"Travel is one of the finest and most life-enhancing stimulants to health, happiness and longevity."

No -- this is not a column about how to eat Australia's witchety-grubs (deep fried, peanut-flavored worms), Cambodian sautéed dog, Africa's chocolate coated locusts, sheep's eyeballs in some middle eastern nomad's tent, soups made of ant larvae, crunchy chicken feet in some Hong Kong back alley, or raw "sea-cucumber" (a sort of sausage-sized gelatinous sea-slug) in Japan.

Even though I've sampled (and survived) all of the above and many other peculiar gustatory oddities during my 30 years of worldwide ramblings, I accept the fact that most sensitive diners would prefer something a little less exotic on their travels. Not dull, you understand. Not some erzatz version of "at-home" cooking (the British are notorious for seeking out their "fish and chips" and endless cups of tea and buns wherever they go!). Rather something that's somewhat recognizable but is piqued or pampered by chefs through the addition of new flavor ingredients, new fruits and vegetables, and new evocative sauces and garnishes.

If you're one of the "I'll stick to what I know" types then maybe the rest of this column isn't for you (actually it's now 2 columns -- there's so much to say I've added my own sequel). I'm talking to those among us who possess a certain degree of adventure, fortitude and exploratory fun and frisson floating through their veins. You know who you are.

So, to encourage you in your gastronomic excursions, here are a few pointers that might serve to enhance your delightfully, slightly decadent, and even occasionally dangerous dining experiences.

1. Forget Fugu!

Sometimes on your travels, you'll come across certain exotic dining traditions that have little to recommend them except their exhibitionist possibilities and/or their extremes of extravagance. Such is the case for example in Japan where the deadly and remarkably tasteless fugu fish (otherwise known as globefish or puffer) is served, wafer thin on huge restaurant plates to the accompaniments of much hoopla, for around $100 US a head. Just the slightest scintilla of the contents of an extremely poisonous gland within the fish may send you into permanent oblivion within 5 very painful minutes. Or so claim the hypesters. Actually with specially-trained chefs (only in Japan!) and the anesthetizing effect of the traditional drink of hirezake (toasted fugu tail in hot saki), you're almost guaranteed to survive, although half a dozen or so instant demises a year are still said to be attributed to this odd custom.

So -- stick to Japan's other delights such as yakitori (little skewers of barbecued chicken), sushi (a rice roll with raw fish or other delights), sashimi (slices of raw fish and seafood served with soy sauce and wasabi, a fiery green puree of horseradish), shabu-shabu (barely poached strips of beef and vegetable in a tasty broth), kaiseki (amazingly intricate and often ultra-expensive multicourse dinners) and noodles, noodles, noodles (also known as ramen, soba and udon). All wonderfully tasty tit-bit type snacks and dinners.

Key suggestions: When in Timbuktu, taste it and when in Delhi devour it (actually not exactly true -- see next Trip Tips) but avoid the show-off stuff. It's usually expensive and disappointingly anticlimactic. Shark's fin and bird's nest soup in China are other notable examples of show-off dishes. (I've seen and sampled the former selling for $100 a bowl in a top Hong Kong restaurant -- fortunately someone else was paying -- and it's unbelievably bland!)

2. India, Indigestion and War and Peace

I think Indian cuisine is one of the world's greatest culinary creations. In fact, in Britain, Indian dishes such as tandoori chicken are far more popular than traditional British fare, which I realize, might bring the immediate response -- "that's hardly surprising" -- but it's true. (India itself, alas, is not always the best place to enjoy Indian cuisine!). However (a big however) I, and almost all my traveling compatriots and everyone they know, have suffered the same debilitating experience of "Delhi-belly" in India. "It's in the air," claimed a colleague. "No matter what you do, even to the point of virtually fasting and even refusing ice with your cocktail, it's more than likely to hit you around day 5 or so, and last at least for another 5 days." It's sad but this is often true and there's not much you can do about it, except drink lots of reliable bottled fluids or tea, eat plain rice, stay near a bathroom (very near) in a comfortable hotel room, and do something you've always promised yourself like read War and Peace or start (maybe even finish!) your autobiography. On the positive side, once you've had "it," you should be immune, at least until the next visit, and you can celebrate the loss of at least 10 pounds (last time I reached a record loss of 16 pounds and it's never come back!).

Surely there's something I can take with me to stop "it", you say. Well, always remember the old adage: "Smell it, wash it, peel it, boil it, cook it and forget it!" But if it's too late, I've heard a range of recommendations from Chinese herbal curing pills (Curin Wan), iodine tablets to purify water (ugh!); strong vitamin pills (a rundown body is ripe for the "runs"); antacids, diarrhea-stoppers such as loperamide; ORS "rehydration mixes" (or a liquid mix of salt and sugar) to help recovery; metaclopramide for vomiting, and a backup supply of antibiotics "just in case." (Only use them if absolutely necessary.)

I've tried all of these and nothing worked. So during my first few days now in India I look forward to a lot of reading and relaxing in a good hotel and guaranteed weight loss (a lot cheaper and far more enduring than the commercial spa kind!).

3. Accept Invitations

The more exploratory you are on your travels (backroads, hidden corners, secret places, etc.) the more likely you are to meet families unfamiliar with foreign faces. Now in many countries impromptu hospitality is not only a kind thing to offer the wandering stranger but it's also a socio-religious tradition (rewarded abundantly, so the locals often believe, in good karma and rapid promotion up the hierarchy of reincarnation). So -- should you be so fortunate as to be offered a meal in a family home, try to keep your schedule flexible enough to enable you to accept. You may have to widen your tolerance for strange and exotic ingredients but -- honestly -- in many countries the best versions by far of local cuisine are to be found not in restaurants but in private homes. So say "yes!" -- and if you sense it will be acceptable after the meal, offer small token gifts of chocolates for example, or a few Polaroid photos. It's always a good idea to carry one of those cheap "instant" cameras with you -- I've found they're one of the best ways to bond and express interest in and thanks to others. And try to do a little homework on national customs and taboos too such as: avoid head-touching and exposing the soles of the feet/shoes in Thailand; don't admire household items such as vases, cushions or even rugs too much in Arabian homes - otherwise you might find yourself having to carry them away with you - and, in instances where eating with the hand is the norm, only use the right hand. The left hand is used for more unsavory tasks such as...well, if you don't know, you don't need to know...

Continued in the next Trip Tips column.