Missed your flight - what to do?
Even with the best of planning anyone can miss a flight.
There are a few things to do in the event that you do miss your flight to reduce the inconvenience and get onward travel sorted out.

Contact your airline and hotel
The first thing to do is to get in contact with the airline to find out what you need to do.
If you have booked via a travel agent you should let them know too as they may be able to organise alternative travel arrangements and take care of advising your accommodation.
If you are travelling independently then you'll have to advise your hotel of your new arrival time to make sure they don't give away your room.

Contact your travel insurance provider
Secondly you'll need to contact your travel insurer and let them know the situation and find out if you are covered for any addition costs that you may incur as a result of missing your flight.
The way an airline will treat your booking in the event of a missed flight will vary company to company. When choosing an airline it pays to take into consideration the comments of other travellers on forums, newspapers and travel magazines.
The best thing to do is assume the worst and make sure you have decent insurance cover. Travel insurance is not expensive and in the long run could save you trouble and extra expense.

What to do if you do become ill...
If you do become ill here are some simple steps to follow to make sure you get the right treatment and recover.

• As soon as you start showing symptoms write them down, or get one of your companions to do so. Check if others you are travelling with are suffering from similar symptoms.
• Monitor your temperature and if you have a fever [38° and above] then check every three to four hours. Remember that not all fevers require medical attention but if they persist you should seek the advice of a doctor.
• If you have a medical kit, use medication that is familiar to you.
• Try to get a nurse or doctor who speaks English or a language you know well. If in doubt you can contact the Australian Embassy or Consulate of the country where you are travelling.

If you are distressed then contact emergency services. It is better to be safe.
It is always worth having adequate travel insurance before you leave. It is a small price to pay to ensure you will have access to the right medical services in the unfortunate event that you get ill when travelling.