The National Day holiday is a time for trips. Many people go to travel agencies and ask them arrange itineraries, so that people don't have to spend much time and energy working out travel details. Yet despite how meticulous travel agents may be, there are always some things people need to look after themselves to ensure a pleasant and safe journey. For your reference, here are some things you should consider before traveling:

What diseases to look out for

While China covers a vast geographic area, with various mountains and rivers, these grand landscapes are not suitable for all people. High altitudes, cold sea water and pollen can prevent certain groups of people to visiting these areas.

People with acute otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear), coronary heart disease, angina and seriously high or low blood pressure as well as pregnant women are advised to stay away from high mountains, because high altitude sickness could pose a serious physical challenge to these people.

Those with rheumatism, diabetes, chest pains and overactive thyroid glands are strongly advised to stay away from seaside. In autumn, the seaside temperature is lower than land temperature on average. This an the combination of high humidity and abundant sodium ions in the air will aggravate the health of these people and lead to contraction of the alleged "seaside exposure syndrome".

Autumn is also a season of high occurrences of pollen, so people allergic to pollen should avoid going out too much, especially on windy days. When going out, those allergic to pollens should take some allergy medicine before going out.

What clothes to wear

Loose and light clothing are preferred to tight and heavy clothes. Jeans, T-shirts and a wind-proof jacket constitute a perfect outfit for ordinary outing.

If you don't want to end up wearing the same clothes all the time, then pack several cotton T-shirts, both long sleeves and short sleeves. In addition, always take more than one pair of socks with you in case that you may step into water and have no spare socks to replace the wet ones.

Wear bright color clothes. There are three reasons: people wearing bright colored clothes often appear nicer in photos; when mingling with other tourists, bright clothes make people easily identifiable; and bright colors cheer people up.

What food to eat

Chocolate is a perfect food to carry along on the road. It tastes good and can boost energy supplies instantly, preventing low blood sugar levels. Beef jerky is also a nice choice. The salted preserved beef is always good to boost the muscles.

Apart from these little snacks, people should also eat full balanced meals. Although they may need more time to fit eating into their schedules, it's necessary for people to eat at least one big meal each day to keep healthy. Meals should contain sufficient fat, protein and vitamins.

Also, some scenic spots may sell local foods. Take a reserved attitude towards this kind of food. If you feel they don't appeal to your appetite, then say no to avoid unnecessary allergies or diarrhea.

Take care of your kids

Many parents take their kids with them when they go travel. In this case, parents need to bear in mind that children are more likely to have carsickness than adults.

To help kids overcome carsickness, parents need to pay attention to the following things: Don't let kids eat too much or too greasy. Don't let them starve either. Instead feed them with healthy snacks like fruit. Before getting on board a plane or car, put a slice of ginger on your child's bellybutton, to counter carsickness. Some children do better when sitting in the front passenger seat or a window seat in the back. for ventilation. For those suffering from serious carsickness, parents need to feed them counter-sickness medicine following doctors' prescriptions.

(China Daily October 1, 2007)