Being on holiday is one of those things that you spend half the year looking forward to, and the other half wishing you were still doing. After all, even the best day at work is still a day at work. You can be chatting with colleagues, enjoying a long lunch. Someone might even bring in a baby, and you get to walk over and coo over it for ten minutes. But you still need to work.

So holidays are great, aren't they? A week, ten days, even a fortnight where you don't have to deal with a spreadsheet or placate a surly customer. A whole expanse of time during which you will not hear about your co-worker's ant infestation. Bliss. 

Until it's not. Because let's face it, as great as a holiday can be, it's a period spent away from home, and something you have less control over. Sometimes, things will happen that are annoying. You need to find ways to make them less so.

Getting Ill: Because It Always Waits For The Worst Time

It's Day Three of the holiday you never want to end, and all of a sudden you're not feeling so great. "Why," you ask yourself, "would it happen now, of all times?". In truth, now is the time it's most likely to happen. You're in an unfamiliar spot, with unfamiliar germs and eating unfamiliar food. There's always a chance of falling ill on holiday.

You can't guarantee it won't happen, but you can come prepared. Before setting off, put together an emergency kit containing:

• Pain medication
• Cold and flu treatments
• Antihistamines
• Anything to help with a stomach upset (Pepto Bismol, anti-diarrhea medication, and so on.)

If you're going somewhere that speaks a different language, learn the phrases for various conditions. It could save you a lot of time and suffering. Last but not least, bring some bottled water - because you can never be sure of the water supply anywhere.

Camping Nightmares: The Great Outdoors Stop Being So Great

There are plenty of excellent reasons to take a camping holiday, not least of which is the chance to be closer to some of the most serene views in any country. 

However, when you're actually lying on the view trying to sleep, it can be frustrating. The bumpy ground can turn the most idyllic camping holiday into a sleepless nightmare. In which case, why not try a hammock? Find out more information here and ensure you have a camping holiday you remember for all the right reasons. As long as you don't book in rainy season...

The Weather: Because Sometimes, The Elements Hate You

If you don't have, somewhere in your home, a holiday snap where you're pointing at rain and looking fed up, you haven't lived. We all plan what we're going to do when we have a week in a new destination. As punishment for making those plans, the weather decides to throw its worst at you.

The key is to put as few fixed elements into your plan as possible. Yes, you may want to go for a walk on the Tuesday, but if it happens to be pouring with rain that day, can it move to the Thursday? Not if there is a museum trip planned where you need to book in advance. By all means have some immovable parts to your holiday - but be aware that greater flexibility means a better vacation.