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Dangers of Travel

The modern Hitch Hiker can meet with demise at every turn. If it's not one thing it's another... Getting run over by a bus, or being chased by a Ravenous Bugblatter beast of Traal, sliding down a cliffside or getting caught in a crossfire during an intergalactic war. All these things are not only happening while you read this information, they're probably going to be happening to you if you aren't careful.

Remember to respect the laws of both nature and community, when you are visiting a strange world for the first time. Some planets inhabitants are quite xenophobic and won't be very friendly. Others have dangerous conditions which you might not know about.

Get to know your galactic sectors, planets and systems. A good understanding of what atmospheres are friendly or impossible for you to breathe, figure out whether you float in their 'water' or not, and don't deposit waste anywhere until you know it's safe - for the environment or for your exposed 'positors.

When arriving at a new planet, however you get there, it is a good idea to seek out the locals, first thing. Sure, they might be head hunters. But you're a hitch hiker, and you've prepared for any instance... Hopefully.

One thing to be quite sure of, is to be prepared. Carrying items with you at all times is occasionally a bit of a hassle, but it can and will save your life some day. Items to carry include many commonly available things, and some a little less so.

1 - Your Towel. Not "A" Towel, of course, YOUR towel. Presumably you've found one by the time you decide to start hitch hiking, and have bonded with it. It'll be stained, maybe a little torn here and there, but those things merely add personality to it. It might smell - feel free to WASH IT sometimes.

1A - Electronic Thumb. This is vital, since you're going to want to leave the planets you manage to land on, sometime. The only way a passing ship will know you're out there, is if you have a Ethumb. You can, in an emergency, use your Hitch Hikers Guide for this purpose, but it is less effective.

2 - A kit bag. This is vitally important if you have any posessions on you that you can't be holding on to all the time. Your towel can be draped over your shoulders, worn as a toga, or wrapped around your waist, but if you've got a marble collection or sketch books and artistic supplies, it's best to take along a satchel large enough to carry. Don't over burden yourself. Never fill this bag with things from your past life - you'll want to keep room in it for all the keepsakes you're going to find on the exotic planets you will be visiting!

3 - Modified Food and/or Digesting Aids. These small food capsules are very important if you're allergic to anything, or suspect that the food where you're going won't agree with your biology. Most major space ports have both of these available commonly, however some hick planets have never heard of them.

4 - Needless to say, you should have a copy of the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy with you at all times. It is an invaluable tool, as well as being hooked up to the major news networks in subspace radio. You can usually modify the Guide (with MegaDoDo's permission) to become a homing beacon if need be, as well as use it quite legally to transmit information back to MegaDoDo itself, for planetary and species reviews. Don't Panic, especially if you've got your Guide.

5 - A Babel Fish. Everyone has one, some people are fitted with them at birth, some planets have never heard of them. It's the latter you must remember to be very careful about what you say. YOU cannot speak the languages you encounter, until you learn them. THEY cannot understand you without a Babel Fish of their own. Breeders of Babel Fish are commonly found selling their wares in major spaceports. Get one.

6 - Though not entirely necessary, a Portable Universe Generator, or PUG, is a very handy hitch hiking tool. By flicking a switch, you can send yourself into a "demo version" of your local area - more powerful PUGs have been known to recreated the Universe As We Know It, not just a galaxy or planetary system. These are quite expensive, but can be made for a fraction of the cost, by hiring out of work engineers and disgrunts from electronics research and development firms.

7 - Disguises. Many worlds don't worry about xenos, however many uncontacted worlds don't even know there are intelligent life forms beyond their own island nations let alone from other planets. Be kind - try hard to blend in, if you can't, please try and observe without getting into trouble.