Or how about the Gambia - just about within your flight time from the south of the UK? And even hotter than the Canaries with the added advantage of being in the same time zone.

If you look at hotel reviews and see something uncomplimentary about a hotel, then you probably would not choose it so why don't people think the same about the areas they are visiting?

Because a bad hotel is a bad hotel and is no indication about what happens in every hotel. My last bad bout of tummy troubles happened here in the UK after a formal gala dinner - over half the guests were badly effected but I would hope that it wouldn't put anybody off visiting Scotland just because of one caterer cutting corners.

I always have a some Immodium with me wherever I go 'just in case' - as much as anything because it's easy to let your own standards drop on holiday and you don't always know who else has been touching anything you're touching. I'm always surprised by the number of women I see who just quickly rinse their fingers under the tap after using the toilet and I'm surprised that more of us don't poison ourselves more frequently!

SM