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From Kakadu National Park to Darwin extends an area known as the ‘top end’ of Australia. It is where warm weather, stunning contrasting outback terrain and delicate vegetation and unique fauna merge, to provide an eco-system vacant of modern society, making it another of the great places to stay in Australia.

Water-lilies drift on billabongs, flocks of magpie geese and cockatoos hang suspended in thermal currents, with caves and rock faces embellished in ancient aboriginal art becoming artefacts from an age passed.

Kakadu - owned by the Aboriginal people - covers approximately 20,000 square kilometres of some of Australia’s most untamed and alluring wilderness. Scattered with rainforest alcoves, forest swamps and dwarf scrubland, Kakadu is home to some of Australia’s most exclusive and rare animal species. However, caution must be taken when exploring this magnificent expanse because the crocodiles that also live here are occasionally prone to chewing on the odd foolish tourist who doesn’t follow their tour guide’s safety instructions!

Ignorant Tourists beware!

Climate ranges from about 19 degrees celsius in July (dry-season) and up to a maximum of about 30 degrees, with a minimum of 25 degrees in January (wet-season) and up to 32 degrees maximum.

Two of the easiest-to-get-to rock-art sites are Ubirr and Nourlangie Rock, with many of the paintings being over 60,000 years old. Luxury travel in the top end is via 4WD with some of the most stunning sites to be seen by pre-arranged and guided safari tours.

Several of the more well known ones are:

• Guliyambi East Alligator River Cruises - which show the stark contrast of the landscape and denotes the scenic river setting
• Magela Cultural and Heritage Tour - which journeys across isolated and restricted areas and allows you to experience aboriginal culture at its rawest
• Dreamtime Safaris - Stay with the Tablon tribe as they demonstrate their way of life in an exclusive luxury camp setting which provides alternative accommodation

Should you be a collector of rare Aboriginal art, then several art galleries that you can not afford to miss while in Darwin are Aboriginal Fine Arts, Cultural Images, Ampiji, and Indigenous Creations, while Kakadu has The Marrwuddi Gallery and Warradjan Cultural Centre.

Luxury accommodation in the top end includes a tree-top wilderness retreat in the tropical rainforests on the shore of Seven Spirit Bay and the beachside resort of Skycity in Darwin.

Simply Lush (www.simplylush.com) can direct you to either of these spots, and others still, with the click of a button.

SimplyLush.com provides reviews of some of the very best luxury accommodation in Australia. If you’d like to see some of the spectacular Aboriginal Art in the top end of Australia, check out the accommodation options available in the Northern Territory at Simply Lush.

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Pack Your Prescriptions!
First and foremost of any medications that you should pack in your baggage is your normal prescription medication. Forgetting your medicine…then “trying to go without” is just setting yourself up for problems along your route. Prescriptions are right at the top of the packing list, along with your money, credit cards and identification. Don’t forget them! To help you remember, put “add my prescriptions to the bags” on your last-minute to-do list (along with such other things as making sure the stove is turned off, for example.) Another good idea is to fill your prescriptions at a chain pharmacy which has a location in the town you’ll be visiting. If something happens to your prescription…no problems! You can visit the local outlet of your pharmacy and get another. Always pack your prescriptions in their labled containers, and never drive after taking medications that could make you drowsy.

Don’t Let Your Vacation Give You a Headache
Vacationers often find that they get headaches more frequently during their travels than they do at home! When you think about it, though, this situation is only natural. Participating in out-of-doors activities such as swimming at the beach, trekking through a theme park, or hiking a National Park trail exposes travelers to much more sun than they’re used to at home. Or, what about the “all time worst”–driving directly into a rising or setting sun? It’s easy to get a headache from simple exposure to the sun’s glare in any of these situations. Be sure to pack–and WEAR–sunglasses, so that you can PREVENT headaches before they happen! But, if a headache does occur, be sure that you have your favorite headache remedy tucked inside your luggage.

Stay One Step Ahead of Blisters
Many vacationers do much more walking than they normally would at home. Will you be one of the thousands touring theme parks or city monuments this year? If so, you need to do two things: try your best to PREVENT blisters, and be prepared to properly care for them if they happen, anyway. You certainly already know that walking in brand-new shoes…or tight shoes…can be a cause of foot blistering. Now, follow your own advice–and wear your most comfortable, “broken in” shoes on the days you plan to walk the most. (Note: for diabetics, this advice isn’t just important, it’s VITAL. Hard-to-heal foot ulcers can begin with simple blisters. Now is the time to utterly PAMPER your feet!) If a blister occurs, be prepared to treat it by having bandaids and antibiotic ointment already packed in your purse or other luggage. (Neosporin or its generic counterparts are popular and effective infection-prevention creams, and are available without prescription.)

Don’t Be Rash
If you’ll be hiking or engaging in other outdoor activities, you’ll be exposed to plants with which you normally never come in contact. It only makes sense to plan ahead to prevent minor itching and redness. Slipping some over-the-counter Benadryl or hydrocortisone cream into your baggage can soothe pesky itching and relieve minor redness. (But DON’T try to treat the skin “burns” of poison ivy yourself. That’s a serious problem for which you should get prompt medical attention!)

In addition to causing skin rashes, allergies can cause you nose to run and eyes to water. For minor allergic reactions, bring along either some Benadryl or Claritin tablets (or their generic counterparts.) You might even want to bring both of these medications. Benadryl causes drowsiness, which you might desire when taken at bedtime. On the other hand, Claritin has no such side effect.

Advice for When You’re on the Run
It’s easy to get diarrhea while on vacation. You’ll be eating different foods, and you’ll have no control over their preparation. Sometimes, you’ll be so busy, you’ll skip a meal, and other times, you’ll find the food so delicious that you may overeat. Changing your eating habits will affect some of your other habits, too! A good over-the-counter remedy to add to your luggage is Immodium, or its generic equivalent. If you get traveler’s diarrhea, use as per package directions. It’s often effective very quickly; often as soon as one hour after taking the instructed dose.

If you have the opposite problem straining your good time, you’ll likewise need to prepare ahead to correct the problem. Tuck a box of Correctol (or whatever is your favorite laxative)into your medicine case. When you’re constipated, take the appropriate dose as directed on the label. If possible, take laxatives at bedtime. If the medication doesn’t work on its own in the morning, try drinking a warm beverage or eating a light meal to stimulate some action. Naturally, you should allow yourself some time for “things to happen naturally” in your hotel room before you rush off to your day’s activities.

As you can see, simply tucking a few inexpensive remedies into your bags can save you time, trouble and frustration on your vacation if a minor health issue should arise. And, if these items are already sitting in your bathroom medicine cabinet–and they just MIGHT be!–you won’t have spent one extra penny for this extra peace of mind!

Vicki Funes is an RN…AND an avid traveler. For further details about packing your vacation medicine kit, you may view the “Travel Medicine Bag” page of her website, “Family Vacation Getaways at Los Angeles Theme Parks,” URL: http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/Trip-Checklists.html Diabetic vacationers may be interested in viewing the “Checklist for Diabetic Travelers” page of this same website, url:http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/Checklist-for-Diabetic-Travelers.html

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While traveling abroad can be a rather exciting and pleasurable experience, it can also be potentially dangerous. Not to discourage one from traveling overseas and seeing the world but there are numerous things that one should keep in mind when taking a trip to a foreign country so as to avoid potentially hazardous situations. Obviously having a valid passport is a must and one should be sure to fill out the necessary emergency information in that section of their passport, supposing some unanticipated misfortune happens to arise.

One would not want to visit a foreign country knowing absolutely nothing or next to nothing about the place. Thus becoming familiar with the area you plan to visit is important. One should pay particular attention to the laws and customs of the country as they are very likely to be different from those of your home country. Since your luggage has virtually everything you require for your visit contained therein it is essential that you never leave it unattended. Furthermore accepting packages from strangers is certainly taboo. One can never be too sure when it comes to accepting packages from strangers, even in their home country.

Many of the locals in a foreign country can easily identify a foreigner and as such you may be a target for crime. In order to avoid being heavily targeted, do not wear any striking clothing or expensive jewelry that may bring unwanted attention upon you. It is also suggested that you not carry any unnecessary credit cards or surplus money with you. There are people out there who can easily and deftly steal from you without you even being aware of the fact and as such you should at least limit the amount they steal from you. First and foremost though, you should be respectful of the people there and the culture in which you are present.

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