I am looking for a romantic country B&B to take my boyfriend in early November. I'm 22 and I'm his boyfriend and he's mine, if you catch my drift. It's the first time I've ever been away with a partner before and would like it to be romantic – wood fires, long walks, the whole British winter get away. I am struggling to find somewhere that I know would be gay-friendly. I hate having to think about this, but I don't want to run the risk of turning up somewhere and the owner/staff being weird.

So the question: is there a way of finding gay-friendly getaways, or is it simply a case of asking when booking? I have found a couple of places but they seem to be in cities or all vegetarian/vegan with each room dedicated to a different goddess!

Neil Atherton

It sounds like you've been searching online for "gay-friendly B&B" and as a result you're finding hotels and guesthouses that are maybe a little too focused on the sexuality of their guests. Of course it's important for you to know that you're not going to be chased out of town by a B&B owner with a burning crucifix on arrival. However – while most gay people have a horror story or two to tell - recent surveys reveal the UK to be a pretty open-minded place. So here's a suggestion: don't feel marginalised. Find an area you'd like to visit, search online for the best-rated places within your budget, pick up the phone and attack the question head-on. I would simply say: "I was thinking about bringing my partner to your hotel for a weekend away, and we're a gay couple. We want to feel comfortable and enjoy our stay, so I want to ask you quite simply, is that likely to cause any friction?" Listen carefully to the response – few will give you an outright no – but if the response sounds a little uncomfortable, you probably have your answer right there. If the response is a bright and breezy "not at all!" – then get your credit card out, book your room, and have a lovely time. On a side note, you might even get a little entertainment out of the phone calls, as did a colleague of mine, who was told "I don't mind you being gay as long as you don't act gay or want to kiss your boyfriend while I watch".

We are setting off for a 12-month overland trip from India to Indonesia next January. We want to buy a one-way ticket to Delhi and then leave overland to Nepal. We have been told by the travel agent that we might not be allowed in without an exit flight booked. Can you confirm if this is true and if so, how can we get around it?

Gemma C  

I called the VFS visa helpline (0905 7570045; 95p per minute), the company that handles Indian visa applications, who confirmed that provided you are leaving via a third country and not coming back to India you don't need an onward ticket either at the point of visa application or entry. You should double-check this closer to your point of departure as there is anecdotal evidence of regulations around application procedures for tourist visas being tightened in some countries. If you're still concerned, consider making some hotel bookings in Kathmandu to show you're serious about leaving. If you have a ticket home from Indonesia at the time of travel, bring this too.

In general, proof of onward travel features in the entry requirements for many countries, , but is rarely asked for. It tends to be used as an excuse to stop undesirables coming in, and even then this is unusual.  Immigration officials tend to only be interested in seeing your visa, and neither I nor others that I know have ever been asked to show one. Where you may run into problems for certain destinations is when you check in for your outbound flight, as your incoming airline would bear the cost of getting you back again, plus a fine, if you were to be refused entry.  Usually, however, if your visa checks out and your passport is valid for the required length you won't have problems. But a call to the airline, as well as the embassy or high commission, is a good idea.

We are travelling to Argentina and Uruguay in November for nearly three weeks. We have pretty much planned our route (Buenos Aires, Colonia, Cabo Polonio for beach, back to BA via Montevideo, Iguazú Falls and Esteros del Ibera). We need some tips on places to stay in Montevideo and Iguazú. We are too old for hostel party vibe stuff, and are not fans of big hotels, preferring intimate little posadas/pensions with character and colour. Iguazú seems to be either very high end or hostel and not a lot in between – do you know of any hidden gems?

Getting the boat from BA to Colonia (and back) I have looked at two companies – Buquebus and Colonia Express – but the online prices seem very high. Can you tell me if a) we are best booking online in advance or buying when we get there and b) are the prices in US dollars or Argentinian pesos?

Anna Carnibella

The price you see on Colonia Express displays differently depending on whether you look at coloniaexpress.com/uy (the Uruguayan site) or coloniaexpress.com/ar (the Argentine one). The conversion into pounds works out the same. Buquebus works the same way – you get each country's price by clicking on the flags. You'll get the cheapest rates booking online in advance, but lose flexibility. Boats will be fullest at peak weekend periods so book ahead if you're travelling at this time, otherwise a day or so ahead tends to be fine. You should be able to get a ticket for about £25 each way (the prices are in pesos), and the fast service takes one hour.

In Montevideo, Una Noche Mas B&B (doubles £13-£20) is located in beachside Punta Carreras and fits the bill for what you're after. In the old town there's faded grandeur and high ceilings at the Spléndido Hotel (doubles £16-£30). A stylish and homely posada in Puerto Iguazú is Hotel La Sorgente (doubles from £48).

Now that iodine has now been banned across the EU and is likely to be banned globally there are limited products that are handy when travelling to ensure you don't get a dose of something nasty from tap water or iced water. What would you recommend?

Darren Khan

Iodine was banned in the European Union at the end of October 2009, along with a load of other chemicals formerly used as pesticides and disinfectants. The main reason this is of interest is that walkers, as well as travellers to countries with unreliable water supplies, would often use iodine drops or tablets to purify water. Many walking sites picked up on this at the time including Walkhigh. Those who prefer purifying to boiling or using bottled water need not despair, as there are several alternative products that will do the job as well, or better. At the top end of the market is the SteriPEN Adventure UV Water Purifier (around £110 from Nomad Travel), which uses ultraviolet light to purify water in under a minute; to the more budget option of Biox Aqua Purification Drops (£6.99; also from Nomad Travel), which is more effective than both chlorine and iodine-based products.