Tourists on holiday should pay attention to the foods that they eat when on a vacation. Research the local fare that is offered by the host country before you land there and know the reactions of the hosts when food is offered.

Here are some guidelines that I have listed to help your stomach digest the next meal when you are on holidays:

The pizza in Italy tastes very different from the one you may eat at Argentina or Dominos.  I always check with the locals to know more about their traditional dishes and sample it at any given opportunity. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Bottled water is dished out differently in various countries. In America you may get water and ice straight from the tap when you order water in a restaurant, unless you specifically ask for sparkling water. You could get bottled water with or without ice in other countries where you may have to pay for it.

I personally recommend that you eat small portions of food when you are in a different country. In America, one portion normally feeds two to three people. Normally in most countries, the portions are small. The host may want to stuff you with their hospitality. Keep room for dessert and sample the delicacies.

I always carry a few snacks with me when travelling. You may land up at a place where shops are closed for siesta during mid-day. This happened to us when we landed in Argentina and we were fortunate as we carried a few snacks with us.

Pepto is my faithful companion when I go on holidays to different destinations. When you are not used to certain spices in the food, you could end up with stomach rumbles and upsets. Pepto brings relief and helps you take that flight or bus trip in time!

The best way to politely decline certain foods is to inform your hosts that you are allergic to the same. I do not eat pork and rather than offend my host, I use this excuse that I am allergic to any pig products.

In my opinion, we always link certain places we visited with the memories of the food or drink we had in that particular destination. I remember especially the amazing beef that I ate in Brazil and the gelato that was to die-for in Rome!

I always make it a point to sample the foods and sweets in any country I visit. Make sure you inform your hosts in advance of the foods that you do not eat. Eat small portions to sample more varieties.

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Our desire to travel and explore remains strong, but we’ve all felt the economic crunch to some degree. Now, almost all of us have to get by with a little less, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our adventures. In fact, this article will explore ten smart ways to travel that will maximize your budget, and even let you do more with less.

1. Target the best dollar value.
The dollar is strong, but currency markets remain in flux. Travelers can maximize their budgets by monitoring global exchange rates, and then traveling to the areas where they get the best return on the dollar.

2. Take a cruise.
Cruises are generally fantastic value, but the current savings available are at all-time highs. Not only are the major liners offering significant discounts, they’re adding a wide range of luxury enticements.

3. Not all airmiles credit cards are equal.
For frequent flyers, airmiles credit cardsare vital to long-term savings. When choosing one, take your time, and do the research. Don’t get caught up in the marketing and branding. Stick to the numbers.

4. Don’t hoard miles.
Hoarding miles is a common mistake, and it often causes the saver to miss out on some great deals. If your heart is set on a particular destination, get more out of your miles by traveling off-season and on non-peak days.

5. Be loyal.
Extend your consumer loyalty beyond the airliners. For instance, all hotels track customers. They know how often you stay there, and they have built-in unadvertised reductions and other perks for their best clients.

6. Sleep like a local.
Of course, even with benefits, extended hotel stays can be too expensive. The alternative is to rent an apartment or house, and there are many such fully furnished residences in major cities throughout North America and Europe.

7. Opt for all-inclusive packages.
Travel packages have significant built-in discounts and other benefits. Some travelers consider travel packages to be a series of compromises, but with all the options available today, that simply isn’t true.

8. Cook for yourself.
Eating out three meals or more per day for an extended period is quite costly. Instead, choose accommodations with a kitchenette, and then you can immerse yourself in the local lifestyle by shopping locally and preparing the meals.

9. Use public transportation.
Rather than rent a car or take taxis, use mass transit, and research the area before you go. In most major cities, you can purchase temp passes (three days to a week at a time) that let you use the entire system at low cost.

10. Talk to locals… online.
The best way to experience an area and save money is to know what the locals know. In the information age, doing so is simpler than ever. A wide range of travel and geo-wiki websites exists for just that purpose. Use them.

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Traveling to an exotic tropical locale is extremely attractive and exciting to most of us. But, travel in tropical environments can involve more than just sun and fun.  Water and food-borne illnesses can certainly cause extremely undesirable problems that can linger long after the trip is over. Also, the combination of humidity and high temperatures can cause dehydration or heat exhaustion for those not accustomed to extreme weather conditions and sunburn is an ever-present concern. Last but certainly not least, biting bugs and other unsavory characters such as lizards, snakes, and scorpions can find their way into your room at even the most luxurious resort. Luckily, the correct travel gear coupled with a healthy dose of common sense can prevent many of these problems from spoiling your tropical vacation.

Food and Water
The best way to know for sure if the water is safe to drink is to ask local guides who are used to dealing with foreign tourists or the staff of your hotel (assuming that it caters to tourists). Generally, it is safe to eat and drink almost anything (except maybe the tap water) at tourist hotels in major travel destinations such as Veneto Panama in Panama City; however, tourists who will be going off the beaten track and venturing into local restaurants or eating street food will definitely face more risk.
The safety of food and water can vary widely from country to country, and sometimes even within a country. In most major cities the water is drinkable (although extremely sensitive travelers could still become sick). In other places, drinking just one glass of water is a sure way to ruin your trip.

As a rule, thoroughly cooked food is always safer than meats eaten rare or medium rare and travelers should always avoid foods that are room temperature or appear to have been sitting around.  Also, any vegetables and fruits without a skin or peel should be avoided (like lettuce) whereas items such as bananas, oranges, and avocados are safe to eat as long as they are not washed after the peel is removed. Bottled water is widely available and you should always opt for that as opposed to water in a glass (or even another beverage with ice).  If you do want a soda or juice, choose one that is in a sealed can or bottle.

Weather
It may sound strange to pile on clothing in a hot climate, but long-sleeved shirts and long pants will protect your skin from both sunburn and bugs. Clothing should be light weight for comfort but also lightly colored to reflect the sun. Some specialty companies such as Columbia and ExOfficio offer ventilated clothing and some clothing designed for travel even comes treated with bug repellent (which can last up to 20 washings). Most importantly when in the tropics, wear a hat; hats protect you from overheating as well as from sunburn.

Major health conditions related to weather are dehydration, heat exhaustion (or the more severe heat stroke) and hyponatremia, which occurs when the body sweats so much that its electrolyte balance is compromised and it can no longer process water properly. Periodic snacking of foods containing some salt and sugar can replace some of the electrolytes lost to sweating and electrolyte replacement drinks or athletic drinks can also help prevent or treat dehydration.

Bugs
Insect repellents are must for travel to the tropics. The Anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria is most often active at night, but mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever are active during the day so it’s extremely important to protect yourself at all times. Repellents containing DEET are most effective against biting insects but be careful when applying DEET, as it can eat through some types of synthetic clothing, and even could damage plastic items like watch bands, camera parts, straps and buckles. Unfortunately, even with insect repellent, you are bound to get a bite or two so make sure you bring something for the itch as well.

Some travelers who follow all the rules can still get sick.  However, by using common sense and following these basic guidelines, visitors to tropical countries can be pretty sure that they will stay happy and healthy on their tropical holiday.

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Okay….so January has been and gone…and February was just a blink. Now it’s March and there are at least eight full months of the year left. So let’s take a look at some of the top festivals and events which are still to take place this year. If you see something that interests you, you can organise your airline tickets now to get them cheap.

1. La Tomatina, Buñol, Spain

La Tomatina is an annual festival which takes place in the Valencian city of Buñol. It dates back to 1945 and is held on the last Wednesday in August. All you need are old shorts and an old shirt and you can take part in the world’s biggest tomato fight too.

1. International Pillow Fight Day, cities around the world

This year the International Pillow Fight Day will be held on the 2 April. Imagine taking part in a huge pillow flight in the middle of a big city. Find out which cities host this festival by clicking on this link.

1. San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain

Okay…so the Spanish are famous for their crazy festivals and the running of the bulls through the streets of Pamplona is just another to add to the list. This event usually takes place on the 7 July every year and lasts a week. All you need is a white top and trousers and a red scarf to take part.

1. El Colacho – Baby Jumping, Castrillo de Murcia, Spain

Again….a dangerous tradition which takes place in Spain. What happens at this festival is that men jump over newborn babies to cleanse them of evil. Believe it or not, this is an event and it takes place in June every year.

1. Up Helly-Aa, Shetland, Scotland

Otherwise known as Europe’s largest fire festival and it is held in January to mark the end of the winter. This is something to look forward to in 2012.

1. Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest is the most famous beer festival in the world which is held in October every year.

1. Aloha Festival, Hawaii, USA

Perhaps not as crazy as the other festivals…..Aloha Festival celebrates all things Hawaiian and it is a good excuse to visit this exotic island. By booking flights to Hawaii in September you can enjoy this event.

1. Flour Throwing Festival, Galaxidi, Greece

A coloured flour throwing battle which is ironically held on Clean Monday every year.

1. Just for Laughs, Montreal, Canada

An event which you see on television but which is more fun if you take part – Just for Laughs – held in July every year.

1. Queen’s Day, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Celebrate the Dutch queen’s birthday on the 30 April every year. Huge parties are held in the streets and the theme is orange…so make sure you wear something that colour.

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