An increasing number of old U.S. citizens are traveling abroad. The U.S. Department of State wants you to be prepared so that you can enjoy your trip. Please consider the following tips as you plan your travel.

Travel Documents.

【小题1】Some countries require that passports be valid for six months after your trip ends and some foreign countries require that U.S. travelers obtain a visa.

【小题2】

A secure way to maintain your emergency contact information is to enroll （登记）with our Smart Traveler Enrolment Program. Your information is stored securely and enables the American Embassy to contact you，your family，or your friends in an emergency according to your wishes.

Health Information.

Health care tops the list of concerns for many old U.S. citizens who are thinking about traveling abroad. Consult with your physician prior to your travel overseas to identify your health care needs at your destination. Research the environmental conditions at your overseas destination that may contribute to your specific health concerns. 【小题3】

Medical Insurance Beyond Medicare.

Medicare，the U.S. government health plan for people aged 65 years and older，does NOT cover health care overseas. 【小题4】 Many companies offer short-term health and emergency assistance policies to cover health care expenses incurred overseas，including emergency services such as medical evacuations（撤离）.

Smart Travel.

【小题5】Be aware that sudden changes in diet and climate can have serious health consequences for the unprepared traveler，no matter your age. At the same time，if you aren't sure about anything，turn to the Internet.

   It’s great fun to explore new places, and it may be like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But to make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles, the following tips may be helpful.

• Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep the map following the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn or you’ll have to move to the back seat.

• Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass, a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let him know what time you expect to be back. The purpose of the activity is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.

• See if your school or a club organizes orienteering (越野识途比赛), in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc.) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. It enables you to be familiar with the use of maps and compasses and gain some practical skills. In some way, it’s not only good fun, but also a great way to keep fit.

No matter which way you choose, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.

   Now many young people are travelling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone.

Kristina Wegscheider from California first travelled alone when she was at college and believed that it was something everyone should do at least once in their life. She said, “It opens your mind to new things and pushes you out of your comfort zone.” Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents.

In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen, it is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone. It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that that can make it on their own.

Chris decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go travelling. He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He said he wished he had travelled alone earlier. “The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person,” said the man.

Chris describes travelling alone will make you a more confident person that is ready to deal with anything. He said, “The feeling of having overcome something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I’m dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try.”

As the saying goes, “Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness.”

How was everything going？I，together with my parents plans to take a trip to Canada for a week during the summer vacation. We hope to make the full use of this opportunity to experience the naturally beauty of Canada and learn more about its culture. We don’t want to go to places where are full of tourists and shoppers. Because I am writing to ask help. We hope you can tell them where to visit. Besides, can you give us some advices on how to finding hotels which are not expensive but comfortable? I would be grateful if you could give me an early reply.

Yours,

Li Hua

I’m glad to hear that you’re coming to China to visit Tibet in August. ________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua