Joan Scalesanswers your travel questions
How can we stay healthy while we're in India?
Q We are travelling to a family wedding in India in February with our children, who will be 22 months and four and a half years old. Can you advise as to any shots or other health precautions we should take to ensure that everyone will have a safe and enjoyable trip?
WW, Dublin
You will need vaccinations for travel to India. The Tropical Medical Bureau's website (www.tmb.ie) has extensive advice for health and safety when travelling. When it comes to food, it is safest to eat only hot cooked food and steer clear of salads, mayonnaise and fruit that is not peeled. Drink only sealed bottled water.
Q We will be travelling to Berlin, in Germany, over the October bank- holiday weekend and would like to stay in a mid-range hotel near the main sights and with easy access from Schönefeld airport. I understand that hotel prices in Berlin are more reasonable than in other European cities. Any suggestions or websites would be welcome.
BK, Dublin
Berlin is a great city, and you will enjoy exploring it. The October bank holiday is also mid-term around Europe, however, and hotels may be more expensive or booked out.
For somewhere very quirky try Propeller Island Hotel, where every room is different. Rates are from €89 per night (www.propeller-island.de).
The Mercure Mitte has rooms from €139 per night (www.mercure.com). Best Western Mitte has rates from €109 per night (www.bestwestern.com).
The official tourism website for Berlin is www.visitberlin.de, which also has a hotel-booking service.
Q We are thinking of travelling to Florida, in the US, in March of next year to visit my sister. Would you recommend booking this far out or waiting until after Christmas (or even closer to the departure date)?
We will be two adults and three kids. I have got a couple of quotes from the web, such as Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow to Miami for 2,400 and British Airways from Cork via Heathrow to Miami for 2,800. These prices don't seem too bad. Do you think we should book now or wait for better deals later this year or early next year?
FMcG, Clare.
As you will be aware, there have been a lot of fluctuations in the aviation industry, thanks to the changing price of fuel, airlines going bust and the credit crunch. Prices are up and down all over the place. If you have quotes of €2,400-€2,800, buy them, as I don't believe they will go lower than this.
Fly with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic and pay for your flights on a credit card or buy them through a licensed travel agent. That way, if anything happens to the companies, you will get your money back.
Q I want to go to the island of Lamu, in Kenya, next February, for a week to 10 days. Can you let me know the Kenyan tour operators, as I can always get a flight to Nairobi independently and from there get to Lamu? It is really the companies that organise the accommodation that I am looking for. I have heard that you can get villas with butler service, for example. Some safari options would be good, but it is a chill-out place that I am looking for.
JOD, Dublin
Although the extremely secluded Lamu Island is known as the hidden gem of Kenya, its popularity with tourists is increasing year after year. Lamu has a selection of luxury accommodation among beautiful rolling dunes and endless beaches, attracting a range of visitors, from families to single travellers.
To get to Lamu, fly to Nairobi, then get a connecting flight, as there are no direct flights from Ireland. To Escape To (www.toescapeto.com) is an online tour operator that can arrange accommodation in Lamu. It tends to deal with luxury accommodation.
Shela House, a villa that you could book, comes with a daily maid service and activities close by, from waterskiing and snorkelling to an outdoor cinema. Prices start at about €120 per person per night, based on two people staying in February 2009.
Tropical Sky is offering nine nights at the four-star Kipungani Explorer Hotel in Lamu from €2,768 per person. Available throughout February 2009, this offer includes return flights from Dublin via London Heathrow with British Airways, accommodation on a full-board basis, resort transfers, taxes and surcharges.
Kipungani is an idyllic resort situated on the beach in Lamu island, lying just two degrees south of the equator. It has 13 traditionally constructed beachfront bandas and four raised-stilt houses. Tropical Sky can also advise on adding a safari to your holiday. Contact Tropical Sky on 01-5262566 or www.tropicalsky.ie.
• E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie