We are an active couple in our 50's looking for a 10-day trip to the Caribbean in early March, staying in a comfortably smart hotel. We'd like more than a beach holiday, with local activities such as walking, snorkelling, a nature trip or town to get a feel of local life. It will be my first trip to the Caribbean so I don't know much about it, but the idea of St Lucia appeals. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Lesley Neilan
The Caribbean is a large and varied region and each island has its own distinctive character. St Lucia fits the bill of what you're looking for better than most, so I asked Just Caribbean (0800 3277322; justcaribbean.com) for a couple of suggestions. They recommended some hotels in the Rodney Bay area, which has options for all budgets as well as shops and a noted stretch of sand, Reduit Beach. It's also a short hop by taxi or, if you're feeling adventurous, local minibus to Castries, the small but lively capital with a frenetic, unmissable market.
The Bay Gardens Hotel offers modern decor and an open-air beach restaurant – packages start at £1,389 per person for 10 nights in a pool-view room based on two sharing including flights, transfers and breakfast. If you prefer more traditional top-end lodgings, Royal St Lucia, also on Reduit Beach, may appeal more and also has noted watersports and dining on-site. Ten nights and flights here starts at £1,765 per person.
St Lucia also has excellent hiking in the interior rainforest, diving and a boisterous nightlife. See the St Lucia tourism site (stlucia.org) for more information.
I've read about the protests in the USA regarding full body scanners. I haven't flown for a while but am going to the States in the new year. Will I be compelled to use one if I don't want to?
Chris Weller
The Department of Transport and UK airport websites are pretty clear about this. At UK airports you will normally go through the screening procedure we're all familiar with. At Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester there are also full-body security scanners which you may be selected for and asked to go through instead of the x-ray gate and search process. If you refuse to do either then you will not be allowed to continue through the airport, and there isn't an either/or choice available.
This is in contrast to the United States, where passengers can opt-out of using the full body security scanners and submit to the pat-down. Doing so, however, will slow you down and draw attention to yourself. There's an interesting account of doing so here.
I visited Manchester airport last year and went through the full body scanner plus had a look behind the scenes. You can read about it here. Don't worry, there are no see-through photos.
My girlfriend and I are going to Dubai for Christmas this year. How nervous do we need to be about the illegality of public displays of affection, and also that co-habiting is illegal? We are, of course, staying in a hotel room together. My girlfriend is anxious about the above, and she has bought us "wedding rings" so people accept us better. Is this a necessary precaution? We are a young couple in our twenties.
Neill Crone
There's not much to worry about here provided you're sensible. You will be breaking Dubai law by cohabiting, unmarried, in a hotel room but you won't be alone and this law is not enforced. You won't be asked if you are married when entering the country or when checking into the hotel, though you will have your passports photocopied. This, however, is a standard measure done in many places around the world. Hotels aren't bothered about enforcing a law that would do huge damage to Dubai's tourist industry if it was strictly followed. The easiest way to avoid risk is to wear wedding bands and act like you're married, but you shouldn't even have to do this. If you do however, the fact that you have different surnames will not be an issue. It is common for couples in the UAE to retain different surnames after marriage.
That you are cohabiting will work against you if you're caught doing some other kind of illegal activity. Public displays of affection are a different matter and you should be careful not to have a kiss or a cuddle in public nor to be drunk or under the influence of drugs. Also paying attention to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's advice on travel in the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part, on sobriety and dress will make sure that you have as trouble-free a time as the vast majority of visitors to Dubai.
What's the latest on safety in Nepal? I was going to travel a couple of years ago but put it off because of the political situation and signs it was having an impact on tourists visiting the country. Is now a good time to look again at this?
Miriam Hill
As May's national strike showed, Nepal can still be prone to instability which can have an impact on tourists staying in Kathmandu in particular. Currently, however, the country is enjoying a period of stability and recent visitors report no problems with anything other than a little altitude sickness at Everest Base Camp and on other treks.
By far the biggest potential hassle for travellers are bandhs - general strikes called by one or other of the political parties. These tend to happen at short notice and at a local level, but ones affecting the capital have caused transport disruption and shops to close. You'd be unlucky to catch one, but sites like Kantipur (kantipuronline.com) and Nepal News (nepalnews.net) are good to keep an eye on in the lead up to your visit. In general though the country is very much open for business and remains a wonderful country to visit.
