Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
add 15-20 percent as a gratuity. Tips are sometimes added to tour packages, so check this
in advance, but you can also tip guides on stand-alone tours. Tips are also given to bar-
tenders, taxi drivers, bellhops, and hairdressers.
Compared to other parts of the world, Canada is a relatively safe place to visit. Vaccina-
tionsarerequiredonlyifcomingfromanareaofendemicdisease.Thatsaid,whereveryou
are traveling, carry a medical kit that includes bandages, insect repellent, sunscreen, anti-
septic, antibiotics, and water-purification tablets. Good first-aid kits are available at most
camping shops. Health care in Canada is mostly dealt with at a provincial level.
Taking out a travel-insurance policy is a sensible precaution because hospital and med-
ical charges start at around $1,000 per day. Copies of prescriptions should be brought to
Canada for any medicines already prescribed.
Although Canadian cities are generally safer than U.S. cities of the same size, the same
safety tips apply to Vancouver and Victoria as elsewhere in the world. Tourists, unused to
their surroundings and generally carrying valuables such as cameras and credit cards, tend
to be easy targets for thieves. You can reduce the risk of being robbed by using common
sense. First and foremost in Vancouver, avoid East Hastings Street, especially at night. It's
known as one of the seedier areas in all of Canada, and you should catch a bus or cab
between downtown and Chinatown to avoid this area. Wherever you are, avoid traveling
or using ATMs at night, try to blend in with the crowd by walking with a purpose (be dis-
creet if reading a map out in public), and don't wear expensive jewelry.
Giardiasis, also known as beaver fever, is a real concern for those heading into the back-
country. It's caused by an intestinal parasite,
Giardia lamblia,
which lives in lakes, rivers,
and streams. Once ingested, its effects, although not instantaneous, can be dramatic;
severediarrhea,cramps,andnauseaarethemostcommonsymptoms.Preventivemeasures
should always be taken, including boiling all water for at least 10 minutes, treating all wa-
ter with iodine, or filtering all water using a filter with a pore size small enough to block
the
Giardia
cysts.
