Holidays are those small windowpanes of sunshine in our lives- experiences that for most people lie in of a glorious dark nine to five toiling and buckling down and putting the pennies out, subjected to excessive deadlines and the notions and fancies of dark chiefs. They are the three weeks of the year when office bodies the world over morph into the unconditional, free whipping person they always opined themselves to be- a time to kicking back, a time to let loose and a time to rise above the mediocrity of routine.

Its the little hiccups that can ruin a holiday. We've all had them before- they encounter very well, yet have catastrophic results. You forgotten to check the time zones and missed the flight by an hour. The reference number for your tour has enigmatically gone away. You didn't confirm your booking, the flight is overbooked and because you got there so late you've been broken and come out on standby. You forgot which hotel you engaged into. The hotel has no memorialize of you... did you even book at all? Its a preparation thing really- a well idea out and well planned holiday will run smoothly nine times out of ten so long as you remember the small particulars.

Of course there are some things that go false which we have no control over. Lost luggage is the scourge of air travellers everywhere, and is tied to happen to you at least once in your lifetime. In fact there is a 1 in 150 chance that when you travel internationally your baggage is going to be lost. So try to pack anything rich or emotional in your hand luggage and keep it on you. Medication is a no brainer, no one wants to be seperated from that. If your luggage does get lost, let the airline know straight away, but don't be too expectant about getting any compensation.

When seeing tougher third world countries the effect of theft rears its ugly head. It occurs everywhere of course, but is more popular in these places. We are all on a budget when we journey, and to have that disrupted by the loss of a wad of cash or a wallet can be inevitable to the trip, as can the theft of travel documents like passports. The best way to ward off cutpurses is to try not to look like a tourist, because holidaymakers always have cash. Avoid those dull 'bum handbags,' prefer instead for an invisible money belt or large pockets on your trousers with zips on. Carrying cash altogether is a bad idea- this is the new millennium and ATM's are everyplace.

The quickest ticket to a destroyed vacation is you or someone in your family getting awful.Try to head off desperately risky looking restaurants, and especially in third world countries stay away from water not served in a bottle. Ask for your soft drinks to be served without ice, as ice can still harbour the germs that was in the water. Do your homework on wherever you are inspecting and find out what the common unwellness there are, and what healing medicine to take. Prevention is better than cure, especially if you are in far-off areas.

Just a bit of give care and carefulness and a lot of planning can go a long way to seeing your holiday doesn't return into a ideal nightmare. Lets face it, you merit to relish a successful break and so should do everything in your power to make sure you get one. A gadget like the Travel Planner can help give you peace of mind when you travel, and peace of mind can go a long way to easing travel tensions. If factors out of your control ruining your vacation, dont be too despondent... chances are they wont happen twice in a row, so gear up and get ready for your next.