(Source:  www.teamsugar.com)

Unfortunately it looks like another celebrity has come down with food poisoning, this time model Jodie Kidd was taken to a Nepalese hospital with stomach cramps shortly after filming a BBC documentary.

Those of us who travel to countries like Nepal shouldn’t forget that standards of hygiene are generally low and the risk of food contamination is extremely high, mostly due to the sheer volume of water-borne viruses.

So, I’ve compiled some top tips for those of you thinking of travelling to Nepal in the near future:

1- Research what vaccinations you need and make sure you have them.
2- Don’t drink tap water or use it to clean your teeth.
3- Avoid eating food from street sellers as it’s probably not been prepared with treated water.
4- Nepal boasts a number of tempting Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Nepalese food outlets, just make sure the one you choose to eat at is clean and avoid peeled fruits.
5- Finally, should you need to see a doctor, medical facilities are limited and probably expensive, so make sure you take out sufficient travel insurance.

Both Jodie’s and Chipmunk’s cases of food poisoning just show that anyone, regardless of their celeb status and what country they’re staying in, can be susceptible to food poisoning if they’re not sensible about what they eat.

Jodie – we wish you a speedy recovery.

Source: www.travelburner.com

It has been over a month since we last dazzled you with some facts and figures from our consumer research. Well, the wait is over…drum roll please….our survey said (ding):  one in ten consumers are putting themselves at risk by not taking out travel insurance.

I am shocked that people are STILL taking this gamble. Travel insurance may seem like the added extra that you always purchase but never use, but it must be viewed as a necessity. Especially when you consider that our research found that the average medical insurance claim is in the region of £2,500 – which could blow the holiday budget.

Yet, despite this complacent attitude to holiday cover, nearly 40 per cent of respondents said they’d suffered from food poisoning, an accident, burns or bacterial infection while away – all ailments covered by most travel insurance policies.

I am flummoxed! If you won’t listen to my nagging about travel insurance, perhaps you will listen to the experts at The Sun.