Anyhow, here are a few tips to ease that pain quicker than you can say ‘Cheap Plane Thrombosis’.

Watch your Step

Airline toilets are gross at the best of times, but after a few hours of turbulence on a long haul they’re not a place you want to be in thin socks or bare feet. Always pop on a pair of shoes (ideally someone else’s) before a visit to the toilet, you’re feet will thank you for it.

Earplugs & Eye Masks

Some airlines supply the mouldable, foam earplugs in their passenger goody bags, but take your own just in case they don’t. Together with an eye mask, they’ll shut out the rest of the world for the duration of the flight – leave them at home if you like screaming babies, compulsive talkers and loud snorers.

Extra Eye mask tip: If you still can’t sleep, cut 2 holes in it to look like a tired and irritable super-hero.

Keep Fed, Keep Watered, Stay Happy

Listen to your body and eat and drink as required. Take along a few of your own favourite snacks to munch on in between airline offerings. If you’re planning to diet or quit smoking, start after your holiday, or at least after your flight. A recent airline smoking study showed that those who use nicotine gum or patches are far less likely to bludgeon to death ‘inconsiderate passengers’ with tightly rolled in-flight magazines.

Sick Bag

Check your seat pocket and ensure you have a barf bag to hand. Although you may not suffer from air sickness, you may still be in someone else’s firing arcs. Giving Mr or Mrs Pukey a barf bag in those first few vital seconds will ensure a pleasant flight for you both.

Wear Layers

Regardless of the airport and in-flight temperature and the climate at your current or final destination, dressing in layers allows you to put on or peel off clothes with the minimum of fuss to remain comfortable throughout your journey. In addition, more clothes on you mean more space in your luggage for duty free booze and fags.

Drink Water

Remain hydrated in a dry cabin by adopting at least a 1:2 booze/water ratio, and try to drink at least 8 oz of water every hour. It’s not compulsory to maintain the ratio by drinking the 4 ounces of booze each hour, though. Also, avoid overindulgence in diuretics such as tea, coffee and carbonated drinks.

Use Bottled Water

Airline regulations prohibit the carrying on board of bottle water (most of the time…), but it’s acceptable to board with an empty bottle with lid for the cabin crew to fill for you on the plane. It’s easier to drink from and store between sips than the undersized plastic glasses supplied by cabin crew, and by causing less trips up and down for the trolley dollies, you’ll be more inclined to stay hydrated.

Hold out on the Sleep

If unable to sleep through a whole flight, then put the snooze off until the latter part. Eat a snack, have a drink, watch a film, or read a book or whatever, then when sleep comes it’ll be both heavier and longer (and through the part of the flight where the novelty has worn off.)

Use the Cushions

A few well placed cushions will make for a more comfortable flight. Lower back pain can be avoided or at least reduced when placed between the lower back and the seat, and a couple supporting your head and neck will promote better sleep. If you need extras, either ask the cabin crew or pick up a couple of spares on your trip back from the toilet.

Don’t Rush to Leave

When the Fasten Seatbelt sign goes out at the end of the flight, stay put. Remain seated and stay relaxed by leaving all the others to flap, rummage for bags and stand half bent over seats and squashed in the aisles. Even the last one off the plane will probably still beat the bags to the carousel.

Pick your Plane
Before booking your flight, if several airlines offer the journey at similar prices and on suitable days then compare the planes and services on offer with each flight. Airline consumer standards and in-flight services vary significantly from carrier to carrier. www.airlinequality.com is a good place to start.

Find the Best Seats
Once you’ve chosen your airline, check out where the best seats on your plane are. User friendly Seat Guru is an excellent resource for this. Find your model of plane and read the reviews. All seating layouts are colour coded in the helpful overview.

Window Seats
Unless you have a bladder the size of a peanut, window seats are the way to go. A window seat means less disruption (for you, at least) and a headrest that does not get upset when you dribble on it.

Exit Row Seats
There’s only one thing better than a window seat: an exit row window seat. You’ll get legroom-a-plenty and never have the seat in front nestled on the bridge of your nose.

Cross Pack your Belongings
If travelling in company, split your belongings between both sets of luggage. That way, if one bag gets lost you’ll still have half your stuff.

Mark Your Luggage
Mark your luggage with something unique to identify it clearly. Mark it as distinctively as possible and you’ll be able to spot it more easily at baggage claim and (more importantly) no one else will mistake it for theirs and walk off with your favourite holiday shirt!

Park Smart
If you drive to the airport, note the lot/area where you park the car. Write it down somewhere, take a photo of the sign, or leave a verbal or text message on your phone. Remember: Memory fades with both time and Pina Coladas.

Check in Online
If you have the opportunity to check in online, take it. Not only will you avoid the long queues at the airport but also be in with a better chance of bagging your preferred seat. The early bird gets the legroom.

Check in Early
If you can’t check in online, check in early for a better chance of bagging your desired seat. Remember to speak to the check in staff nicely about your seating preference, otherwise you’re in the lottery with the rest of the shitmunchers. Be sure not to simply ask for extra legroom though, since you may end up stuck by the toilet and the constant barrage of passing/waiting toilet-bound passengers.

Be the Last to Board
If the flight isn’t full, linger toward the back of the boarding queue. Boarding last will allow you to see where all the empty spaces are. If you don’t like the look of your seat (or the people around it) then jump in one of the empty ones. When seated, rarely will the cabin crew ask to see your boarding pass if there is no dispute over a seat. If they do, and they insist you move, you just go back to your original seat having lost nothing.

Here are some tips on how to go about finding them cheap deals on the best hotels.

Search for Unique Offers

Newly opened hotels are inclined to offer bargain room rates to get bums on beds. 50% discounts and ‘3 for 2’ style deals are not uncommon. Here, Google News is your best friend and a good place to start. Search for your city + hotel + opening soon /recently opened etc. (you get the picture) and track down a bargain. Also, sift though the bigger industry publications, such as Hoteldesigns & Hotelnewsresource, to get a feel for what’s going on and then sound the hotels out directly.

Use and Abuse Hotel Comparison Sites

These sites are cropping up all over the internet, with many offering different prices on the same accommodation over the same period. Crazy but true. Price checking over several sites can help find the cheapest deal over the widest range of accommodation and also familiarize you with your destination. Here are a few to kick things off:-

EasytoBook User friendly with maps, panoramic views, plenty of photos and refined searches. Nb. TripAdvisor also aggregates this site.

LateRooms Sortable searches (by distance from center/grade/price/rating etc) and google map friendly.

HotelsComparison Doesn’t search a huge amount of rooms, but easy to navigate and use.

MoneySupermarket Massive search, but very broad.

Go to the Auctions

Another way to stay in a posh hotel at a spectacularly discounted price is by bidding for it. Room auctions and bidding sites are a clever way for hotels to shift vacant rooms without alienating their regular, premium paying customer base.

Although there are around approximately 4 kajillion accommodation auction websites out there, Priceline has to be a favourite thanks to it’s multi bid loophole. Taking advantage of this can bag a cheaper room and see savings of around 70%. For the full lowdown on this and other links to help you win the bidding war, read Martin Lewis’ Priceline bidding article.

Scan Individual Travel Agent’s Websites

It can be time consuming, but some travel agents are willing to flog some apartments and rooms at ridiculously cheap rates just to shift them.

Thomsons are renowned for this, and their £1 plus deals really do exist. These cheap deals generally crop up during a destination’s off-peak times or relate to either unestablished hotels or unestablished areas. It’s a gamble, but even if it does turn out to be crappy it’s only cost you a quid. Thankfully, just like happy hour, it’s always off peak somewhere in the world.

Avoid Tourism Epicenters

Instead of paying a premium to stay right in the heart of a popular district, consider cheaper deals offered in alternative locations. It sounds like a no brainer, but you still have to choose wisely. Money saved in terms of cheaper accommodation has to be weighed up against the extra time and money spent getting to where you ultimately want to be.

Do a bit of research. Is it viable to stay in a cheaper area and still get the most from your stay? Check transport links and costs, walking times, safety issues etc and weigh up if there is much to be gained from a cheaper, alternative location. Sometimes it really pays off, resulting in a better room at a fraction of the epicenter rate.

For example, the hotel room at the north end of Central Park will generally cost a lot less than, say, the same standard of room overlooking Times Square, yet the regular and inexpensive public transport system will leave you laughing all the way to the bank.

Be Flexible on your Destination

Think in terms of supply and demand. The more empty rooms in an area, the higher the chances are of finding a cheap deal on accommodation. You don’t have to settle for a weekend in Kabul instead of Krakow, but just as places have their peak times, such as New York at Christmas or Pamplona when the bulls are running, they also have their quieter periods – that’s when room prices get slashed, it becomes a buyers market and you’ll find dirt cheap deals a plenty.

Be Flexible on your Times

Particularly if you are planning a short break, try and stay midweek instead of weekends. Again, it’s the old supply and demand routine. In addition, midweek flights are generally cheaper, too.

Cast the Net Wide

Hostels, guesthouses and budget hotels aren’t always the cheapest accommodation options. Keep your options open and include more ‘upmarket’ establishments within the searches – it could land you a bargain since there is a fair bit of price crossover. I’m constantly astonished by how – and this is in exactly the same area – it’s not uncommon to find some 1 star hotels charging more than several of the 2 stars, and sometimes even the cheapest 3 star.

Book in Advance

Where possible, try and plan ahead. Failing that, don’t plan at all. Booking a room more than 3 weeks in advance can secure great deals otherwise unavailable closer to the departure date, but if you can’t book early to get the cheapest deal, book very, very late.

Read the Small Print

Buyer beware. Just because a deal on a room comes up as the cheapest during an internet search, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it IS the cheapest. Check the small print to ensure there aren’t any extra hidden costs.

Similar in nature to the fuel taxes/check in levies/baggage fees etc on low cost flights, hotels may not wish to include mandatory extra surcharges, such as a room tax or breakfast, in the quoted price. If you are booking via a hotel comparison site, read the hotel’s blurb very carefully and always check the customer reviews.

If you (yes, you there) have any more tips on how to get decent deals on rooms, please share them with us.

Fortunately,  there are several steps we can take to avoid doing the most unwelcome step of all:  The Colorado Quickstep.

Right, I’ve run out of diarrhoea gags.

Here are some travel tips to help you stay road-fit and avoid the squits.

Pick your Beverage Carefully

As a rule, the following should generally be safe to drink: Commercially bottled water with an unbroken seal, hot drinks made with vigorously boiled water, wine and beer in their original containers (phew), and canned or bottled fizzy drinks.

Always Check the Seals

Ensure the seal on bottled water is intact. It’s not unheard of for more unscrupulous vendors to refill empty water bottles with tap water.

Wipe Around the Lid
Before you drink or pour from any can or bottle, give the lid a good wipe around. Bottles and cans may have been sat in melting ice and water in a cooler bin – this is quite common practice among beach and roadside vendors.

Drink from Original Containers
Any non-disposable crockery (basically anything that can and probably has been washed) could you more at risk. To be ultra safe, consider them unsanitary and use new, clean straws. Better still, stick to original cans or bottles where possible.

Kill Bacteria
If you are uncertain of your water yet that is all there is, boil vigorously (for at least 5 minutes) to purify it. If obtaining either bottled or boiled water is completely out of the question, use both a filter and iodine tablets on your water source.

Don’t be Cool
Avoid ice unless you are certain of its source. In addition, steer clear of fruit juice and drinks made with tap water (such as cordial and real lemonade) to further reduce the risk of suffering from a dose of the squits.

Bathroom Protocol
Use bottled water to clean your teeth and rinse your brush, and keep your mouth shut when showering!

Consider Every Meal
When we think of food poisoning, we usually think of dodgy meat – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Steer clear of foods that need to be rinsed or washed in water, such as raw fruits and vegetables with the skin on, and salads. Similarly, consider whether dairy products have been pasturized. Meat-wise, those prone to travel bugs should only eat meat, poultry and fish if they’re certain it’s been well-cooked and is still piping hot. Always cut it open and give it the once-over before consuming.

Stick to Popular Places
Zero in on popular restaurants and busy stalls since they have a higher turnover of food and are less likely to have produce sitting around (and breeding nasties) for lengthy periods. An eatery or stall buzzing with locals should provide a visual vote of confidence.

In Summary
If you can’t boil it, cook it, or peel it then forget it. Committing this simple rule to memory will help you avoid an unnecessary bout of Montezuma’s Revenge.

Toss in internet connection and it becomes the traveller’s ultimate communication and research tool…and a shiny gadget to watch movies on over a banana milkshake

Here are a few tips to make life easier and help you get the most from your travel laptop whilst abroad.

Check the Voltage

Since supplies vary from country to country, checking the voltage of both your power pack and that of the supply before you travel will save any tears later on. Many laptop power supplies are now dual voltage (ie 110v – 240v 50/60Hz) but it doesn’t hurt to check.

Check the voltages at your proposed destinations here.

Adaptors

Kropla are a fantastic source of information for international plug pin configurations. More often than not some form of adaptor is needed abroad. Multipurpose travel adaptors, those with many different pin configurations, can be bought at airports immediate to departure (but at a premium) or beforehand if you plan accordingly. Alternatively, with a bit of a hunt around it’s often possible to purchase them for a fraction of the price within the country you need it for. This is a bit of a gamble, but not overly so – and the beauty of doing it this way is that if you are passing through several countries, you can just chuck it or pass this inexpensive version it on to someone else when it’s no longer required.

Know your Laptop

Familiarize yourself with your laptop and any required peripherals (such as modems etc) before you depart. Learn how to connect to the internet in as many different ways as you may be expected to, and set soft configurations prior to departure where possible (while you still have an internet connection!) Ensure you have all necessary drivers and software installed before you go because it’s way easier to get these things sorted in your home country than it is abroad.

Where wireless networking isn’t an option, a connection will need to be hardwired with a cable. And with more than 39 different styles of telephone jack worldwide, a bit of prior reading is sometimes necessary to find the right one for you and your laptop. The Worldwide Phone Guide has a heap of handy info on the different types of connectors, and this one tells you where they are used – and if you find yourself in need of phone jacks, adaptors or cables, Laptoptravel.com is just one of the places to try.

Once you are successfully connected, however, an ISP is still needed. You can search for ISPs by country at thelist.com, and some freebies are listed here & here.

Backup up your Data
Regardless of the length of trip, a laptop will be more at risk on the road. Since it’s more likely to get damaged or go missing when travelling, back up your data before you leave and regularly whilst away. Keep your backup either on CDs, DVDs, spare hard drive or a USB memory stick.

If you decide not to take the battery, carry your power pack with the laptop during airport transits in case officials with to visually inspect, or ‘hand check’, your laptop. Sometimes they want to see it turned on, so having everything to hand will save delays.

Batteries, to Take or not to Take?

A laptop is already an extra weight, so ask yourself whether you need to add to that with a battery as well. If you will most likely be working from a hotel room or cafe, the answer is probably no. It depends from person to person, but sometimes leaving it at home may work in your favour.

Never Put a Laptop in with Checked Luggage

When flying, always carry a laptop in hand luggage. Not only does checked baggage really gets put through the mill, but a checked in laptop stands a greater chance of going missing (either along with the whole bag or just a few other shiny things.)

On board the plane, where possible avoid putting the laptop in overhead storage – it’s got a long way to fall.

Ditch the Laptop Bag

Providing it’s not huge, you can slip it into one of your existing personal bags. This reduces the chances of it being forgotten and left loafing somewhere and also draws less attention. Bear the travel laptop in mind whenever buying new carry on travel bags since some will accommodate (and protect) it better than others.

Extra Laptop Protection

Sea Kayaking/Dive bags are perfect for waterproofing a laptop during transit. Just slip it in, roll the top down, clip it shut and you’re away. They’re relatively inexpensive and will keep your laptop 100% bone dry.

After sealing it in the Kayak bag, wrap the laptop securely in your available clothes and place it toward the most rigid part of your luggage. For both suitcases and rucksacks this is usually toward the back.

Travel With your Laptop Documents

Carrying copies of original receipts will save any possible confusion at customs when re-entering your home country. At the end of the day, the onus is on you to prove that you didn’t purchase the item abroad. If you can’t prove it you could get unjustly stung for tax and duty.

On another note, a copy of your warranty along with pertinent customer service contact details is invaluable if your laptop packs up abroad.

It’s a personal thing, travellers use their laptops in a multitude of different ways and, with new makes and models appearing regularly, it’d be a nightmare to keep the recommends current! Instead, here are a few considerations to help you choose the best travel laptop to suit your needs.

Laptop Make/Model

Consider spending a little more and purchasing a laptop made by a reputable, reliable, globally recognised manufacturer. If the new laptop does then break whilst on your travels, one backed up with worldwide customer service availability will make your life a whole lot easier. In theory (?!), it should be more straightforward to source replacement parts and get the bloody thing repaired.

Internet Connectivity

One of the main benefits of travelling with a laptop is the ease of internet access. Look for a laptop that has the capability of accessing the internet in as many different ways as possible, and ensure you have the correct cables and ancillaries for doing so. These days, one of the simplest ways is via a wireless connection. Although most laptops do now come with wireless networking, or WiFi, built in as standard, this capability is a must.

Laptop Ports/Interfaces

However many USB ports the laptop has, it’ll never be enough – especially when travelling. The laptop will be the centre of your travel geekery empire , so ensure it can deal with all your peripherals. In addition to USB ports, check for other data interfaces like network ports and modem ports. Some smaller notebooks also now come with 5-in-1 card readers fitted, which are quite a boon. For those with digital cameras, a laptop with a compatible 5-in-1 reader will negate the need for an extra ‘plug in’ card reader or camera-to-laptop cable. It’s just a little less to carry (and lose/break.)

DVD/CD ROM Burner

Again, they are pretty much standard on most new models, and they come into their own when you plan to travel with a laptop. A laptop with DVD player is great if you like movies, but even better if you like to keep your data safe. Periodically backing up your drive onto DVD is wise and, for longer trips, burning your digital photos onto CD’s and regularly sending them home will save the heartache of losing them if you’re unlucky enough to get parted from your laptop.

Laptop Weight

The lighter the better. A bulky, heavier laptop will test both your baggage limit and your stress levels if it’s literally Kilos heavier than it has to be. When you compare weights, do it together with all the laptop’s ancillaries, such as modem leads, power pack and mouse etc that you envisage taking along on your travels.

Laptop Size

Widescreen laptops are becoming more and more popular, however they are pretty bulky compared to the rest (and heavier on the juice.) Since it’s wise to always have the laptop on your person (or very close by) when on the move, a physically smaller model with standard screen also makes life much easier. Be careful not to go too far the other way though, and find something between ‘home cinema’ and ‘pocket calculator’ that suits your needs best. 12” – 14” screens have long been adequate.

Durability

A travel laptop must be tougher than Chuck Norris to withstand the punishment it receives on the average trip. Humidity, extreme heat and cold, thumps, bumps and scrapes, it’ll see the lot – and that’s just on the way to the airport. A laptop with a robust plastic casing and a rock-solid screen back will afford some protection, but a metal shell – like the magnesium alloy casing on the Panasonic Toughbooks – is simply awesome.

Running Temperature

Although smaller notebooks/laptops generally run hotter than their larger counterparts (the compact nature affords less ‘breathing space’), its’ worth slipping a hand under running shop models to feel it for yourself. Some will run hotter than others, and in tropical climbs in a stuffy room this can become a real issue causing lock ups and worse. If you could almost fry an egg on the laptop in an air-conditioned shop, it may be wise to move swiftly on to the next in line.

Batteries

Due to the extra weight, some people swear by leaving their laptop batteries at home and just using mains juice, but if the plan is to use battery power, it must be up to the job. The most common laptop batteries are 6 cell Lithium Ions, but heavier, longer lasting 12 cell batteries are available. For those planning on working from battery for extended periods of time, another option is to purchase a second one. Sourcing these from third party manufacturers works out much cheaper than buying brand name equivalents, but use of these may invalidate your laptop warranty. Read the small print.

Warranty

If you buy a new laptop and travel with it regularly, it may be worth seeking out an extended warranty. If choosing to do this, ensure that it’s protected by some form of worldwide cover.