Top Travel Tips

  • Be wise before the event - make sure you know the risks you run in the countries you are to visit and take the relevant precautions, don’t travel blindly
  • Only eat foods which have been thoroughly cooked and are still hot when they arrive in front of you - in particular, do not eat fish or shellfish which is raw or undercooked
  • Only eat fruit which you have peeled yourself - avoid unpeeled fruit like grapes and fruit which someone else has peeled
  • Avoid salads - many salad vegetables are hard to wash (like lettuce) and they may have been washed in contaminated water
  • Don’t buy food from street vendors - if keep-cool facilities are inadequate food may harbour salmonella or other harmful bacteria, and poor hygiene can allow viruses to flourish
  • For drinks, stick to bottled and canned drinks, or tea and coffee made with boiled water. Only drink water from a tap in countries where you are certain that the water supply has been thoroughly de-contaminated - otherwise drink bottled water and make sure the seal on any bottle is unbroken
  • Don’t put ice in your drink - it may have been made with contaminated water, freezing it doesn’t remove bacteria or viruses
  • If travelling to malaria-infected areas, always take essential basic precautions - click here to find them
  • When flying, get up and move around the plane and stretch to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis
  • Never fly if you feel ill before take-off - have a check-up before taking the risk
  • Don’t wear contact lens on long flights as your eyes can become irritated and sore
  • Build some rest into your schedule if you change time zones.

Tips on protecting yourself against sun damage

Apply suntan lotion to every area which will be exposed - at least Factor 25 and with protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. Remember to re-apply every 2-3 hours.

Take cover - sit in the shade

Avoid the hottest times of day when the sun is strongest between 10-4.

Wear a hat and sunglasses - your sunglasses should block at least 99% of ultra-violet radiation.