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TRAVELas a Fulbright scholar in
Germany, and as a journalist
traveling the world. The consular
officers I’ve met are earnest and
hard-working, but they’re also a
little sensitive about being treated
like a valet service for American
travelers.
Even if your problem is one the
embassy or consulate can
address, you might have to wait;
during the pandemic, many
embassies have reduced their
services.
A State Department
spokeswoman confirmed that the
pandemic is affecting the
availability of routine consular
services at some U.S. embassies
and consulates. “Most of our
embassies and consulates are
currently providing routine
services to U.S. citizens overseas
in addition to emergency
services,” she says. “Services
currently available are provided
on each embassy and consulate’s
website.”
Then there’s that Hollywood
trope about knocking on the
embassy door when you get into
trouble while you’re abroad.
Carrie Pasquarello, a former
embassy worker who now runs
Global Secure Resources, a travel
safety education company, says
American travelers should think
of their embassies and consulates
as just that: an emergency
resource.
“They are there 24/7 to help
you strategize the best outcome
from an emergency,” Pasquarello
says. “For example, if you are
injured, they will share resources
regarding hospitals, doctors and
translators. They may help you
communicate with your family.
But they are not there to swoop in
and rescue you.”
How can you best use an
embassy and consulate? Payne,
the retired consular officer,
recommends registering for the
State Department’s Smart
Traveler Enrollment Program
(STEP) to let the local embassy
know you’ll be in the country. If
something goes wrong, someone
will try to help.
“For example, I was in Cuba
when coronavirus took off, and
the embassy was able to find me
and provide guidance on what to
do,” Payne says. “If I’d not been
registered in STEP, they would
not have known I was in Cuba.”
King, the State Department
deputy assistant secretary, echoes
Payne’s advice. She says travelers
should see their embassy as a
resource before they leave home.
“Read the State Department
travel advisories and alerts for the
countries you will be visiting,” she
says, which you can find at
travel.state.gov. Also, make a
record of the contact details for
the nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S.
Consulate to carry with you in
case of an emergency.
Oh, and on the question of
whether the embassy in Qatar
could have helped me with my
coronavirus test results — the
answer is no.
“It’s important for travelers to
understand that they are subject
to local laws of the country they
are visiting, including
coronavirus testing, vaccination
and quarantine requirements,”
King says. But, alas, embassies
and consulates won’t make
arrangements to get you another
coronavirus test if your results are
delayed.Elliott is a consumer advocate,
journalist and co-founder of the
advocacy group Travelers United.
Email him at [email protected].During a recent
trip to Qatar, I
found myself
unable to leave the
country when the
PCR test result
required to board
a departing flight
was delayed. A
friend asked me
whether I had
called my embassy
for help yet. I had never heard of a
U.S. Embassy offering aid for
travelers struggling with
coronavirus regulations. Like
many Americans who have
traveled abroad, I had only a
vague idea of what an embassy
can — and can’t — do.
So when should you approach
the U.S. Embassy for help? And
when shouldn’t you?
Embassies can help travelers in
limited and specific
circumstances, including getting
emergency passports and
navigating certain serious
emergencies. But embassies are
no substitute for careful
planning, travel insurance or
medical evacuation plans.
The State Department doesn’t
tally and report the number of
requests it receives from
Americans traveling abroad. Still,
it’s a safe bet that as more people
travel overseas this spring and
summer, they will turn to their
embassies for help. “The
Department of State’s first
priority is the safety and security
of U.S. citizens overseas,” says
Karin King, deputy assistant
secretary for overseas citizens
services.
Generally, embassies offer a
limited range of services for
Americans traveling overseas.
They include helping you if you’re
arrested or detained, if you’ve lost
your passport, if you’ve been a
victim of a crime, or if you’re the
relative of someone missing
abroad.
“The U.S. Embassy can be a
lifeline for any traveler in a
foreign country,” says Bob
Bacheler, the managing director
of Flying Angels, a medical
transportation service. But he
and other safety experts say you
shouldn’t treat your embassy or
consulate — which are analogous
to branch offices — like a personal
concierge.
Many American travelers don’t
know what their embassy can
actually do for them. Beth Payne,
a retired U.S. consular officer who
lives in D.C., says American
travelers often contacted her for
all kinds of reasons. Some of the
more common ones involved
locating lost luggage, mailing
items back to the United States,
and assisting with paying their
hotel bill — none of which the
embassy can help with.
Embassies and consulates can,
however, be an invaluable
resource for travelers facing
serious issues. When Roberta
Waters’s daughter, Paula, died in a
traffic accident in 2014 in India,
she phoned the U.S. Consulate in
Mumbai for assistance.
“They quickly put me in touch
with two individuals who were
able to ascertain where she was
and what was happening,” Waters
says. “ They were both extremely
sensitive to our situation and
were a great help to us.”
Waters, a real estate agent from
Boston, says the consular officers
helped with every aspect of the
incident, including obtaining
police reports and collecting her
daughter’s belongings.
I’ve dealt with embassies for
years as an expatriate in Vienna,When should you contactan embassy or consulate?The
Navigator
CHRISTOPHER
ELLIOTTThis sign was spotted by Joe McMullin of Woodbridge at Club Med
Buccaneer’s Creek resort in Martinique. Have you seen an amusing sign in
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or republish them in any form. No purchase necessary.JOE MCMULLINSIGN LANGUAGEISTOCKWhen planning a family getaway, start by having each member suggest a possible destination. Once the decision is made, create itineraries
that have something for everyone’s interests and that balance a packed schedule with enough time off that the whole family can relax.
BY NEVIN MARTELLI can count on zero fingers the
number of times my father con-
sulted me about where we vaca-
tioned or what was on our itiner-
ary. When I was a child, he was in
charge of travel; my mother,
younger sister and I were simply
along for the ride. Though we
journeyed to some amazing desti-
nations — including South Pacific
islands, the Azores, Amazon rain-
forests and the Caribbean — the
activities were Dad-centric, which
meant fishing was always on the
itinerary. Great for Dad, not so
much for the rest of us, who had
no interest in spending our days
at s ea pursuing marlin or learning
the intricacies of fly-fishing.
Although I h ave come to appre-
ciate fishing as an adult, it’s not a
passion my wife or 9-year-old son
share. When we began traveling
together nearly a decade ago, I
resolved to be a different kind of
vacation planner, with an empha-
sis on the “we” rather than the
“me.” It became my goal to design
itineraries that engage all of us on
multiple levels throughout the
journey. This approach takes ex-
tra work and some delicate nego-
tiating skills, but it is always
worth it. We look forward to our
trips and return with great memo-
ries, eager to travel together
again. Here are some tips, based
on my experiences and discus-
sions with travel experts.
Longer isn’t necessarily bet-
ter. There is an expiration date on
some vacations. The larger the
group and the more generations
involved, the shorter it should
probably be. “I don’t want to be
with that many people for too
long,” says Tykesha Burton, who
writes about culture-focused fam-
ily travel on her blog, Momma
Wanderlust. “Seven to 10 days
max. After that, it’s all too much.”
However, when she travels with
only her husband and their two
young children, she doesn’t think
there are time limits — except
those set by their school and work
schedules.
Consider everyone. The first
question a trip planner needs to
ask is whether a destination will
be fulfilling f or the entire family. If
it’s a one-note place mostly cater-
ing to a single activity or sensibili-
ty, it’s not the best idea to drag
everyone there. Save that trip for a
solo adventure. While a spot
doesn’t need to be stereotypically
kid-friendly — such as Disneyland
or Hershey, Pa. — it does need to
offer elements that will appeal to
the younger set. And keep your
partner’s interests in mind, too.
Make a group decision. Once
children are old enough to have
strong ideas about travel, ask ev-
eryone to suggest a c ouple of plac-
es that interest them, then whittle
down the list to the ones with the
broadest appeal for your family.
From there, either everyone can
vote, or you can make the decision
based on other important factors,
such as budget and whether the
destination will truly shine at the
time of year you plan to visit. The
process will give everyone a sense
of ownership, even if their desti-
nation isn’t chosen.
Space is key. Although it might
be nice to save money by squeez-
ing as many people as possible
into the most affordable housing
option, a little extra room makes a
big difference. Giving everyone
their own area to decompress and
enjoy downtime alone helps
mend moods and keep vacation-
ers energized. Leveling up to larg-
er lodgings might mean renting
an Airbnb instead of a hotel room,
but that can have the added ben-
efit of a kitchen, which can help
you trim your food costs and cut
down on mealtime stress.
Bring a bag of tricks. Pack
goodies to take the edge off trav-
el’s smaller aggravations. Burton
always has snacks on hand to
prevent her children from getting
hangry and gum to help them pop
their ears when flying. She also
brings a bag full of toys from the
dollar store. “It doesn’t matter
that it’s a dollar. It only matters
that it’s new and they’ve never
seen it,” she says. “It keeps their
attention long enough that they
aren’t bored for a while.”
Be realistic at mealtime. Trav-
el is a great opportunity to expand
your child’s palate, so hit a few
restaurants showcasing the re-
gion’s food. But if you have picky
eaters, make sure the menu also
includes some classic kid fare.
“There has to be chicken nuggets
and fries,” Burton says, “but I
always order one thing that’s new
and different for them to try.”
Discover the unique. “Don’t
look for things you can find near
you, like zoos or amusement
parks,” says Ta mara Gruber,
founder of the family-travel-fo-
cused website We3Travel. She
suggests seeking out experiences
unique to your destination that
will be entertaining and educa-
tional. Travel can be a great way
to broaden your children’s
minds, so don’t miss these oppor-
tunities for enrichment. This
might mean taking an art class
tied to the area’s culture, hiking
to a one-of-a-kind outdoor fea-
ture or booking a guide t o give you
a deep-dive tour of a singular as-
pect of the place, such as a histori-
cal neighborhood or regional cui-
sine.
Have fun together. Book a few
group activities with mass appeal.
“What really makes vacations are
the experiential things you do to-gether as a family,” says Amie
O’Shaughnessy, chief executive of
Ciao Bambino, a family-focused
travel agency. “Immersive activi-
ties that are more structured can
make the best memories.” This
could mean a horse-riding excur-
sion, zip-lining adventure course
or cooking class.Let each person choose some-
thing. Allow every family mem-
ber to pick one activity that will be
their special moment on the trip
or have them schedule a day. Be
warned: A child’s choice might
force parents out of their comfort
zones. “I’ve done many things that
frighten me to death for my
daughter, because it’s something
she wants to do,” Gruber says.
“We’ve gone white-water rafting,
and I have a fear of water. But it’s a
bonding and learning experi-
ence.”
Accommodate both travelers
and vacationers. These are total-
ly different mind-sets. One wants
to do everything; one wants to do
nothing. “I’m definitely a hit-the-
ground-running, go-and-see-ev-
erything type,” Burton says. “My
husband is not.” To strike a bal-ance that accommodates them
both, she always plans a day of
chillaxing after a busy day of ex-
cursions or events.
Say yes to babysitting. Before
the pandemic, many parents felt
as if they didn’t have enough time
with their children, so they often
didn’t want to be apart from them
on vacation. Now, most families
feel as if they have had too much
time together, so some separation
can be a great benefit to a trip.
Many r esorts and hotels offer chil-
dren’s clubs or other independent
activities for kids, although travel-
ers should expect to pay for them.
Don’t overschedule. There’s
nothing worse than waking up on
a vacation and realizing every
minute of the day is jammed. An
endless litany of meal reserva-
tions, guided tours and timed m u-
seum visits can make even the
adults cranky. Don’t start your
itinerary at the crack of dawn,
which is not ideal for late-rising
teens or smaller children who
want time to play before getting in
the car. “Leave some downtime,
some unplanned time, some time
to explore and uncover,”
O’Shaughnessy says. “A t the end of
the day, that unknown is the es-
sence of the joy of travel.”
Stay flexible. Your travel itiner-
ary will not unfold exactly as you
planned, especially with the pan-
demic still disrupting life around
the world. Things are going to go
wrong, whether it’s a delayed
flight, canceled tour or unexpect-
ed restaurant closure. “Have the
expectation that it isn’t g oing to be
perfect,” O’Shaughnessy says.
“But remind everyone, ‘We’re get-
ting out, and we’re doing some-
thing, and just that is so enjoy-
able.’ ” Parents should go with the
flow and remain as calm as possi-
ble; this will set the mood for the
whole family. Don’t get all huffy
and yell at the airline attendant,
customer service rep or hostess.
Don’t dwell on what you’re miss-
ing; instead, figure out viable al-
ternatives, stay positive and em-
brace the unknown. After all, trav-
el is an adventure.
Understand the risks. If you
decide to leave the country for
your vacation, everyone must be
comfortable with the potential
ramifications if someone tests
positive for the coronavirus. This
will probably involve a longer stay
in the country you’re visiting,
along with quarantining, missing
work and school, and added costs.
If these risks don’t work for the
family, don’t leave the country.
Keep an eye on the future. “I
want to make sure my family
wants to go on the next vacation,
which means they have to have a
good time on this vacation,” Gru-
ber says. Really listen t o your fam-
ily throughout the process — from
the moment you start considering
a trip until the moment you come
home. If you have their buy-in, the
journey becomes a cooperative
partnership, which is the secret to
being a successful family no mat-
ter where you are in the world.Martell is a writer based in Silver
Spring. His website is
nevinmartell.com. Find him on Twitter
and Instagram: @nevinmartell.How to arrange an all-ages adventureNEVIN MARTELL FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
Zephyr Martell plays in a pool on Grand Cayman in the
Cayman Islands during a 2019 vacation.When we begantraveling togethernearly a decade ago,I resolved to be adifferent kind ofvacation planner,with an emphasison the “we” ratherthan the “me.”It became my goalto design itinerariesthat engage all of uson multiple levelsthroughout thejourney.