How to Stay Alive in a Terrorized Hotel, Cont'd

 A reader sends in these useful tips:

1) Always travel with an international mobile phone.  Let people know your status if you can do so without being heard.

2)   Listen for car alarms. Often they will go off when there is an explosion or rumbling of heavy equipment.

3)  Do not call down to the lobby or hotel operator to ask what is going on if at all possible.  Often, CNN will be a better source of info.  Once, during an earthquake, I actually called CNN to ask what was going on.  The first to call in, they put me on the air (with my permission).

4)   Dress in attire that blends in with locals and speak softly.