Top travel tips

Getting there

• Read up on the country you're about to visit. You'll enjoy your stay more if you know a little about your destination and culture. You'll also know what steps to take on arrival (when you're tired and grumpy from a long flight).
  
  
• Pack sensibly. Allow room for purchases you'll make overseas and check what you can take in and out of a country - for instance, some prescription medicines may be restricted, so carry proof of prescription such as a letter from your doctor.
  
  
• Relax. Get a good night's sleep before your flight and be at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Realise that a large part of your travel time will be spent on the ground, passing through customs and waiting in transit.
  
  

Overseas

• Travel safely. Motor vehicle accidents are the biggest risk of injury for travellers. Avoid scooters and motorbikes if you're an inexperienced rider; think twice before catching that overcrowded Kombi van; look BOTH ways before you cross a road.
  
  
• Drink lots of clean water. If you're not convinced about the purity of the local water supply, stick to boiled or bottled water. Sterilise drinking water with iodine tablets if there's no other options. The good news is that hot tea and coffee, as well as wine and beer, are usually safe.
  
  
• Eat well. Make sure that food - especially fish and meat - is thoroughly cooked. Avoid leftovers and steer well clear of buffets.
  
  
• Wash your hands regularly. Good personal hygiene limits the risk of stomach bugs, common colds and more serious infections. It's helpful to take some antibacterial hand-gel with you.
  
  
• Think before touching the wildlife. Stray dogs, cats and other animals often carry disease. You should rinse any bite or scratch with hot soapy water and disinfect it with an alcohol-based solution. In regions with rabies, consider all bites and scratches a risk. Get medical attention as soon as possible - you may still need further doses of vaccine even if you've had pre-exposure vaccinations.

More help

• www.travel-essentials.co.nz
• Country reports: www.traveldoctor.co.nz , www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk
• World Health Organisation: www.who.int/ith/en/
• Children Travelling Overseas: New Zealand Doctor (September and October issues)

Report by Luke Harrison.