Anyone who watches tv will have seen quite a few examples of the horrible problems that all too often arise as a consequence of sudden illness whilst on vacation.
Somebody who got hit by a terrible case of diarrhoea whilst travelling in some exotic location and ended up spending all week in the holiday apartment.
A neighbour who foolishly drank the tap water, went down with dreadful stomach cramps and confusion and is still pretty ill now.
One of the kids suffers a nasty bite from a local insect and needs expensive hospital treatment.
The outcome is usually the same, it probably ruined the vacation, emptied the bank and put them off foreign holidays for many years to come.
In any case, you don't want to end up the same, so here's a list of pointers to safeguard your loved ones and make sure that avoid the tragedy of a ruined vacation: Planning ahead ========================================== Obviously you aren't able to anticipate every problem, there are a few basic steps you should take to make sure you have a safe holiday.
* If anyone in your party suffers with motion sickness, there are a few basic precautions you should take to reduce the impact.
If you are in a car, try to sit in the front and keep looking outside the car.
If on a cruise, stay close to the middle of the boat.
When travelling by plane, try to sit near to the centre of the aircraft.
If you suffer from extremely bad travel sickness you may want to buy one of the proprietary motion sickness medicines.
* Do a little research and check about the local weather.
This will decide the clothes you take, if you should pack sunglasses, and the type of sunscreen to take.
* Ensure that you take first aid supplies that you may need in the locations you are visiting.
* Before setting off for your vaction destination, go and see your family doctor and discuss any pre-exisiting conditions that may become a concern during your trip.
Pay for good health insurance ========================================== Health insurance policies are all different, so assess your specific circumstances and needs and make sure that your insurance policy provides sufficient cover.
Before you leave, become an expert on your health policy and in particular, the limits of its coverage.
If you are unsure over sections of the travel policy, seek clarification before starting your holiday.
Don't forget to include the health policy with the rest of your travel documents.
* With your chosen health policy, are you able to extend your cover if you extend your vacation? * When selecting your health policy, check and compare the maximum sums each health policy is prepared to pay.
* When choosing your travel policy, check for how the insurance policy applies terms like 'pre-existing condition', or 'medical exclusions'.
Do they provide them with a get out clause? * When choosing your health policy, look at age limits or health restrictions that might apply to you.
Food safety when abroad ========================================== One of the most distressing things that can happen to you on your holiday, is to get a bout of food poisoning.
Here are a few pointers to help you stay happy in your holiday resort: * Where possible, avoid consuming high risk foods.
Some foods are less risky to eat than others, eg.
food that needs boiling is usually relatively safe, as are fresh vegetables that have to be peeled just before eating.
* Don't take risks with the water.
Make sure you drink only bottled water, and carefully check the cap to make sure it is not a recycled bottle that has been filled with potentially unsafe local water by dodgy retailers.
If you worried over the safety of the local water, it is not a bad idea to even stay away from ice cubes in your drinks.
If circumstances force you to use the water, boil it for five to ten minutes.
* Perhaps the most important point, don't accept food types that are handled before serving.