Getting Ill On Holiday.

Summer is on the way and going abroad can make you susceptible to numerous niggling complaints, including prickly heat, upset stomachs and allergic reactions. So just in case, here’s how to prepare to help you have a great holiday

Bites and stings

Prevention: Using insect repellent and keeping skin covered when outdoors will help you avoid being bitten or stung.

Symptoms: A small lump on your skin, which is very itchy. A small hole, or the sting itself, may also be visible. The lump may have an inflamed red and swollen area around it that may be filled with fluid.

Treatment: Wash the area with soap and water, place a cold compress on the area to reduce swelling and to avoid infection, try not to scratch the area.  Antihistamines and creams containing topical steroids (age 10 and over) can help relieve the symptoms of the bite, including swelling around the bite and itchiness.

Allergic reactions

Prevention: Avoidance of the allergen that triggers your reaction.

Symptoms: Although allergic reactions can be a nuisance and hamper your normal activities, most are mild. Most symptoms usually develop within a few minutes of being exposed to something you’re allergic to (although they can develop gradually over a few hours). They may include: sneezing, itchy, running or blocked nose; itchy, red, watering eyes; dry, red and cracked skin.

Very occasionally, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis can occur. Symptoms include swelling of the lips, mouth, eyes or face, wheezing or difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, a fast heart rate, confusion, blue skin or lips, chest tightness, raised, itchy red rash; tummy pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, collapsing and losing consciousness. Medical help should be sought immediately.

Treatment: You may need to speak to a pharmacist or doctor for advice, particularly if the cause of the reaction is unclear. Antihistamines may be taken at the first sign of an allergic reaction, to relieve symptoms, or certain steroid nasal sprays may be used to help prevent the onset of allergic rhinitis, including hay fever.

Decongestants can be used as a short-term treatment for a blocked nose caused by an allergic reaction; creams and lotions are available to help reduce skin irritation; and steroid medication (available as nasal sprays, creams or ointments) may be used for different types of inflammatory conditions caused by an allergic reaction.*

Diarrhoea

Prevention: If unsure of local hygiene, drink only bottled water, even for brushing teeth; avoid ice made with tap water; only eat fruit and vegetables that are cooked or can be peeled; ensure all food you eat has been thoroughly cooked and is served hot.

Symptoms: Frequent loose/ watery stools, sometimes accompanied by abdominal cramps, needing to go to the loo urgently, nausea and vomiting.

Treatment: On average these symptoms last for three to five days (five to seven days in children) and should clear up by themselves. However, preventing dehydration is key, especially in babies and small children.

Adults should drink clear fluids, such as water or diluted fruit juice. Children should be given frequent sips of water (avoid fruit juice or fizzy drinks as they can make diarrhoea worse in children). Continue to breastfeed or bottle feed babies as usual. Oral rehydration salts can be used in adults and children over one year of age.

If symptoms persist or get worse, seek medical attention. In babies and children, seek help immediately if the child has had six or more episodes of diarrhoea in the past 24 hours, if they have vomited three times or more in the past 24 hours (in babies) or if there any symptoms of dehydration. Additionally adults should seek medical help if they have blood/mucous-stained diarrhoea, fever or severe abdominal pain.

Dehydration

Prevention: Drink water regularly throughout the day and foods high in water content such as fruit and vegetables.

Symptoms: Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than you take in. It then upsets the balance of minerals (salts and sugars) in your body, which affects the way it functions. You may feel thirsty and lightheaded, have a dry mouth, dark urine and feel tired.

Treatment: Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, diluted squash or fruit juice or try oral solutions. Sip small amounts frequently if you’re finding it hard to keep liquid down. And stay out of the sun. Children do not adjust to high temperatures as easily as adults, and perspire less, so ensure they drink plenty of water and are not running around in the full sun for very long.

Prickly heat

Prevention: Avoid excessive heat exposure, sit in the shade and consider taking a small fan; wear loose, cotton clothing and take cool showers.

Symptoms: An itchy rash of small raised red spots that cause a stinging, prickling sensation on your skin. It can develop anywhere on your body, but it usually appears on your face, neck, back, chest or thighs a few days after exposure to hot temperatures. It’s caused when the body’s sweat glands become blocked.

Treatment: The rash will usuall disappear by itself after a few days, but you can alleviate symptoms by avoiding excessive heat and humidity (to avoid you sweating further), keep your skin cool. Consider using calamine lotion to soothe irritated skin, or hydrocortisone cream on the itchy and irritated areas of skin (but avoid using it on your face).

Sunburn

Prevention: Stay out of the sun between 10am and 4pm use sunscreen and reapply frequently. Babies should stay out of the sun and children should use sunscreen of SPF factor 50. Give children wide-brimmed hats, clothing that covers the skin, and ideally wraparound sunglasses with UV protection.

Symptoms: Sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. It usually causes the skin to become red, sore, warm, tender and occasionally itchy for about a week.

Treatment: Cool skin by sponging it with cold water or have a cold bath or shower. Drink plenty of fluids to cool down and prevent dehydration. Apply a water-based emollient or aftersun moisturiser to keep your skin cool and moist and if this doesn’t help consider a painkiller, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.

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Christmas Activities

From beautiful Christmas lights to winter markets full of gifts to enchanted forests, here are some of Britain’s best festive activities. 

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The Christmas lights in Mousehole, Cornwall © Ian Woolcock/Shutterstock

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1. The Reindeer Centre

Near Ashford, Kent

See farm animals, reptiles, Father Christmas in an animated grotto and more than 100 reindeer. You can even hire one, complete with handler, if you want. 

Santa’s grotto open from Nov 12 – Dec 24.

2. Longleat Festival of Light

Near Warminster, Wiltshire

It may be more a Far East custom that British, but Longleat celebrates Christmas with an enormous display of Chinese lanterns in the safari-park grounds, along with terracotta army warriors, and a huge dragon boat floating on the lake. More traditionally, there’s also a Santa train, a giant musical Christmas tree, real-life fairy-tale characters and an outdoor ice skating rink. This year, Longleat is celebrating its safari park's 50th birthday with a Beatrix Potter exhibition and Peter Rabbit-themed lanterns.

Nov 11- Jan 2.

3. Christmas outdoor swims

Nationwide

Great if you want to burn off that extra helping of Christmas pudding. There are numerous events, many on Christmas Day – from a dip in the Serpentine boating lake, London, to braving the waters of the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Dozens of hardy participants take the plunge at each event, often in festive costume.

4. Mousehole Christmas Lights

Cornwall

Some 7,000 lights adorn the small Cornish fishing village. In the past, there’s been a sea serpent, a whale and a giant Christmas stocking. After seeing the lights, it’s traditional to eat a Stargazy Pie in a local pub. Fishes heads poke through the pastry in honour of an old fisherman, who, legend has it, braved a huge storm to bring in his catch and save the starving village.

Dec 18 – Jan 7

5. Chester Christmas Market

You don’t have to go to Germany to find a decent festive fair. The UK has plenty and Chester is one of the best. Last year, 70 stalls situated by the city’s historical town hall and cathedral sold numerous gifts and traditional Christmas food and wine.

November 18 - December 18.

6. Sail with Santa, River Exe, Devon

An hour-long boat trip in the company of Father Christmas, with face painting, balloon modelling, boat-driving lesson, mulled wine and mince pies. The boat is covered, just in case it snows.

December 10-18

7. Christmas Past, 400 years of Seasonal Traditions in English Houses exhibition  

The Geffrye Museum of the Home, London

A series of rooms will recreate what English homes looked like at Christmas down the ages. Find out why we put up stockings, send cards and kiss under the mistletoe.

November 22 – January 8.

8. Illuminated Enchanted Forest

Stockfield Park, North Yorkshire

Walk a trail almost a mile long and see a variety of illuminated animals, magical creatures and mysterious characters. There is also a spectacularly lit lake in the middle of the forest and an ice rink.

Open now until January 3.

9. Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Winter Fair

Llanelwedd, Powys

One for the farmer in you. Leading stockmen from all over the UK pit their livestock against each other for prestigious accolades. Welsh food producers also showcase their produce, with hundreds of trade stands, demonstrations and exhibitions.

November 28-29

10. Christmas Tree Festival

St John’s Church, Stamford

Thirty Christmas trees, decorated by local businesses and charity groups, adorn this charming 15th century church, which has a roof carved with green men and painted angels.

November 25 – December 11

Motorway Services

The holiday season will soon be upon us, so let's look at the best places for a quick break....

Motorway services have a bad reputation for being expensive and having poor facilities but here are four service stations that are worth a visit. 

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Gloucester services is located between junctions 11a and 12 on the M5

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The average motorway service station is, frankly, a disgrace. Peeling paint, filthy toilets, and over-priced junk food conspire alongside rip-off fuel to turn what should be a pleasant break into a trial by indifference.

But it doesn’t have to be like this; here are four service stations that are so good it’s worth detouring to visit them.

Tebay

Arguably the original and best, Tebay is a family owned and run service station that puts the emphasis on local produce. Located at junction 38, Tebay opened as a small café in 1972 to take advantage of the then-new M6, serving home-produced and cooked food.

A hotel joined the café in 1976, and then a caravan site and truck stop widened the site’s appeal to caravanners and truckers too. 

The site now boasts an award-winning farm shop that sells local produce, including meat from the family’s own farm. An outside kitchen serves some of the best burgers in the country. Made from their own meat, of course. 

Tebay service station is located at junction 38 of the M6

Gloucester

Owned by the same family company that owns Tebay, Gloucester services is located between junctions 11a and 12 on the M5, serving high-quality food to both north and south-bound traffic. 

The ethos is the same here as at Tebay: “produce is local, seasonal and that our food is home-cooked.” 

The farm shop sells only local food that is sourced within the county. Oh, and the whole place feels homely and is spotlessly clean, demonstrating once-and-for-all that motorway services don’t have to resemble a war zone that a coachload of football hooligans has just passed through.

Cherwell Valley

Cherwell Valley isn’t half as nice as either Tebay or Gloucester but it’s clean and consistently highly rated for the quality of the services it provides, again proving that it isn’t hard to get the basics right.

Located at junction 10 on the M40 near Bicester in Oxfordshire, it boasts a range of fast-food restaurants that provide travellers with all the essentials they need to get them back on the road again feeling rested and well fed. You might not be feasting on Gloucester Old Spot sausage sandwiches, but you’re not going to be driving away feeling cheated, either. 

Annandale Water 

Annandale Water is a modern service station at junction 16 on the A74(M) in Dumfriesshire. It might not look especially enticing from the front, but those who make the effort are rewarded with stunning views of the lake and distant mountains through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

There are a range of fast-food outlets here, but, let’s be honest,  you come here for the views rather than the food.

Do you have a favourite motorway services that we’ve missed? We’d love to hear your comments below!

The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by Saga unless specifically stated.

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Essential Gadgets

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These four travel gadgets will help you keep your packing down to one suitcase

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If you struggle to close the suitcase after packing everything you might need on holiday, don’t worry – help is at hand. 

Rather than jettisoning a few pairs of socks or choosing between shoes, simply make the things that you can’t be without a bit more compact.

Bite zapper

If you’re travelling somewhere that suffers from biting insects (ie, anywhere warm) and you don’t want to be loaded down with various soothing creams and lotions to stop the itching once the inevitable happens, perhaps invest in a bite zapper. 

When pressed against the skin and triggered, this small contraption delivers a harmless static charge to the area surrounding the bite, stopping the release of histamine that causes the itching sensation. 

The faster you can zap the bite the better, which makes the small size of the bite zapper even more invaluable, as you can simply pop it in your bag when venturing out for the day, with no worries about creams escaping their tubes and melting all over your belongings. 

Price: approx £8

USB charger

When travelling anywhere outside of the UK, one thing you’ll kick yourself for forgetting is a power adapter to suit the different plug sockets of the country you’re exploring. 

And if you do manage to remember, and fill your luggage with adapters, then when you arrive at the hotel you’ll discover there’s only one plug and you have to alternate between charging your phone, camera and kindle – unless you’ve though ahead and brought a multiway-plug, which took up even more space. 

Odds are, one of these electronic devices will be forgotten about or not charged quite fully, leaving you with a dead battery at a crucial moment. 

And after all that, you’ll probably end up leaving the adaptor in the hotel room. 

That’s where the USB charger comes in; it comes with three different pin sets to cover the UK, the continent and the States, and has four USB charging points, so you can charge four things at once. 

Most electronic devices now come with USB chargers that double up as connections to download from or upload to your computer, so you can save even more room in your bag by leaving the plug attachments at home. 

Price: approx £14

Power pen

On the subject of charging, if you tend to use your phone camera instead of an actual camera to document your time spend exploring new countries, you’re probably well used to the battery dying before you’re back in your hotel room. It’s irritating, but what can you do about it?

And on the subject of small irritations, have you ever been in the plane, about to touch down, had to fill in a customs form to say where you’re staying and your reasons for being in the country and realised you don’t have a pen, and had to ask your fellow passengers if you could borrow one? 

This might seem tangential, but bear with me – what if you could solve both these issues in one, easy-to-pack, fell swoop? 

You’ve probably worked out where I’m going with this, but in case you haven’t, then what you’re looking for is a power pen. When you’re not filling in customs forms with it, you simply flip it and plug it into your phone for a quick fix of juice – just enough to make sure you get that last picture of the Empire State or the Eiffel Tower. 

Price: £24.99

Travel shaving kit

If you’re a gentleman who likes to make sure he looks like a gentleman at all times, you might have a wash bag filled with lotions and potions – or you might be the kind of fellow who just needs a shave in the morning, and feels good to face the day. 

Either way, with a travel shaving kit containing a mirror, razor and collapsible badger brush put together in a kit that miraculously manages to sit in the palm of your hand, you’ll be taking up a fraction of your packing space – so there’s really no reason not to look your best when travelling.

Price: £49.99

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How your phone can save your life.

The Smart Phone is a modern marvel, but did you know it could even save your life? 

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From making calls to checking emails, Apple’s iPhone is the digital equivalent of a Swiss army knife. And much like that multi-function tool, the iPhone can even help in an emergency.

1. Ask Siri to call for help

If you can’t reach your phone and have an iPhone 6S, Siri can call for help for you. Just say ‘Hey Siri’ and tell it the number to dial. 

Earlier this year, a US teenager who was trapped under his truck with his iPhone in his back pocket, used Siri to dial the emergency services. To use Siri this way, enable voice activation by tapping Settings > General > Siri and turn on Allow ‘Hey Siri’. 

2. ICE your iPhone contacts

It’s always a good idea to have an ICE (in case of emergency) contact on your iPhone. Medical staff will use this to contact the person for your medical history. 

Tap Contacts and then the plus sign + to add a new contact. In the name field, type ICE (or ICE 1 if you’ve more than one ICE contact), then add their number.

3. Add a Medical ID

New iPhones (and iPhones running on the iOS 8 operating system update or later) include Medical ID, which lets emergency staff view medical information, such as conditions and allergies, along with emergency contacts. This is handy if your iPhone has a screenlock that prevents others from accessing your ICE contacts. 

The Medical ID page can be found on the Emergency Call screen, which is accessed by tapping Emergency at the bottom of the Lock screen.  

To create a Medical ID, tap the Health app on your iPhone and then Medical ID at the bottom of the screen. Tap Create Medical ID, add the relevant information and turn on Show When Locked to make your Medical ID available from the Lock screen.

4. Use the Health app

The iPhone’s Health app keeps all your health information in one place – useful for monitoring your health and allowing medical staff to view medical conditions. 

Data from fitness, nutrition and health-tracking apps such as heart rate monitors is automatically added, as are details of your physical activity compiled by the iPhone’s own step-tracking sensors. 

You can add data manually, by going to Health > Health Data > Vitals > Add Data Point.

Read our tips for extending your phone's battery life.

5. Turn on location services 

Location services use your iPhone’s built-in GPS to track your location – useful in an emergency should you need to know where someone is. 

Free personal safety apps, such as bSafe, use location services to monitor your movements when out, alerting nominated friends should you need help. 

Alternatively, if you go missing, Apple’s Find My iPhone feature allows others to pinpoint the location of your iPhone and start looking for you.

6. Send an emergency text

If faced with an emergency in a remote area with poor mobile reception, send a text message instead of dialing 999. 

Texting requires less signal strength and your iPhone will keep trying to send your message so there’s more chance of it getting through. 

Sign up to the free EmergencySMS (www.emergencysms.org.uk) service, which relays your text message straight to 999 operators.

7. Use health advice apps

There are tons of emergency advice apps available for your iPhone. 

The British Red Cross app offers essential first aid tips and the British Heart Foundation PocketCPR app guides you through life-saving CPR.

Diabetes Buddy can help you manage your diabetes, while the NHS’s symptom checker app helps you decide if it’s time to see a doctor.

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Packing.

Packing light can seem like a hard task, but by following these simple tips you may never need to wait patiently by the luggage carousel again. 

1. Be ruthless

Single bag travel will never happen unless you are prepared to embrace essentialism.

Resist the temptation to pack for every weather condition, and look at a detailed weather forecast to work out exactly what you need. 

Select your essentials from our ultimate travel packing list.

2. Choose a bag sensibly

Take some time to shop around, ensuring your bag fits within the measurements, can be safely stowed and is easy to carry and is durable.

Outside pockets on a bag are always handy to keep a passport, boarding pass and other quick-grab items. 

3. Roll… don’t fold!

As any seasoned traveller will tell you, rolling your clothes as opposed to folding them takes up far less room in your suitcase.

It also has the added bonus of fewer wrinkles – which means you can also ditch the travel iron! 

4. Wear as much as possible

Don't forget, what you travel in will be part of your wardrobe. Wear the heaviest or bulkiest items for travelling and choose such items strategically.

5. Think Miniature

Invest in mini bottles of toiletries. If you can't find what you need, decant into small, clear bottles – readily available in most pharmacies or online.

6. Invest in an e-reader

Books are incredibly bulky and heavy. Invest in an e-reader or tablet and download your favourite holiday reads and travel guides directly to it. 

7. And when you return…

Don't forget, you have to pack to return home, too. If you can't resist the temptation to pick up any souvenirs while away, make sure they will fit into you bag. 

If you simply can't help yourself, consider shipping a package home before your return flight.

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Driving - Changes In The Law

(From Saga Magazine)

Keep up-to-date and legal on the road with our guide to new rules and legislation that affect motorists. 

There have been a number of changes to motoring law enacted in 2015. As Sarah Sillars, chief executive officer of road safety charity IAM, puts it: “This year has seen some of the biggest changes in motoring procedures we have ever seen. It is very important drivers and riders are fully up-to-date on what is happening – they will affect everyone in one way or another.”

It’s a potential minefield – and, as ever, ignorance is no defence – so here is our guide to the changes that affect you and your car!

1. Driving licences

We’ve covered the changes to your driving licence in detail here but in brief, the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) will no longer be issuing the paper element of your driving licence. 

When you need to hire a car, or otherwise confirm whether or not you have penalty points on your licence, you have to obtain a ‘check code’ from the DVLA, which lets a third-party inspect your licence online. Following consultation, the length of time the check code is now valid for has been extended to 21 days.

2. Paying for your VED

Most people are now aware that, as of the 1 October 2014, you no longer have to display a tax disc in the windscreen of your car but not everyone knows that you can now pay for your VED (or vehicle excise duty) in monthly instalments via Direct Debit, making it easier to budget for.

Read more about the changes to the tax disc.

3. Selling a secondhand car

New rules brought in in 2015 mean that you must cash in the VED (or car tax) on your car when you sell it, leaving the new owner to buy his or her own. 

The refund is automatically issued when the DVLA receives the completed V5 (vehicle registration document) telling it that you have sold, scrapped, exported or declared SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) on your car.

4. Middle lane hog fine

The £1,000 ‘middle lane hog’ fine levied on a motorist in Yorkshire was a result of a tweak to existing laws that enable the police to issue a fixed penalty notice (or FPN) to drivers it believes are driving inconsiderately by committing offences such as  ‘tailgating’, ‘undertaking’, or refusing to move from an overtaking lane when the road ahead is clear.

Read more about penalties for careless and inconsiderate driving.

5. Drug driving 

It has been an offence since March 2015 to drive under the influence of illegal drugs, such as cannabis, LSD and cocaine – a common-sense move that few would argue against. 

However, the legislation, which affects drivers in England and Wales, also includes some prescribed drugs such as diazepam, methadone and morphine. 

If you are unsure whether your medication falls under the new law, you should seek advice from your doctor as those convicted of the offence will face an automatic driving ban, an unlimited fine, a possible jail sentence and a criminal record, bringing the offence in line with existing drink drive laws.

6. Smoking

It will be an offence in England to smoke in a car containing anyone under the age of 18 from 1 October 2015. Anyone flouting the law could face a fine of up to £50.

7. Speed limits

The speed limit for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in England and Wales has recently been raised from 40mph to 50mph on single carriageways and from 50mph to 60mph on dual carriageways. 

8. Drink Driving laws in Scotland

The blood alcohol limit for drink driving in Scotland was lowered to 50mg per 100ml of blood in December 2014. The rest of the UK stayed at 80mg per 100ml. 

For even more useful motoring hints and tips, visit the motoring section on the Saga Magazine website. 

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