TRAVELLING while pregnant has added challenges, but these tips should help smooth the journey:

Consult your doctor before making any travel plans to discuss whether it’s suitable for you to travel in the first place and if so, whether you require any medication while you’re away. It’s wise to carry a letter from your doctor outlining any specific medical attention you may need if you fall ill. Pack an adequate stock of prescription drugs in case they’re not easily available at your destination.

Most airlines allow women to fly until around the end of the 35th week of pregnancy (up to the end of the 32nd week if you’re carrying twins or more). Contact airlines directly for pertinent details. A growing number of airlines requests medical certificates stipulating your expected delivery date and confirmation by a doctor that you’re in a fit state to fly.

When making plane/ train reservations, request an aisle seat – it makes it easier to dash to the bathroom, and also allows you to stretch your legs to boost circulation. If your finances allow it, treat yourself to business/ first-class seats, which have more comfortable chairs and greater legroom.

Pregnancy puts added pressure on your circulatory system, which heightens the chances of swelling, cramping and blood clotting (thrombosis) on long flights. Apart from stretching, wear special circulation-enhancing compression stockings (available at good pharmacies).

Stress is the last thing you need when you’re pregnant. Reduce anxiety by allowing for sufficient commute time between destinations (including from hotels to airports or other transport hubs). Pack well ahead of your departure date and keep luggage as light as possible.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Dressing in layers is wise, as it makes it easy to dress up/ down according to changing temperatures. Avoid taking your shoes off on long flights – your feet are likely to swell more than usual when you’re pregnant, making it even more difficult to put footwear back on.

On road-trips, try to take a break every hour or so to stretch your legs. If road conditions aren’t optimal (crowded, hazardous traffic, bumpy surfaces), opt for planes or trains over buses and cars.

Stay hydrated. Keep in mind that the air in planes is particularly dry, making it important to regularly sip water (avoid fizzy drinks, alcohol and caffeine). On the ground, carry a water flask with you at all times.

Be vigilant about eating sensibly. Pack nutritious snacks (such as nuts and fruit) in case you find yourself off-schedule due to unforeseen travel hiccups. If you’re worried about not getting an adequate vitamin and mineral intake while you’re travelling, ask your doctor to suggest safe supplements to take for the duration of your trip.

Whether you’re travelling for leisure or business, factor in adequate time to simply put your feet up and chill out. Avoid cramming too much into a day – apart from zapping energy, it’s likely to take you on even more of an emotional rollercoaster ride given erratic hormonal activity during pregnancy.

INDIA is blessed with a rich repertoire of wildlife sanctuaries that are home to a delightfully diverse collection of natural treasures. Here are some tips to help you get the most out ofa wildlife-spotting expedition.

BOOK ACCOMMODATION

There are usually a limited number of hotels in areas near wildlife reserves, so it pays to book ahead. Leaving reservations to the last minute may mean you won’t find a hotel room, and are likely to be left with the least desirable options (possibly at inflated prices due to demand during prime wildlife-spotting season).

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

It makes little sense turning up at a wildlife sanctuary only to discover it’s closed or that it’s not an especially good time to spot animals. Do your research (consult websites, guidebooks and tourist offices) to find out where to go when and if there are any permit requirements (for less touristy parks, you may need to allow time to arrange the necessary paperwork). Consider buying a wildlife identification book to help you learn more about the flora and fauna you come across.

GET SNAP-SAVVY

Photographing wildlife presents its own set of challenges – read tips from wildlife photography experts and make the most of the (soft) early morning and late afternoon light.

BLEND IN

Keep noise to a minimum, avoid sudden movements and wear neutral colours (earthy tones are recommended) to avoid standing out. Animals have an amazing sense of smell – avoid wearing perfume/ aftershave or anything else with a strong scent. Note that some washing powders leave fragrances that can alert animals to your presence, which makes it wise to air your clothes beforehand (to absorb natural aromas). Don’t smoke – not only because of the strong smell of tobacco, but also because it’s a potential fire hazard.

TAKE BINOCULARS ALONG

Binoculars allow you to view animals at a distance, thus decreasing the chances of frightening them by your proximity. The keen wildlife-spotter will take a tripod for binoculars to allow steady viewing over a prolonged period. It’s never wise to get too close to animals, not only for your own safety, but also because some may abandon their young if spooked.
PACK EXTRA PATIENCE

Animals don’t perform on cue! Wildlife-spotting is all about quiet, patient observation. Dress in comfortable clothes (wear layers so you can easily dress up or down according to the temperature), pack sufficient drinking water and take along a shawl in case you need to sit on the ground.

TREAD GENTLY

Respect Mother Nature by minimising your impact. This includes taking away all rubbish you bring with you (as well as any you may find) and sticking to established walking paths to avoid damaging delicate ecosystems. Refrain from feeding animals and from plucking plants.

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair” – Kahlil Gibran

ONE of the most frequent concerns raised by air travellers is that of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially fatal health condition that occurs when a blood clot is large enough to cause obstruction within major veins (usually in the leg) responsible for transporting blood to vital organs. Passengers on long-haul flights are most at risk, although it’s importantto be aware that the condition can occur on other modes of long-distance transport, too.

According to medical journals, people at a higher risk of being afflicted by DVT include those over the age of 40, those who smoke and those who are overweight. Women taking contraceptive pills may also have an elevated risk, as does anyone who has recently undergone major surgery.

The most common symptoms of DVT include very swollen ankles (especially if one is more swollen than the other), tender calf and/ or thigh muscles, increased redness/ warmth in one leg, rapid heart rate, excessive coughing and shortness of breath.

1 Seek advice from your doctor before travelling. Medical professionals are best placed to address your questions and proffer important advice based on your personal health profile. Consult your doctor about whether or not you should take aspirin (a blood thinner that can inhibit blood from clotting) prior to your flight.

2 Avoid crossing your legs. Health professionals advise passengers to wear compression stockings because of their ability to promote blood circulation. These stockings (usually knee-high) are available at pharmacies and other health outlets – ask your doctor and/ or check online.

3 Dehydration is a key trigger of DVT because it can lead to the thickening of blood (making it more prone to clotting). The air in planes is dry – which accelerates dehydration – making it very important to keep yourself sufficiently hydrated. Drink plenty of water (avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks and coffee) before, during and after your journey.

4 Inactivity (leading to sluggish blood circulation) is a major contributing factor – indeed, DVT is commonly referred to as ‘economy class syndrome’ because the cramped seating inhibits leg movement. If you’re travelling in economy class, try to pre-book a seat that has the most leg room (like those near emergency exits) so you can stretch your legs. Aisle seats make it easier to take frequent walks.

5 Walk around the cabin as often as possible and make it a point to also stretch your arms during these times. When seated, frequently stretch your legs; rotate your ankles clockwise and anti-clockwise before stretching them up and down; wiggle your toes; and gently move your neck, shoulders and wrists.

6 It’s best to avoid taking sleeping pills as they can render you inactive for a prolonged period of time. Take short naps instead so you can walk and stretch in the interim.

1 If possible, avoid toll-free reservation numbers, as many are outsourced, which makes employees less likely to be as au fait with a property’s finer details compared to on-site staff.

2 Be flexible with your reservation dates – tariffs can have significant off-season discounts. Additionally, business hotels often offer cheaper weekend deals, while tourist-oriented lodgings tend to give lower mid-week rates.

3 Better rooms are often routinely blocked off for VIPs (repeat customers; bookings made via preferred travel agents, etc). Joining a hotel’s loyalty programme is one way of garnering a superior deal, as is surfing a hotel’s website (which may offer promotional packages).

4 If it’s your honeymoon, wedding anniversary or birthday, say so when making a reservation. Hotels may offer attractive perks, from complimentary meals and champagne to room upgrades and spa treatments.

5 Haggle! You’d be surprised at how many hotels are prepared to offer a discount to those who ask politely. Some offer slashed rates to senior citizens or others (enquire directly). Before contacting a hotel, check sites like hotels.com and expedia.co.in to see if they offer cheaper rates (which the hotel may compete with). Some hotels offer better last-minute rates to fill empty rooms (if you don’t mind the risk of missing out on a room altogether).

6 Investigate package deals, especially if you’re travelling to a variety of destinations where a hotel chain has properties. Similarly, packages that include airfare/ accommodation/ sightseeing tours may also offer a better room category at a more competitive price. It pays to do your homework.

7 Get your reservation details (including any complimentary extras you negotiated) in writing. Make sure you’re clear about any cancellation or change-of-arrival penalty rates, just in case your plans unexpectedly change.

8 Don’t be shy to ask as many questions as you wish before making a reservation. Are there non-smoking floors? Is the room overlooking a busy road, or is it near a noisy elevator/ kitchen/ banquet hall? How large is the room? Is there an in-room safe? better tariffs. If they are, cancel your original reservation and book again but first be absolutely sure you won’t incur a cancellation fee.

10 Be aware that rooms can differ (despite being in the same category) within a hotel, especially at non-chain properties. It’s perfectly fine to ask to view a room before you check in and, if you don’t like it, to see others – depending on availability, most hotels are happy to reassign your room. Arriving slightly earlier than official check-in time (before rooms become occupied) is likely to increase your chances of surveying rooms.

SOME of my most precious childhood memories are of holidays by the sea – building sandcastles with my brothers, collecting seashells with Dad, pretending to be a mermaid with Mum. For kids, there’s something inimitably magical about water. But, sadly, water can be a death trap. Indeed, one of the leading causes (worldwide) of death for children aged between one and three is drowning and it’s also a major cause of holiday fatalities among older children as well as adults.

Follow these tips to stay safe by the water on your next vacation.

1 Never take your eyes off your child, even if he/ she is a strong swimmer – drowning deaths occur in a flash. If you need to go away for a few minutes, either take your child with you or assign someone reliable to keep guard while you’re gone. And remember, chatting on a cell phone can easily become a dangerous distraction – stay vigilant!

2 Instruct your kids about water safety (professional swimming lessons are recommended, as they teach basic survival skills, such as treading water). Beware of surfaces around pools – kids often sustain injuries while playing near the water. In pool spas, be wary of getting hair/ fingers/ swimsuit straps caught in filters.

3 Flotation accessories (such as vests/ arm bands/body rings) are no substitute for keeping an eye on your child – according to safety experts, they’re not foolproof and have been known to slip off or deflate.

4 When swimming at the beach, stay between any designated safety areas (usually marked by flags, ropes and/ or buoys). Some beaches have lifeguards – where there are none, seek advice from local officials about the safest areas to swim. Always remember that appearances can be deceptive – still waters can conceal surprisingly powerful (dangerous) undercurrents.

5 If you find yourself caught in an undertow (strong current), don’t panic, as this can make matters worse. Experts advise swimming parallel to the shore until you feel the current diminish before slowly making your way to land.

6 Never dive into water without knowing its depth – one of the most common causes of serious neck and spinal injuries (even death) is from plunging into shallow water.

7 Don’t swim too far from shore – if you get into trouble, it’ll be more difficult for anyone to detect you’re in danger, let alone reach you. If you’re not an experienced swimmer, stay very close to the shore.

8 In the sea, be mindful of objects – sharp shells, spiky coral and broken glass – that can cause nasty flesh wounds. If unsure, wear flip-flops/ sandals rather than go barefoot. Refrain from touching marine life, not only because it may sting, cause allergic reactions or be poisonous, but because it can interfere with fragile underwater ecosystems.

9 Adults: don’t even consider dipping so much as a toe in the water if you’ve consumed alcohol – an alarming number of drowning deaths are due to intoxication.

10 It pays to learn general first-aid procedures such as CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation), which can mean the difference between life and death.

‘THERE’S SOMETHING INIMITABLY MAGICAL ABOUT WATER, BUT IT CAN BE A DEATH TRAP’

As a travel writer, the road is my office. Each day is distinctly different from the next, with unpredictability being the common thread that weaves my days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years… I meet people of all stripes, from all over the world, each chasing their very own travel dream.

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is how to jump off the tourist treadmill in order to delve beyond a destination’s ‘façade’. While there is no definitive answer, there certainly is a variety of ways in which a traveller can better connect with the pulse of a place and its people.

1 Find your inner gypsy: To tune into a country’s rhythm, it’s advisable to spend more time in fewer places. Frantic ‘tick-list’ travelling (robotically whizzing from one tourist attraction to the next) is one of the best ways to asphyxiate adventure and bypass deeper connections to a destination. By devoting time to being a dedicated gypsy, you’ll be giving yourself one of the greatest travel treasures possible – unshackled time to simply wander. Take a leaf from JRR Tolkien, who astutely declared: “Not all those who wander are lost.”

2  Dare to wander: Fortune favours the brave. By resisting the urge to set your itinerary in stone, you’re less likely to shut the door on the priceless travel experiences garnered via serendipity. Sure, you should devise a basic travel framework – especially for the first few days, when you’ll be whipped out of your comfort zone – but allow space for flexibility so that you’re able to take advantage of fortuitous detours that may present themselves along the way.

3 Stay somewhere social: A good way to meet (and live like) a local is to opt for socially congenial accommodation such as home-stays, B&Bs, or other options conducive to interaction. You may also like to consider becoming a ‘couch-surfer’– a relatively recent (non-profit) concept, which connects travellers with locals (couchsurfing.org).

4 Become a groupie: A terrific way of enhancing your ability to tap into the pulse of a destination is by participating in activities/ events – whether it’s joining a jogging group, reading club, language course or whatever else takes your fancy – which give you the opportunity to rub shoulders with locals and like-minded travellers alike (tourist offices, guidebooks and local residents will help point you in the right direction vis-à-vis activities/ courses on offer).

5  Lend a hand: Another excellent way of riding a destination’s pulse – not to mention giving something back to the community – is to sign up as a volunteer. This not only hooks you up with locals,it also means you’re more likely to really get under the skin of issues – from current news affairs to the latest entertainmenthot spots – that matter to them. Keep in mind that quite a few charities prefer advance volunteer applications and some may require a minimum time commitment – for comprehensive, country-specific information, consult the relevant Lonely Planet guidebook.

PLANNING a wedding is a bit like directing a movie – there are costumes to be designed, music to be arranged, casting (from guests to caterers)… the list goes on. And then, there’s the icing on the matrimonial cake: the honeymoon – a time when you and your loved one can run away to suitably indulge in dedicated ‘us’ time. But honeymoons may take a sour turn if inadequately thought out. To help ensure you don’t become a honeymoon statistic, here are a few tips that can collectively make a big difference.

GO GO GO! Thinking of skipping the honeymoon altogether? Are you insane? After all the kerfuffle that goes into planning a wedding, the honeymoon – time to spoil yourselves silly – should be high on your agenda. Couples who ditch their honeymoon often regret it later. Don’t deny yourselves the joy of what may just be the most magical part of tying the knot.

PARTNER UP Marriage is all about compromising. So, given the significance of this getaway of a lifetime, it’s wise to involve your significant other-to-be in the honeymoon preparations. Sure, surprises are romantic, but they can fall flat if you independently choose a destination only to discover it doesn’t appeal to your partner.

PLAN AHEAD Don’t leave honeymoon arrangements to the last minute. The best hotels and restaurants can get full months in advance. It’s clever to choose a destination that isn’t at peak tourist season – not only will costs be more competitive off-peak, there will also be fewer people to contend with. Do your hotel research thoroughly – squealing kids running riot around the pool, or a resort that hosts noisy evening receptions, can be veritable romance-killers.

OUTSOURCE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS I’ve heard more than a few horror stories about botched travel plans thanks to independently-made online arrangements. Do yourself a favour and leave the planning of this all-important holiday to a reliable third party, whether it’s a travel agent or wedding planner. Not only will this lower your stress levels, it also means you’ll have someone to turn to in the event something goes awry when you’re away.

LEGAL MATTERS It’s best that women make all reservations in their maiden name, given the likelihood of a delay in the official surname change documentation (if you choose to change your surname, that is). To avoid potential paperwork headaches, women should use the same name that appears on their passport. For country-specific details, consult the relevant embassy.

upgrades, champagne on arrival, free restaurant meal, etc), so it pays to broadcast the fact when making accommodation reservations. In fact, do so whenever you book anything – you’d be surprised at how generous businesses can be towards honeymooners.

CHILL, BABY, CHILL Weddings can be downright frazzling. Don’t make the mistake of cramming 101 activities into your vacation, and keep the first day or two free to do sweet nothing. Remember, a life of holidays together awaits, but you only honeymoon once (unless, of course you re-marry one day – but let’s not think about that right now).

Over the years, I’ve met more than a few people who started their ‘trip of a lifetime’ as a couple but ended up solo. Indeed, travelling for an extended period of time with your significant other is sure to test the mettle of your relationship. While splitting up is the most dire scenario, the worst that most couples experience is the occasional squabble.

If you assume travelling together will be a breeze because your relationship is rock-solid, think again: on the road you’ll not only be whipped out of your comfort zone, you’ll also be in one another’s pockets to a far greater degree – a recipe for driving even the most patient people nuts. With the right attitude, however, travelling with your better half promises to reward you with the most precious gift possible – a lifetime of glowing memories.

1 Be a dynamic duo Make the travel experience a duopoly right from the onset. Discuss itineraries and budgets – according to travel surveys, these are the two biggest sources of disharmony among couples. Those who haven’t been dating for long should err on the side of caution and start with just a weekend away – there’s infinite wisdom in baby steps, lovebirds.

2 Accommodation matters Hotel rooms can get awfully claustrophobic after a while. For longer trips, consider including apartment-living in your accommodation mix. Apart from the extra space (and, often, cost benefits), it means you won’t be restricted to eating out or room service – after a couple of weeks on the road, there’s nothing quite as satiating as home-cooked food.

3 Talk to me, baby Yes, we all know that communication is the glue that holds relationships together, but when you’re on the road 24/ 7, it’s really going to be what makes or breaks your travel experience. Take heed. Small things tend to get easily blown out of proportion when you’re away from home. The key is to be open-minded and, very importantly, willing to compromise. The art of communication is as much about knowing what not to say.

4  Leave me alone! Travelling together all day every day can be intense, incredibly so. Don’t underestimate the importance of giving each other adequate ‘alone time’ – whether it be an afternoon rambling around an art gallery, or, better still, a whole day to explore places that may not be of particular interest to your partner. Remember, time apart will make you appreciate your time together, so don’t view it as a negative.

5 Turn that frown upside-down Travel is an unpredictable beast. Flights are delayed, hotel reservations get messed up, people can be brusque. If you set off on your holiday expecting everything to be peachy, you’re simply setting yourself up for disappointment. Roll with the punches and don’t let the inevitable travel hiccup dampen your spirits – it’s all about staying cool when the heat is on. Indeed, being a source of comfort for one another during the not-so-good moments will only serve to fortify your relationship.