What to do When it all goes Wrong...

He climbs over the now empty luggage conveyor belt, looking through the hole in the wall onto the runway, then turns back to face us. “No”, a wide smile appears on his face as he begins to walk away, “no more”. With the clothes on his back and thermal boxers underneath, my boyfriend is left in Madagascar, to embark on his first travelling experience minus luggage, and with a girlfriend who tries, but fails, to stifle her laughter.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you” probably isn’t the most useful thing to say at this point, but before setting foot on the plane I told him this would happen, as previous experience had taught me well. Being as unsympathetic as only a girlfriend who has been proved right can be, I was glad that he couldn’t speak French as I laughed with our taxi driver over the idea that my boyfriend would just have to wear my skirts for the entire trip and that he thought taking thermal underwear to Africa was a good idea in the first place!

In everyday life there is the potential for things to go wrong, but when abroad the chances widen, and the unfamiliarity of a new country makes dealing with problems all the more difficult. However an awareness of possible situations which could arise, and what to do to ease them, can help you avoid a situation similar to my boyfriend's.

Luggage

In the case of lost luggage there’s not a lot you can do beyond following the airline's advice and making a lot of expensive phone calls in an attempt to track down your adventurous belongings. Just remember that your insurance will most probably offer compensation for the inconvenience. However my advice, should you choose to take it (just a word of warning, my boyfriend didn’t, and I doubt you would, enjoy an African summer with one pair of thermal underwear for company), is simply to pack essentials and a change of clothes in your hand luggage. Then if your luggage decides to take a little longer to arrive, at least your nether regions have a chance to breathe!

Transport

Once you and your luggage arrives at your destination it’s worth noting that with every country there seems to be a new mode of getting around, from sitting on the backs of livestock, to precariously jumping waves in a boat riddled with holes. From trying desperately not to squash produce in the back of a tomato farmer’s pick-up truck, to being pulled over dirt tracks on a Malagasy pousse-pousse. A Chinese proverb claims “the journey is the reward”, and with that I have to agree, yet it is at this moment the potential for something going wrong is at its highest.

I say that my journeys have been predominantly trouble-free but along the way I have been in a car crash in New Zealand, acted as an ambulance in Madagascar and nearly fallen off a cliff in the Seychelles, not to mention the uncountable number of break downs, which become part and parcel of everyday life.

The main thing is to remain calm; something so easily said, but often hard to do in a difficult situation. In Madagascar the taxi-brousse quite often leave the road and fall off the side of a hill, a sentence that sounds ridiculously blasé upon reflection, but most incidences are injury free. The vehicles are old vans so if you brave public transport you are in for a ride. Luggage is tied to the roof, along with sacks of rice to be delivered en-route, and you can expect your passengers to be 28 squashed individuals, poultry and a bike for good measure. Along the way you may deliver post or stop to help chase escaped chickens through banana plantations after detouring so old friends can chat, delaying you for hours. But you come to expect these things in a country where petrol is not only nearly as expensive as here, but where two thirds of the population live below the poverty line. This coupled with the fact the island is hit frequently by cyclones, makes for a slightly inefficient public transport system.

Once you have put this into perspective, making a fuss for delays or breakdowns seems somewhat inferior. You have to remember that when abroad other priorities are put ahead of timekeeping and comfort. That said there are some things you can do to make your experience more comfortable. Always get to your transport on time, and be prepared to be mobbed by touts: ask for the name of a reputable company where you are staying and head straight for them, the hassle will be minimal. Though you arrived with good time there’s a good chance that you will leave hours later than stated, so bring a good book and even if it’s boiling outside take a jumper on board, people can get a little over zealous with the air-con. I also often take something that can double up as a blanket and tissues for those outdoor toilet stops should your journey stretch into the night. Often in areas such as South and Central America people will jump onto your bus offering treats to keep you well fed, but make sure you have back up supplies. As long as your understanding of Spanish allows you to purchase Colombia’s tasty arepas rather than a cure for tapeworms (one of the many offerings found on public buses), then you will arrive rested and ready to explore your destination.

Creatures

Whether you want to think about it or not you are likely to be sharing your destination with some unwanted faces. We have all heard horror stories about giant cockroaches, spiders and rats, and I won`t lie, you are quite likely to encounter them. After screaming you will have to either ignore them or deal with it. Most of the time you can find someone kind to help you remove the offending creature, but take great caution with spiders, you don’t want to end up hospitalised. If like me, at 3am you can’t face dealing with a massive cockroach, just find something useful to trap it in for the night and release it as you run out the door upon departure. It’s the bigger creatures you really need to worry about. Remember, animals like food. Bag and throw away all your rubbish and seal up any leftover snacks or else when in the middle of the Malaysian jungle you could end up getting chased by a group of wild boar, who, intent on getting dinner, continue to ram your bedroom door in the hope of breaking in.

Police Incidents and Prison

Once you’ve dealt with the furrier side of your destination it’s your human counterparts that spring surprises upon you. From discovering a fellow passenger has a gun onboard your flight, thousands of feet above South Africa, to a friend’s experience of Panamanian prison, things can and do go wrong. This doesn’t apply to most prison trips, but if like my friend you were in the wrong club at the wrong time when the police conducted a drug raid, perhaps the only thing to do is to lighten everyone’s mood with a Bridget Jones inspired sing-along and maybe omit the story when you next call home. On a serious note, it is worth knowing basic laws where you are travelling so you don’t end up staring at four walls rather than a Caribbean beach for the duration of your stay.

More likely you will fall foul to pickpockets, but prevention is best here. Never carry a large amount of cash on you, but always put a few small notes or coins in your pocket to hand over if threatened. The talents of pickpockets are endless, so just be aware and though it’s hard not to stand out when you have blond hair and blue eyes, try not to draw unnecessary attention to yourself.

Health

In terms of travelling this is widely spoken about. We all know about taking anti-malarials and that unless you want a child on the other side of the Atlantic, condoms are a good idea. However besides the obvious, there are more simple things to remember. Exercise caution with water if deemed unsafe, and be aware of the risks associated with foods. However don’t worry so much that you miss out on one of the great things about travelling, street food! Street vendors and small roadside establishments offer the best and most authentic treats and should not be missed out of fear. If traveller’s diarrhoea does inflict itself be prepared with a lot of water and re-hydration sachets. Do be careful though. Following my original travel experience, the souvenirs I returned home with were not quite what I bargained for. Spending most of my first year too ill for University, visiting hospital wasn`t much fun. Nor was the sea urchin spine that managed to cross the UK border embedded in my toe following a beach encounter.

But every year off I go, that little sea urchin still residing in my toe, a reminder that even though things sometimes go wrong, the experience and hospitality you get from travelling is worth every last frustration and mishap.

• All figures taken from the Human Development Report 2009

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