Oh my aching bones...

So we're traveling in Africa and my husband bangs up his knee.

"Here goes our trip," I thought to myself. "There's no way we can continue with one of us limping and moaning."

Enter ARNICA the hero.

On the banks of the Zambezi River, a fellow traveler noted Richard's gimp and offered to lend her tube of Arnica creme. Neither one of us had heard of it, but at this point we were willing to try anything.

Even the first application made a difference and subsequent ones took care of the problem altogether.

Arnica montana is a centuries-old anti-inflamatory made from plants in the sunflower family. It is used to alleviate the pain of strains, sprains, sore muscles, achy joints, and nasty bruises. Used topically, the ointment speeds the natural healing process. My current favorite is Arnicare made by Boiron (http://www.boironusa.com/), but there are several other brands.

In addition, Arnica tablets can be taken orally to further speed the relief.

Actually, the real hero in this story is the fellow traveler who witnessed a wince and provided a remedy.

Socially Embarrassing Snoring

I recently started a travel story with a reference to my husband’s snoring Several readers commented that it was funny (comparing the noise I sleep with every night to that of hippos grumbling in the Zambezi River), but – in truth – snoring isn't a laughing matter.

I know travelers who are afraid to fall asleep on a flight because they fear embarrassing themselves with their own hippo rendition. Likewise, they avoid any situation where thin walls separate sleeping spaces.

What’s a snorer to do? My husband has experimented with several potential remedies, and what works best for him are the Breathe Right adhesive nasal strips (http://www.breatheright.com/), which help to hold open the airway in the nose. The strips work best if he uses Flonase, a prescription nasal spray, first, but even a Breathe Right alone helps. When he first started using them, they fell off during the night. Then he figured out that they’d stick if he wiped alcohol on his nose before applying the strip.

Dr. Marc Kayem, of the Snoring and Apnea Center of California, also suggests that snorers avoid alcohol, antihistamines and tranquilizers, and heavy meals for four hours before sleeping.

Those who only snore on their backs, can put a tennis ball inside a sock and pin the sock to the back of their pajama top. Every time they roll onto their backs the discomfort of the ball will cause them to move into another position.

Back to the Zambezi River…I loved the night sounds of the African bush so much that before leaving Zambia, I bought a “Sound Safari” CD. The grumbling hippos are my favorite musicians.

Let's Talk About "The Trots"

Whether you call it Montezuma's Revenge, Delhi Belly, or the Aztec Two-Step, you know what I mean. One minute you are enjoying your vacation and the next you feel like you're in the ugliest stages of colonoscopy prep.

This condition is most likely to strike a) in developing countries and b) at the most inopportune time. One particularly memorable episode involved a flight between Puerta Vallarta and Oaxaca and a pilot who apparently didn't know how to turn off the seatbelt light. At the time, I felt sure he knew of my plight and was seizing the occasion to express some long held anti-American sentiment.

Another vivid experience caused me to extend my stay at a B&B in Ballarat, Australia - which blows to bits the belief that this malady only strikes in the Third World. Here, however, there was a silver lining to my cloud: the doctor insisted I drink something that would restore my electrolyte balance and, thus, I learned a valuable lesson.

Turns out that one of the reasons we feel so rotten when travelers' diarrhea strikes is that all that fluid loss causes not only dehydration, but also out of whack electrolytes. Gatorade helps, but isn't always available, so I carry a powdered sports drink. My current favorite is GU2O, which I buy at REI. You can also improvise by mixing 1 quart/liter of clean water, 2 tablespoons of sugar or honey, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

While you're waiting to feel better, stick to the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast - and drink as many clear liquids as you can. Gingerale and cooled camomile tea are good choices.

As far as medications go, Imodium or Lomotil will help with the symptoms, but my doctor thinks it's better to let nature take its course. Instead he recommends Levaquin, an antibiotic that is also effective in treating urinary tract infections and respiratory infections, so I NEVER leave home without it.

Staying healthy on the road is a lot easier if you go prepared (no pun intended).