Flights & Holidays

Travellers' checklist To help you have a safe holiday, here are the top 10 things to do before you go: check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) travel advice on their website or call                0845 850 2829         get travel insurance and check that the cover is appropriate find a good guidebook and get to know your destination, including its local laws and customs ensure you have a valid passport and necessary visas visit your GP at least six weeks before you go to check what vaccinations you need and whether you need to take extra health precautions make sure your travel organiser has a policy for refunds and for bringing travellers home in the event that the company goes bankrupt (this should be backed up by an organisation offering financial protection) if your travel involves using airlines with which you are unfamiliar, you may wish to check their safety and reliability with a reputable travel agent make copies of your passport, insurance policy plus 24-hour emergency number, and ticket details - leave copies with your family and friends take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds, eg travellers' cheques, sterling or US dollars leave a copy of your itinerary and a way of contacting you, such as email, with family and friends The Foreign Office website also produces specific travel advice for women, gay and lesbian travellers, young travellers, sports travellers, short break travellers and backpackers.   Country travel advice  If you are planning to travel abroad there is a variety of information and advice available, including advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about travel around the world. Notice of potential threats You can check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) website for its travel notices. These help you avoid trouble by providing information on potential threats to your personal safety from political unrest, terrorist activities, lawlessness, violence, natural disasters, epidemics, as well as giving information on local laws and entry requirements. The information is reviewed every month and at the time of any significant incident. When an area has a developing crisis, the advice is updated more often, sometimes several times a day. Cultural awareness Appreciating cultural and legal differences can help you avoid potentially embarrassing or difficult situations. Here are a few tips: get a good guidebook and find out about local laws, customs and culture take a phrase book respect local customs and dress codes, think about what you wear and how you fit in be discreet about your views on cultural differences and behave and dress appropriately, particularly when visiting religious sites, markets and rural communities you should take particular care not to offend Islamic codes of dress and behaviour with regards to sexual relations, alcohol and drugs - in some countries, for example, it is illegal to drink, and importing alcohol into the country can lead to severe penalties always ask an individual's permission before you take a photograph and respect their wishes - in some cultures, taking a woman's photograph can cause great offence don't haggle too aggressively, in most countries where haggling is the norm, it is done with humour and not for too long - it is important to remember that the discount you are haggling over could be a few pence for you, but a significant means of income for a seller it is best to err on the side of caution - behaviour that would be regarded as harmless elsewhere can lead to serious trouble Travel Health