Insurance against natural disasters?

The flights are finally booked, the hotels have been reviewed to death, my credit card bill has plenty of reading on it and I can almost smell the sun cream.

There is plenty of build up time between now and holidays to get excited, but there is also one small issue (or large depending on your outlook): travel insurance.

For some, travel insurance is a must, it is essential and is booked at the same time as flights are booked and hotels reviewed. And it makes sense of course, because things can go wrong and you could be left paying a whole load of money for that 'budget trip'.

But still I ponder.

If I was to take a short trip to the UK or Europe (under 5 days) there is no way I would take out travel insurance. I would think of insurance as a silly additional cost.

Flights are of course delayed – but only by a few hours usually and there are always plenty of flight options available. Medically as an EU citizen I know I will be treated without question. I don't have medical insurance at home – so why should I panic just because I am travelling?

I have of course taken out travel insurance for holidays before – because it make sense, it is a fail safe, a peace of mind – a fall back.

But when travelling to Cuba a few years ago I was told I would not be covered there. The trip went ahead successfully, with no problems.

Then last year I went on a cruise to Israel. It was only at the last minute I remembered travel insurance, I was sitting in the airport about to depart and it sparked with me. I consulted with my travel partner and we decided to go on ahead. Nothing bad happened. We enjoyed the trip. We didn't need travel insurance.

I know I have been lucky, I have never been stranded for days in an airport, left in hospital with serious injuries or had all my stuff stolen. I also know the other stories the scary ones about thousands of euro of legal fees, medial treatment.

Some insurance companies are now covering against natural disasters. But I feel like travel insurance is putting a downer on my hols:

Passport – check

Money – check

Suncream – check

Insurance in case my boyfriend dies in a horrible complicated accident – check

Is travel insurance essential. Pic: telegraph.co.uk

So travel insurance – is it really essential?

Egypt: To drive or not to drive?

I am in holiday planning mode and the destination is Egypt.

Obviously the pyramids and sphinx will need to be visited, as will some amazing museums in Cairo. 

After a week of sightseeing we are hoping to retire to Sharm el Sheikh to while away the hours on the beach, scuba diving and relaxing.

It sounds very pleasant doesn't it? No real adventure there.

That was until I goggled “Driving in Egypt.”

The more I read on the dangers of driving in this north African country the more I want to do it! 

If I survived Casablanca – this cant be too bad can it?

“Cairo is one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world with more than 25 million inhabitants. Roads in the centre of the city can have up to 8 lanes, although the lack of actual marked lanes is what makes driving here quite difficult," explain Rhino Car Hire.

Traffic in Cairo  http://erinsjourney.blogspot.co.uk

Ah the old 'lack of marked lane' issue. I drive on an 'unmarked' country road in Ireland most days – would that experience help?

“Not only do you have to deal with unruly cars but you can often see livestock and donkeys in the middle of the road.” - Ah so my country driving will come in handy. Livestock pouring onto the road will be no challenge. That is of course unless the said livestock is also combating the eight 'marked lanes' in the city ...

It is obviously a bit of an Arch de Triumph roundabout situation – so just push ahead I say. The speeding limit is 90kmph (about 59 mph) in Egypt so once we have out seat belts on we should be safe as ...

“By law you must wear a seat belt at all times, front and back. Hardly any of the local cars in Egypt have working seat belts so it would be extremely unfair if police were to punish you for not wearing yours.” 

-Great. Really reassuring.

A different kind of traffic (c) fifiheavey

And just in case, I dared think that out of the city we were motoring happily: “Due to the heat, water should be carried with you at all times. You should also have anti-dehydration medication. If you get stuck in the sand don't spin the wheels as this will make a car sink deeper. You should avoid driving at night at all costs as there are many hazards in the form of pedestrians and carts.”

Also parking is next to impossible. And driving is one the right hand side. 

On the positive side we would get to cross the historic Suez canal, get a taste of the open road, get to see things off the beaten track, stop and go where we please.

And it would be strange of me to take a big holiday that does not hold any risks, no concerns for loved ones to worry bout back home Though maybe the unstable political tensions might take care of that one. 

Should we hit the open road?? (c) fifiheavey

So do I take a boring flight or risk my life?

Any positive Egypt driving experiences out there?

Blaming the recession

I hate this recession, it is ruining everything, I can't do what I want, go where I want to or indeed be who I want to be. This is how I feel, but is it exactly true or is the recession a great and plausible excuse to hide behind?

I am terribly unhappy in my job, I dread Sunday evenings when my mind panics about what Monday will bring. I am stressed and feel there is nothing I can do to make life easier at work.

Just recently I realised what my perfect job is, I said it and everyone agreed. Imagining myself in this role makes me smile and although there may be a large work load I really couldn't see myself being unhappy in this job.

So I should just go do it, right?

Well there are some obstacles.

1. I need to do a Masters, in a city away from my home (where I live with my boyfriend).
   After recently paying off my car loan, I have no money, I am currently renovating a house with my boyfriend which means there are no savings. So If I don't get a grant to cover course fees I just cant so it. I also need to live in the expensive city for one year.
2. I need to quit my job. Ireland is in the midst of the worst economic depression ever to hit and I will have to give up my job to go to college. I need to live without a job for over a year and the prospects of getting a job straight out of college is very doubtful.
3. To get accepted into the Masters I need to have 6 weeks work experience finished before the course starts in September. Work experience positions are very difficult to come by.

These are the main obstacles, but I also must consider becoming a weekend girl friend again, the prospect of no holidays or trips away and of course returning to study once again.

Even if I do all this there is no small guarantee I will get a job in this area anytime soon after leaving college. I know that I would not cope well being unemployed.

My boyfriend, friends and people who know me well are urging me to go do this and not to sit in a job I don't like just because of the recession. If I don't so this, will I regret not making the move in ten years time?

Can I hide behind the cloak of the recession and blame it, when realistically I am scared of making such a big move and the risk that it could all go wrong?

Decisions, Decisions

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. ~Elbert Hubbard, The Note Book, 1927