokeswoman said. For information Call 1-800-487-1074. November 25, 1993 Stripe Magazine 25