To protect local delicacies on the long drive home from the gîte, chill a coolbag in the freezer compartment, pre-chill the cool-box with some ice cubes and discard, pack the produce in the coolbag and put in the box with the usual two or three frozen blocks on top (or a cheap bag of frozen chips can substitute). Put the box in the boot well away from the line of the exhaust, and cover with a blanket. If you have to break your journey, ask the hotel kitchen for help with overnight storage.
Chris O'Hagan

When travelling light, take a bar of Simple soap. Use it to wash and bathe, and lather to shave. For dirty clothes, rub it wet on the wet soiled patch and manually rub the dirty patch, then rinse.

When travelling to Ladakh, stop off in Dah Hanu near the Pakistan border - delightful people, breathtaking scenery and cheap accommodation.
C Breeze

Sean Mackay writes that while citronella may deter mosquitoes (Travel tips, January 27) the smell is very enticing for elephants and it should not be used in elephant-inhabited areas. "They have been known to rip open tents and even cars to get to the source of the smell," he says.

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