1 Even when sunbathing nude, wear at least a watch so you have a white patch to compare the rest of your tan with at the end of the holiday! Rosalind Harvey

2 Soak a cotton neckerchief in cold water and tie it around your neck to keep cool in the heat. Barbara Stewart

3 Rather than photocopying you passport etc, scan all your important documents and then e-mail them to yourself at a hotmail address. You will then be able to be retrieve them any time any where. Neil Gibson

4 While travelling in Asia, always keep a few sheets of tissue in your pocket. If you need it, you need it! Mark Thornton

5 Always take a small pack of handy wipes, particularly when going to a Developing Country. Often, you don't have a chance to find clean water and soap to wash your hands before a meal (and you don't want to waste your precious drinking water). Deborah Doane

6 Never pay full price to get into a theme park. Check out one of the local supermarkets or petrol station chains a few days before you go. Almost all theme parks offer promotions with either that country's or region's biggest brands, which will usually allow you to get two tickets for the price of one (known in the business as BOGOF's). Or simply phone the theme park, and they'll tell you who they're doing discounts with. Matt Ward

7 If you're taking a mosquito net with you, don't forget to include hooks to hang it up. Many hotels don't have them, but they often have wooden beams or ceilings! Diana Warren

8 In a new town or city, always check out the public library. You often get the best information about local events and local history, more interesting postcards to buy, and a comfortable chair to relax in when the pressure of the streets gets too much to take. Ken Worpole

9 A used film canister c an hold enough detergent for your daily hand wash. They are small, air-tight and easy to keep. Li Koon Ong

10 Getting to the visa queue first in the US makes sense, but in Beijing you want to pass through last. Luggage takes a long time to be unloaded and there are no seats, so wait in the transit area, use the toilets (much cleaner there than landside) and then 20 minutes later walk through immigration just as the baggage arrives. Neil Taylor

11 Buy a lemon when you arrive in a hot countries. Squeeze a slice around the rim of drinks bottles to disinfect, squeeze into a glass of water and drink in order to kill stomach bugs, the citrus acid kills bacteria. Any remaining chunks of lemon rub on your legs and feet as a mosquito repellent - can feel tacky but handy should you run out. A lime works equally well.
Rachel ab-Iorwerth

12 Don't forget your pets! Cats and dogs can be happily looked after in their homes if you have a reliable person to call in to feed and exercise them. Cold water fish can be fed by buying a slow-release fish food block to last one or two weeks. Val Cook

13 If you must travel abroad during a Test Match, make sure you don't venture any further than Normandy, that way you'll still be able to pick up Test Match Special on Radio 4 LW. Richard Cadey

14 When packing shirts, dresses, etc, which usually need ironing, lay them out in a dry-cleaning polythene bag, then fold them up. They shouldn't need ironing after that. If there are still a few creases left, hang your shirt/dress in the bathroom while you are having a hot shower. The steam will smooth them out. Galle Amiot-Cadey

15 For travel sickness, take a packet of crystallised ginger. Chew one or two bits about half an hour before your journey, and during any rough passages. Effective and without side effects. Jean Perraton

16 If you have black luggage, put it well away from where you are sleeping - mosquitoes like to hover in dark spaces. Better still: don't take black luggage. Alex Hill

17 Take minimum luggage, but do pack another empty bag within your bag for all the extra stuff you bring home with you. Nancy Groovy

18 Tie a brightly-coloured ribbon to the handle of your suitcase to make it easier to locate on the conveyor belt among the thousands of other matching luggage. Hannah Thompson

19 If you are on medication, ensure you take sufficient supplies with you but also keep a note of the generic name and dosage just in case you run out. Margaret Wallis

20 If you know you want to maximise your sleep time on shortish long-haul flights (such as many US routes), pre-order a halal or vegetarian menu. They are usually served first with the kids' meals so one can be wined and dined and taking a nap while the rest of tourist class is still waiting for the main course. Kathi Stanzel

21 If you suffer from a tummy upset while you are away, drink plenty of Coca-Cola. It really does work wonders to settle your stomach and replenishes your energy, sugar levels and fluids. It is also readily available almost anywhere. Susanna Walker

22 On long-haul flights, always ask for an aisle seat. You won't be able to see anything through the window anyway except on take-off and landing (and then only if it's light), and you'll be able to get up and stretch your legs without climbing over the sleeping bodies of your neighbours. Helen Altshul

23 Good for any travelling but particularly for backpacking, take some zip-lock freezer bags of various sizes with you. They are fantastic for holding documents, protecting cameras from moisture or sand, storing dirty underwear, keeping plastic bottles in case of spillage etc. Hannah Rayfield

24 It was all right to have jet-lag when air travel was exclusive. Now it's as vulgar as a deep tan and is best not talked about. Liz Gill

25 The inner plastic part of those three-litre boxes of wine make excellent travel pillows. Directions: drink wine, remove box, inflate, sleep. (Covering with sarong avoids plastic sticking to face.) Johnny Johnson

26 Make a small tin (2 ins by 3 ins) or large matchbox into an emergency kit. Mine contains: small folding scissors, a tiny knife, Sellotape, safety pins, needles and cottons, antiseptic wipe, plasters, sticky labels, pen, pencil, rubber, Blutack, a couple of aspirins, a spare £5, hair grips, matches and emery board, cotton buds, tweezers rubber bands, phone card and spare change. Charles Ely

27 When you need a lavatory in a foreign city and can't find (or can't face) the local ones -- look out for a McDonald's restaurant. Usually clean and with hot water - just hope you are not seen by a friend coming out! Michael Peet

28 Take a head torch. It's very useful as it leaves your hands free whether in power cuts or camping, etc. James Leonard

29 In China, it's policy to charge tourists twice the price a local would pay for a train ticket as well as making you travel in first class. Getting a local travel agent to buy your ticket (for a small fee) will get you an average-priced ticket in second class, saving you more than 50%. Sinead McGivern

30 When in hot climates, taking up to two litres of water a day can get tedious. So obtain a small, sturdy plastic screw-top bottle and some cordial such as elderflower, ribena etc to give yourself a break. But remember to use safe water. Christine Shanks

31 A cartridge of dental floss tape is a useful item to keep in your luggage. Not only does it get rid of unwanted particles between one's teeth but with its strength, it's useful for running a clothes line or for tying-up luggage that is getting loose or even for stringing parcels of presents which you may want to send home ahead of your return. Compactness and strength are its great qualities. Robert Witter

32 If it's punk rock you're looking for in the city/country of your destination, then find out in advance if there's anything going onby checking out www. worldwidepunk.com/ regional info & local scenes Pete Craven

33 Wear sunglasses when looking at street traders' goods in Asia. You can then look at any items you are interested in without the traders seeing what you are looking at and hassling you to buy it. Keith Ratcliffe

34 For women travellers: to avoid being hassled by men every few seconds in Istanbul, allow yourself to be "picked up" by one. This keeps all the others at bay. There is only the problem of getting rid of just one man. Anne Carpenter

35 If in a place where you do not have a guide book to find the local attractions, scan the postcard stalls. If you see something you like, you can get directions to it by pointing to the postcard. Oonagh Lahr

36 Always travel in a skirt or dress. This makes going to the toilet in primitive or unsavoury places 100 times easier than trousers or even shorts. C Harding

37 A universal useful piece of travel kit is Dieter Graf Verlag's Point It book. It's pocket-sized and contains 1,200 photographs of food, clothing, activities, body parts, colours, etc. enabling you to communicate wherever you are. Emma Edwards

38 A small pot of vaseline can prove invaluable. It can ease locks and bolts, silence creaky cupboard doors and window catches. It can soothe dry skin, scratches, blisters and chapped lips. I never travel without it. Pam Gee

39 Line the inside of your backpack with chicken wire to protect your things when a thief tries to slash your bag open - especially in and around railway/bus stations in Asia. Andrew Fitzpatrick

40 Major luxury hotels around the world often offer buffet lunches at the weekends. These are usually as-much-as-you-can-eat (and drink) and great value considering the quality and quantity. Put on a shirt, arrive early, leave late and hold a confident pose throughout. Adrian Brown

41 When visiting the Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen if they ask you which nationality you are: if you claim you are from some country other than the rest of the tour group, you will find yourself at a table at the end of the tour on your own with no one to share the dozen or so bottles with. Simon Parsons

42 When going on a seabound boat journey, or a ferry crossing on a smallish boat, remember to get a seat on the lowest deck right in the middle of the boat - that way you'll avoid the worst of the sea sickness. Stephen Isaacs

43 Bach Rescue Remedy is really handy for shock, trauma and panic, and is a great remedy for fear of flying. Also the homeopathic remedy Arnica is great for jet lag. Sandy Marks

44 Write your addresses for postcards on to a sheet of sticky labels before you go. Steve Landin

45 SIGG water bottles make brilliant hot water bottles (very useful high up in the altiplano of the Andes where it's bloody cold), because they are metal they can be filled with boiling water and will stay warm for quite a while. Remember to put the water bottle inside a sock before getting into bed though. They also keep water cooler for longer than plastic bottles and don't taint the water with that nasty plastic taste. Rhiannon Thomas

46 Pack your electric toothbrush in hand baggage. If it starts buzzing in your cabin baggage, airline staff could get the wrong idea. Mark Holmström

47 In the tropics: try resisting the temptation to squash any stray cockroach that happens to wander into your room. The smell will no doubt attract dozens of ants, not to mention a few of the deceased's brethren with vengeance in mind. Instead, if possible, try to usher the beast out. Better still, forget about it completely. Dean Nicholas

48 Packets of balloons are light, take up no space in luggage, and provide impromptu disposable toys for young children when travelling. Georgina Barnes

49 In leech-infested areas, always walk at the front of a group. You'll alert the leeches to the meal behind you but suffer fewer of the perishers yourself. Take salt and a small sprayer. Make up a solution to spray the ones that venture a bit higher than your thighs. In snake-infested areas, always make sure you are not the person in front. Tim Taylor

50 Always carry medicines in two separate places when travelling in case your luggage goes missing. Richard Tutton and Denise Wright

51 For the very best places to shop in the destination where you are flying to, ask the cabin crew. Philip Ewe

52 In Sydney, avoid getting ripped off on a harbour cruise by catching the Manly ferry on a return ticket from Circular Quay. Great harbour views and real people on board, plus the bonus of being able to stroll around Manly when you get to the other side... Denise Strutt

53 If you wear contact lenses, avoid dry eyes from cabin air- conditioning by switching to spectacles before boarding, then switch back on landing. Julia McKiernan

54 Before your trip, check your bank cards/credit cards for wear & tear. Recently, I was stuck for cash in the U.S due to a dodgy bank card that would not work in cash machines. Gillynojob

55 When hiring a car in Australia, watch for high damage excesses that can't be insured against.This is to get you to look after the car and not take it on unmade roads. Five minutes spent with the hirer recording every scratch, bump and windscreen chip on a hire form can save you pounds later. Robert Brown

56 In the Spanish Costas, carry a Spanish newspaper (eg El Pais) under your arm or sticking out of shoulder bag with the title showing. This will guard you against being accosted by time-share touts. But it will not work if your dress shows too obviously that you are British. PNV Perkins

57 Essential item: a frisbee. You can lean on it to write, prepare food on it while on the move and eat off it. You can even play with it and make friends. Dave Timms and Jessica Hardy

58 Don't always go straight through passport control. Greek airports especially are hot and cramped. Go outside and get some last-minute sunshine or a drink at the nearby bars. Maggie Bevis

59 On arrival at JFK airport in New York, the cheapest way to get to downtown Manhattan is to take the airport shuttle bus (free) to Howard Beach subway station and take the A-train ($1.50). A more expensive but vastly more spectacular way is to take a Carey bus ($15) outside the terminal building all the way to Grand Central. You get a breathtaking view as you approach Manhattan. Save the cheaper journey for the way home. Trish Dowling

60 If you are a young traveller and are, therefore, short of money, try to find out where the universities are in a city, walk around them, go to the canteen (usually they offer nice, cheap meals and don't usually ask for ID), talk to the students and they will take you out and show you the best bits. Sara Nunez

61 To avoid bulk in your luggage, decant shampoos etc. into smaller bottles so you are carrying only the necessary supplies for your trip. Nicola Norton

62 Travelling to a country where the language has a different alphabet? Try to get someone to write down the name and address of your hotel in that language so you can show it to taxi drivers. Jane C Woolfenden

63 When you make a cocktail with limes, rinse your hands afterwards, otherwise it can burn in the sun and leave scars. Sally Davies

64 Always take that extra photo. They don't cost much to process and you may never go there again. Murray Henman

65 Don't forget to put sun cream on your hair parting. Cath Webley

66 Wherever you go, take spare socks. They don't take up much space in a bag, and wet, cold or blistering feet can really ruin your day. Georgina High

67 Mosquito/sand fly bites: use White Flower Lotion, available from Chinese medicine shops for around £3. You only need a tiny bit and the redness reduces, the swelling goes down and, after a day, the bite is hardly noticeable. Derek Humphries

68 Take a nylon hammock. They are highly compactable and an absolute godsend for both the beaches of the Far East and those long, uncomfortable journeys in Africa. Lee Christie

69 If you and your partner share a credit card, make sure you open separate accounts before travelling. That way, if one card is lost of stolen and you have to put a stop on it, you can still use the other card. Chris Worsfold

70 In eastern Europe, the corridor bulbs are always brighter than the one-candle-power in your room. Swap - who needs bright light in the corridor anyway? Josephine Millar

71 Always travel with a small tube of anti-bacterial gel, especially when you have children. Excellent when loos are dodgy and running water is not always available. Sowon Park

72 Women taking oral contraceptives should ensure that time changes are taken into account so that the interval between pills remains the same as at home. Remember too that tummy bugs can result in pills going through your system too quickly, so an attack of sickness and diarrhoea could warrant additional methods of contraception for the rest of the cycle. L J Macmillan

73 Instead of relying on hard pillows in hotels, make a square pillow (with feathers) small and thin enough to carry easily but comfortable enough for the plane/hotel. Barbra Carny

74 Always pack a roll of masking tape. Useful for sealing the cap of a leaking sun-tan oil bottle etc. I never travel without it. Deryck R Johnson

75 Packing: Don't take all your best undies. Take your worst and throw them away instead of bringing them home. Barbara Cummins