TIP – Get LOCATEd

LOCATE is a new service launched by the British Foreign Office today, and it seems a worthwhile one to register with. Paranoid freaks and those who wear aluminium pirate hats may as well stop reading now as you’ll assume it’s another way of the government keeping an eye on you… which it is and for very good reason.

We’ve all seen the awful events that have taken place in recent memory. The Chinese earthquake earlier this week, the cyclone in Myanmar/Burma, the Boxing Day Tsunami and more. The idea of LOCATE is twofold. First of all, the local embassies will know you’re arriving before you get there. If something bad happens, then know to look for you and make sure you’re safe.

Also, if relatives hear about a problem or if they need to contact you then they can use the LOCATE service to find out where you are and get in touch through the authorities. Peace of mine both ways.

It costs nothing, is a doddle to update and could make a huge difference to your safety in a foreign country. I’m just off to pop in the details of my next trip to Bangkok.