It's Criminal to Waste Energy


There's a lot going on in your house that you don't know about.


Don't worry, it's nothing to do with the family and you haven't got mice.  The truth is that appliances, light bulbs, walls, floors and boilers may seem like harmless inanimate object but in many cases they're directly wasting energy - and money.
Did you know that a regular house loses over 40% of its heat through loft spaces and walls?


The world's scientific community is now agreed that climate change represents a calamitous threat to our environment.  
The burning of coal, gas and oil for transport, energy and electricity is releasing more carbon dioxide into the air than plants and the ocean can absorb.  For Britain alone could mean stormier, wetter and windier weather with wide differences in regional climate.  (As I speak, in the middle of July, when it's wet and windy, I can agree with this!)
Ultimately it will affect everything - including agriculture, water, resources, human health, wildlife and the countryside.
But not all is lost.  We can all 'do our bit' to help reduce the effects of climate change simply by taking a look at the many energy-wasting culprits in our homes and doing something to make them a little better behaved.


Wherever you buy and use products bearing the Energy Efficiency Recommended logo (see left) you'll be doing exactly that. The Energy Efficiency Recommended logo helps you identify and buy energy efficient products.
The logo makes the most efficiency products instantly recognisably, so it's easier to buy energy efficient products.  Only products which meet or exceed the energy efficiency criteria can use this logo.  It appears on a wide range of products (see http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/).  These items may cost more to buy but they will cost less to run, which will tend to work out cheaper over their lifetime, as well as reducing CO2 emissions.

The European Union (EU) Energy label (see right) rates appliances from A (most efficient) to G (least) and provides additional information, such as the capacity of the machine.  This label must, by law, be shown on all white goods, so if you can't see it, ask the retailer.


Grants and Offers
There's a wide range of grants and offers available to help your home become more energy efficient.  The Grant Information Database: provide a single central source of information about domestic energy efficiency grants and offers (see: www.government-grants.co.uk).


An A rated appliance could save these amounts per year:

• fridge freezer - £35
• upright/chest freezer - £30
• fridge - £l20
• washing machine - £5
• dishwasher - £15

An energy-efficient washing machine will use a third less electricity for each wash which, over its lifetime, could save you more than the cost of the appliance, so a cheap second-hand appliance could cost more in the long run.


Energy saving light bulbs cost more but last longer and use far less energy (and the latest ones look exactly like ordinary lights bulbs) look for the Energy Efficient Recommended logo.

Ordinary bulbs  v  energy saving bulb 
equivalent:
25W  =  6W
40W  =  8 - 11W
60W   =   13 - 18W
100W  =  20 - 25W


The best place for energy efficient light bulbs is where they're on most often and for the longest period.  Tip: If a light bulb needs to be on more than four hours a day then it pays to have an energy efficient bulb.  However, energy saving light bulbs don't work with electronic sensors, dimmers and timers, so it's worth checking the manufacturer's instructions first.


What sort of heating do you need?
Full central heating is probably best if you need to keep every room warm most of the time.  If, however, your home is particularly well insulated or you find that upstairs rooms get too hot, then consider partial central heating or other alternatives.


You could cut your central heating costs by up to 17% simply by controlling heating more effectively through addressing these four elements:

• room temperature
• temperature of stored hot water
• on/off times for heating and hot water
• switching off the boiler when heating is no longer required

Controls should be able to react to changes in temperature, provide different levels of temperature in different rooms and you should be able to switch heating and hot water on and off when needed.  


You may need to upgrade controls to reap maximum benefits and installing a new energy efficient boiler could use a third less gas.

Timeswitch or programmer: turns boiler on and off automatically.

Room thermostats: should be fixed to the wall of the most frequently used room.  It should be part of a 'complete control system' that switches the boiler off to prevent 'dry cycling', which is where the boiler fires just to keep itself hot, even though no heat is needed by the radiators or hot water cylinder.  Tip: could fit one thermostat upstairs and one downstairs.

Thermostatic radiator values (TRVs): these work best in rooms which overheat, such as kitchens or conservatories; or in rooms which are rarely used, such as spare bedrooms.  Tip: don't fit a thermostatic radiator valve in the same room as a room thermostat.  It'll stop the room thermostat from turning off the heating when it should.

Which controls are best?  The more control, the greater the energy and financial savings.  A full controls package includes a room thermostat, cylinder thermostat, timer/programmer, motorised valves, TRVs and upgrade of central heating pipework to a fully pumped system.  It's best to upgrade heating controls as part of more wide-ranging work on your heating or hot water system, such as replacing your boiler or hot water cylinder.


Boilers: there are four main types of modern gas boilers:

• high efficiency boiler (about 88% efficient)
• conventional boiler (about 78% efficient)
• high efficiency combination boiler (no hot water cylinder)
• conventional combination boiler (no hot water cylinder)

Like other appliances, boilers are given an average seasonal efficiency rating from A to G (see http://www.boilers.org.uk/) or ask your installer.

As can be imagined, high efficiency boilers waste the least energy.  In a conventional boiler much of the heat produced by the burning fuel is either lost in the surrounding air or disappears up the flue.  If your boiler is more than 15 years old, replacing it could save as much as one third off fuel bills.  These boilers can be fitted to most new and old heating systems, they're easy to install and can be bought for oil, solid fuel and gas-fuelled homes.

INSULATION


A smaller, well insulated property could just have partial or no central heating.  Individual heaters may be cheaper to install and run - or gas fires, convector heaters, electric storage heaters or solid fuel stoves.


When it's cold outside, most people instinctively turn up their heating, and others grab hats, coats, scarves and mittens.  You wouldn't go out wearing a string vest in January, yet your home could be doing the equivalent, by providing flimsy protection against outside cold.


Insulation
The wider the surface area, the greater the potential heat loss.    Uninsulated walls account for up to 33% of your home's lost heat.  If it was built post-1930s, your home will most likely have cavity walls.  To find out simply measure the thickness of the wall at any window or door.  Cavity walls are at least 12" thick, whereas solid walls are normally only 9" thick.
If you have a cavity then cavity wall insulation is preferable, although it's necessary check that your walls are suitable for such insulation.  It's a straightforward, inexpensive and low-disruption job, although the work must be carried out by a professional.  Alternatively it is possible to insulate the inside - or even the outside - of your walls although this is far more costly.
Time within which you're likely to recoup your costs:

• cavity wall insulation: 3 - 5 years
• internal wall insulation: 5 - 6 years
• external wall insulation: 11 - 14 years

As heat rises lofts are the obvious place to start insulating your house.  You could save 25% of your heating costs with 10" of insulation in your loft. Even if you already have some form of loft insulation, topping up to this level is even more advantageous.  The cost of 10" loft insulation compared with none will be recouped within two to three years, less if you do this yourself.  However, good ventilation is vital to minimise the risk of condensation and subsequent wood rot.

There are three types of loft insulation:

• blown mineral wool/blown cellulose fibre (professionally installed)
• mineral wool quilt (DIY/professional installed)
• loose fill  (DIY/professional installed)

Don't forget to draught strip and insulate the loft hatch.  Once your loft is insulated it will be cooler up there, so the tanks and pipes need insulating too.

Hot water tank and pipe insulation costs don't save much money but they're cheap to do so the cost can can be recouped within between one and two years.  Where possible, use materials which .  comply to the standard BS 7386.  If you already have a jacket but it's less than 3", putting another one on top can save even more money.

Oh, and don't forget to check where your pipework comes into the house, see if there's a draught and if so, seal it up!  However, without ventilation your house will become stale and stuffy, especially if you have solid fuel fires, gas fires or an open-flue boiler - so sweep chimneys regularly and check your air bricks for blockages.



Kitchens and bathrooms suffer the most, so while it's fine to draught proof-internal doors, you should leave kitchen and bathroom windows open to prevent condensation.  If condensation remains, an extractor fan will help, also opening windows while cooking, running hot water or drying clothes.  Tip: Trickle vents (fitted in the window frame) can provide limited additional ventilation, particularly when opening a window is likely to let in a cold draught.


Floor insulation helps if you feel a draught under your feet, as it reduces heating costs still further by applying a regular tube sealant to the gap, much like the type found around the bath.   Or, the trick years ago was to put bits of newspaper between each floorboard, cheap and effective.  Ditto between floor and skirting boards.
If you have access under the floor (through a cellar for example), or if you need to take your floorboards up for some other reason, it's worth insulating underneath.  Will make the room warmer and saving up to £25 per years.  Tip: Don't block any under-floor air bricks in your outside walls as the floorboards will rot without adequate ventilation.








There are also the most obvious - and cheapest - forms of insulation: round the edges of doors and window openings.  Draught-proofing strips cost pennies and save pounds.

Double glazing could halve the heat lost through your windows.  By trapping air in the gap between the two pieces of glass it creates an insulating barrier that reduces noise, condensation and cuts heat loss though the windows.  Again, if you can't afford to double glaze the whole house, fit it where the rooms cost most to heat.   

The government has introduced new building regulations which set a minimum standard of thermal insulation for replacement windows.  This glass has a special invisible metallic coating which reflects heat back into your room, thus conserving heat.  
Although it's the window installer's responsibility to comply with these new regulations, check anyway.  The key to reducing heat loss lies in the width of the air space between the two panes of glass - the wider the gap the better the insulation.  The standard gap is about 16mm, whereas anything above 20mm achieves little additional saving.

Secondary glazing is less expensive than replacement double glazing and can still save money on bills.  Tip: There may be restrictions on your house due to age or location.  

Conservatories are good a trapping the sun on hot days, but are just as good at losing the heat on cold days - even when double glazed.  Keep the wall and any doors between the conservatory and the adjoining room well insulated to reduce unnecessary heat loss.  South-facing conservatories stay reasonably warm in winter; but become clammy in summer.

Exterior doors: to eliminate draughts and wasted heat use an easy-to-fix brush or pvc seal on exterior doors.  However, ventilation is a vital. Letterboxes and keyholes can let in draughts, a nylon brush or a cover help, also a cover over the keyhole.


Ordinary (not power) showers uses only two-fifths of the hot water needs for a bath - or share a bath with a friend.


Be energy efficient without spending a penny

• Turn CH thermostat down.  If you're going away for winter leave the thermostat on a low setting to provide protection from freezing at minimum cost.
• Hot water needs to be hot, but never scalding.  For most people, setting the thermostat at 60C/140F is fine.
• Always put a plug in your basin or sink! Leaving the hot water taps running without the plus is akin to washing money down the plughole. 
• Don't leave tap running when cleaning your teeth.
• Close curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows. Also close curtains when it's very windy and blowy.
• Always turn off lights when vacating a room - and adjust your curtains or blinds to let in as much light at possible during the day.
•  Don't leave machines on standby, but first check that this won't reset the appliance's memory.  Tip:  Also don't leave machines on charge unnecessarily. 
• Don't leave the fridge or freezer door open longer than necessary. Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge or freezer.  Preferably don't site fridge or freezer near cooker, or in hot sunlight.  
• Remove food from the freezer in good time, saves energy.
• Always wash a full load in washing machine, dishwasher and tumble dryer. Use low temperature programmes where possible. Hang washing outside to dry.
• Choose right size pan for the food and cooker - the base should just cover the ring. Keep lid on when cooking.  Use the minimum amount of water possible to cook food.
• Heat the amount of water needed in the kettle, not more, but ensure that the element is covered.
• Mend dripping taps.

Then relax, know that you're doing all you can to save energy - and money.


https://www.government-grants.co.uk/insulation-grants.shtml?gclid=CJjg3pLkgLECFYwhtAoduyKGPQ

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

Energy Efficiency Advice centre: 0800 512 012.http://www.actonenergy.org.uk/

This year, the world reached an incredible milestone ....    In the Philippines, the planet's seven-billionth inhabitant was born.  Most people greeted the news with a mixture of awe and alarm.  
It was, after all, only 12 years since the global population hit six billion, and, as the Viictorian doomsayer Thomas Malthus put it, "the perpetual tendency of the race of Man to increase beyond the means of subsistence" has historically brought nothing but pain and hunger to the world's poorest people.

But "Seven Billion Day", and its attendant hype, disguised another, contradictory trend that threatens the wellbeing not of the poorest nations of the world, but the richest.  For, far from exploding, the populations in the developed world, particularly Europe and east Asia, are rapidly ageing.  

In Japan, the ratio of people under 20 years old to those over 65 has plummeted from 9.3 in 1950 to a predicted 0.6 in 2025.  In Italy, which has seen its birth rate crash in recent years, there are now only 1.3 taxpayers to every pensioner.  And in Britain, there are now more pensioners than children.  By 2028, demographers predict a quarter of the nation's adult population will be over 65.

There's nothing wrong with people living longer, of course; it's what we all want, provided we can remain healthy.  But the way countries treat their elderly populations varies enormously.  Too often, in Britain, old age is spent in fear and dread.  Patients - like those who were so badly neglected at Stafford hospital between 2005 and 2008 - find themselves dying of thirst because nurses can't be bothered to refill their glass, or developing bedsores because soiled sheets haven't been changed.   

Less conspicuously, ageist attitudes - completely alien to some cultures - permeate day-to-day life.  Our national broadcaster still seems hypnotised by the spectacle of youth, removing presenters (like Strictly Come Dancing's Arlene Phillips) from our screens as soon as their skin starts to sag.  
Advertisers, too, carry on as if nobody above the age of 30 watches TV or reads a magazine.  


Our nursing homes are staffed by carers, some of whom are oblivious to the needs of their elderly patients and every winter we have the inevitable reports of pensioners so poor, frail and isolated from friends and family that they've frozen to death in their own homes.


However, some progress has been made.  Mandatory retirement is now illegal in Britain, meaning that businesses can no longer force employees to stop working when they reach 65.  And a recent 'triple-lock' pension guarantee means pensions will rise in line with inflation.
But there is still a long way to go.  In particular, Britain is yet to grasp the most painful nettle of all: funding care for the elderly.  To put the issue at its plainest, it's impossible for a country like Britain, which has an increasing number of old citizens and a decreasing number of young people, to pay for the long-term care of all those who need it.  


The systems for providing the care that older people need are broken, not fit for purpose and hugely overdue for reform.  Public policy has entirely failed over the past 60 years to create proper and effective systems to deliver care.  Currently, there is no limit on the costs that individuals can incur and an estimated 20,000 people are forced to sell their homes to pay for residential places each year.  One in 10 pensioners faces care bills of more than £100,000.


So, what's the answer?  Perhaps a system in which the individual is asked to pay the first £35,000 towards his/her care, with the state paying any charges after that.  Recently a report commissioned by the department of Health suggested almost doubling that amount to £60,000, but it's far from certain that the government will adopt either proposal.

What do other countries do?  The demographic shift, after all, is not confined to Britain.  According to the OECD*: "Any discussion of care has to start with the family: family carers remain the backbone of any long-term care system, even in countries which have a very developed, formal arrangement. We should never forget about them.  Governments want people to continue to provide care because, if they don't it would simply be financially unsustainable."


Anyone who has had to look after an elderly parent knows what hard work it can be.  There's an endless round of shopping, cooking and cleaning to do, as well as helping them to dress and undress, take a bath or go to the lavatory (and also possibly dealing with someone who feels rather down because of having to ask for help - Ed) 
If you're trying to hold down a full-time job at the same time, the pressure can be intolerable.


In Britain, one has to rely on an understanding boss.  But other countries have recognised this situation as a serious problem and introduced new laws to make is easier for carers to take time off.  In Australia, there is a statutory entitlement to "carers' leave" which applies whenever an employee needs to care for a member of their immediate family.  And in the US, the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act entitles employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for 'specified' family reasons.


Other countries here in Europe have even passed laws stipulating what a son or daughter is obliged to do for their parents.  When 15,000 mostly elderly people died in a heat-wave in 2003 in France, many were not discovered by their families for weeks.  People were so shocked by the news that new legislation was drawn up soon afterwards, holding children 'legally responsible' for their parents' care.


No such legislation is in force here in Britain.  No yet, anyway.  But we are hardly models of filial devotion.  for that, you have to go to Japan.  The longest-lived race in the world (the country boasts nearly 48,000 people aged 100 or over) Japan holds its elderly citizens in high esteem.


Respect for the elderly is drummed into children from a young age.  Families stick close together and older members of the family come to live with their children in their later years.  It's the done thing.
That makes care cheaper, of course, but Japan was also one of the first countries in the world to introduce a universal system of funding, by which the entire population contributes to a pool of money that is ring-fenced for long-term care.  Statistically, there are plenty of people who pay into this pool who will never need to draw out from it, but nobody would ever dream of complaining, such is the value placed on old age.


And the result? A well-training phalanx of professionals who administer high-quality care both in a person's own home and in well-resourced nursing homes.  A lot of them actually tell their families that they want to move to a residential home because there are so many amenities.  
Three or four years ago this was a problem because too many people wee going to nursing homes.  This was proving very costly for the government so they then put more of an emphasis on day-care centres and community-based solutions so people would receive the same type of amenities without going into a residential home.  
Being Japan, there are all sorts of futuristic gadgets to ease people into their twilight years.  For instance, a robot has been invented which boasts 320 pressure points on its arms and chest and is designed to carry patients and take over many of the other tasks normally carried out by a carer.
  

In Japanese life, there is an unmistakable vibrancy among the old.  Gyms are filled with yoga and weightlifting classes for the elderly, millions play sudoku and other brain-training games to keep their minds sharp - and many older men continue to work after they retire, often as taxi drivers or private security guards or traffic wardens.


There's a sense of needing to have something to do.  If they're not working, most get involved with local volunteer activities (such as picking up litter) or join sports clubs to play games like gateball (which is similar to croquet, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6rC4hEvPk).These are the signs of a nation that truly values its older citizens.  

Populations around the world are rapidly ageing, but when people talk about that they often talk about it as if it were a problem.  Although there are challenges with ageing, there are also many opportunities.  Older people are a very big resource for society, their families and the voluntary sector and what needs to happen, to liberate that resource is, first, encourage good health in old age and, second, make sure people live in a society that allows older citizens to contribute.  In other words, putting an end of age discrimination (but see: http://tx.english-ch.com/teacher/shelle/level-c/the-lonesome-life-of-japanese-senior-citizens/).


Of course, Japan doesn't have a monopoly on respect for the elderly.  The same values apply in many east Asian countries.  In South Korea, for example, a sense of duty towards the old is at the root of a highly successful volunteer scheme which trains thousands of young people to care for elderly people whose friends and family have either died or moved away.
The volunteers are determined to do whatever they can to ensure their clients stay in their own homes for as long as possible, rather than being transferred to an institution.

And in Scandinavian countries, too, a high priority is placed on providing care for people in the last years of their life.  Sweden, where one in six citizens is 65 or over, is widely regarded to have the best long-term care in the world, funded by general taxation.  Those with a pension make a contribution but it's not that high; the most anyone pays is around £90 a month, and if you have a low pension you don't pay anything.


The care market is also heavily regulated, so all care providers are paid the same rate and therefore have to compete on quality, rather than price.  Homes typically put on a whole range of exercise classes pay for a yoga teacher to visit the home once a week, and organise swimming trips.  In some cases, the local church will hold its weekend service at the home, encouraging its congregation to get to know the residents.


Perhaps the worst indictment of Britain is that far fewer older people, proportionately, die from cold weather in Finland (where temperatures can go as low as -10C (14F) in winter) than do here.  Why?  


Because they live in better insulated houses. Improving the housing stock in Britain is, of course, an expensive endeavour, but there are examples from all over the world of schemes that have improved the lives of old people cost next to nothing to implement.  In New York, school buses that were sitting idle all day while the children were in classes, are now being used to transport people to community centres, shops or museums.  
In Peru and Bolivia, older citizens join 'white brigades' (so-called because most people have white hair) to help prepare their local communities for natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods. 



And in Thailand, elderly people run farms where they raise chickens and ducks, breed frogs and crickets (both of which they eat) - and cultivate mushrooms.

It may sound a world away from our lives in Britain, but the idea behind it can apply to almost anywhere.  The members do it, they say, to stave off their loneliness and to boost their self-esteem, 

at a time in their lives when they feel nobody values them any more.  

And many old people in Britain can relate to that.

* Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Rags make paper;
   paper makes money;
     money makes banks;
        banks make loans;
            loans make beggars;
               beggars make rags;

Rags make paper;
   paper makes money;
     money makes banks;
        banks make loans;
            loans make beggars;
               beggars make rags;

TRAVEL IDEAS

It's a long time since I've had a holiday abroad - in fact we've never actually had one together. So my last 'expedition' was at least ten years' ago. That one was 'only' a (wonderful) coach trip to Ireland, so didn't need much planning on my behalf.  I feel really out of practice, so far as packing/ travelling is concerned.  Now that I've just bought a ten year passport it's time to dust off the suitcase and plan a trip (or two!).  These notes will made a good aide-memoire: 

 BEFORE WE LEAVE:

• Make a photocopy of my passport and keep it separate from the original.  It can make a crucial difference in speeding up a replacement passport if the original is lost.
• Carry our money in our socks/wear a money belt/put a padlock on our rucksack to avoid muggers/theft.
• Always pack spare clothing for a day and a night in our hand luggage in case our main bag is lost.
• Pack clothes in plastic bags so they are neatly divided and easy to pack and unpack.
• Take carpet-electrician's tape to repair broken luggage or holes in mosquito nets.
• Moist wipes are handy (!haha) for freshening-up on planes and at airports.
• Make a list of things to pack and routines that must be accomplished before leaving.  For example, remind  myself to take toothbrush and cancel the papers.
• Pack some safety pins; good for repairing ripped clothing.
• Buy a 'universal' sink/basin plug from a DIY shop before leaving, in case I want to do some washing and there's no plug in your hotel wash basin.
• Write the addresses of people we want to send our holiday postcards to on sticky labels before we leave, to save time on holiday.
• Take an umbrella: good for when it rains and to use as a shade when the sun gets too hot.

TOP TIPS

• For fresh, crunchy vegetables when abroad: grow your own!  Mung beans, lentils and alfalfa, for example, sprout in water and, in hot climates, will grow in a day.  You can use any container to grow them in, but make sure you use purified water.
• When visiting hot countries where you need to use long drop toilets or head for the bushes, rub your bottom with insect repellant! 
• If you want to cool a bottle of beer or wine but don't have a fridge or ice, just pour water over a sock, place the bottle in the sock and hang in the shade.  The breeze helps the water evaporate, taking heat from the bottle and cooling it.
• Save out-of-date and useless plastic cards to form the basis of a dummy wallet that could fool muggers when abroad.  
• Only write your destination address on luggage labels when you are departing on holiday.  Put your home address on them only when you are returning.  If you print your home address on the way out, someone could read the label at the airport and pass it on to burglars.
• Take the empty cardboard cylinders left over from kitchen rolls on holiday with you.  It's a great way to bring back those eye-catching prints.  Roll and gently place in the cylinder and the prints will be ready for framing when you return.

DAFT TIPS (?)

• Pack only one set of clothes and fill the rest of your bag with washing powder (not be confused with certain 'powers' which people may smuggle!).  This will not only dispel the myth that all travellers smell, but your bag will get lighter as you travel.
• Cut out pieces of brown paper and put them in your shoes or socks when flying.  A way to avoid jet-lag(!?)

CHEEKY TIPS

• On some 747 long-haul flights you can slip into a spacious curtained area with seats reserved for cabin staff at the back (as long as they are busy serving passengers). Of course you move out when the stewards come off-duty.

TERRIBLY BRITISH

• Always take a few tea bags.  You can't beat a good cup of tea in the middle of nowhere when you've been away from home for a few weeks.

ANORAKISH (sounds like me!)

• Take a piece of credit card-sized cardboard on which the Sterling equivalent (of the currency of the country you're visiting) can be summarised in graduated amounts on both sides.
• Take sticky-back clothes' hooks, in case your hotel doesn't have enough.
• A multi-pocketed waistcoat can act as an extra piece of luggage, holding in-flight necessities, without taking up vital room in your hand luggage.
• Cover your travel guidebook with brown paper to extend its life and also to avoid looking like a tourist.

Most Obvious Tip: Go to places we intend to like!

Now . . . where did we put our passports?

And. leading on from the above - The Oldest Tricks in the Book
Tourists are often easy prey for muggers, but by following these simple guidelines you can avoid becoming a victim.

Any con artist will tell you that tourists make easy targets.  But being aware of some of the classic tricks perpetrated on innocents abroad might just h elp you to avoid becoming a victim.  Watch out for following time-honoured tricks and remember these rules described by a Metropolitan Police Officer: "Avoid overt signs of wealth. Avoid looking too much like a tourist. Only carry the amount of money you need each day and conceal it around your person. Be extra careful with rucksacks, which easy to rob while on your back.  If you are robbed, don't resist. Don't put yourself at risk".

The red herring: working as a pair, Bandit A creates a decoy to attract your attention while Bandit B picks your pockets or steals your bag. A popular decoy is the 'soiled shoe' scam, in wich Bandit A draws your attention to the fact that a bird has deposited something unpleasant on your shoes.  In reality, the bandit will have squirted toothpaste on you.  While he helps you clean up, Bandit B makes off with your bag.
Also watch out for old ladies dropping groceries in your path, clumsy people bumping into and the 'student' who seems particularly keen to try out his English.
Counter measures: If anyone makes any attempt to slow you down, put your hand on your money and documents which should be kept close to you in a body belt or inside pocket.

The friendly warning: Taxi drivers sometimes get paid by hotels to introduce new customers.  If a taxi driver tries to talk you out of going to your hotel and suggests a 'superior' alternative, be suspicious.
You might be told your hotel is rife with Legionnaire's Disease or has just burnt down.  Drivers sometimes work in pairs.  Be sceptical if a seemingly unconnected person flags down your cab and explains in excited tones that the body count at your disease-infested hotel has risen to 25.
Counter measures: Insist on stopping to call the hotel.

The sex trap: No-one admits to falling for this one, but it does happen.  An attractive female - or, indeed, male - charms you into inviting her to your hotel room where, while you county your blessings in the bathroom, she escapes with your credit cards and duty-free gold watch.
Counter measures: Men in particular often let optimism cloud their judgement.  Trust your instincts.

Daylight robbery: Sometimes you can find yourself in a position where it's almost impossible not to buy some cheap made-for-tourists tat at a ridiculously inflated price.  Anyone who has travelled in Morocco or Turkey knows how difficult it can be to escape a carpet seller once you've entered his den.
Scamsters try to tempt tourists into such shops through trickery.  Beware of the 'guide' who offers to show you around the market then leads you to his cousin's carpet emporium. 
Be wary of roadside breakdowns. Apart from being a regular decoy used by out-and-out thieves, supposed victims of breakdowns might be so grateful for the lift which you felt obliged to offer that they invite you for tea in ... their cousin's carpet emporium.
Counter measures: Know which souvenirs you want to buy and how much you are prepared to spend.  Be firm but polite in refusing a purchase.

The bogus official: This can be a little more serious.  Police and government corruption is rife in some countries.  Beware any illegal activity.  Occasionally the police work with drug dealers to frame tourists.  A dealer offers you drugs and, even though you refuse, the police arrest you for consorting with a known dealer.  In these cases the police might be looking for a bribe.
Bogus officials often hang around government buildings, so when you go to buy a trekking permit or renew your visa, you find yourself intercepted by a scamster.  At best, the scamster helps you cut through the red tape for a hefty fee or, in the worst case, you hand over your documents or money to someone posing as a government official who promptly disappears.
Counter measures: Avoid any activity which might interest the policy.  Ask public officials for identification unless you are confident you are dealing with the right person.  But if you don't mind paying extra it can be worth using a local person to help you fill out those complex forms.

The Suzy Lamplug Trust (http://www.suzylamplugh.org/ and http://www.suzylamplugh.org/personal-safety/worldwise-general-personal-safety-travelling-advice/) gives lots of information regarding safer travel.  Also Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/) has lots of advice.  They say that the most important thing is not to look like a victim, if you do, people will pick you out.

However, there was not much that could be done by one tourist: he was driving a hire car in Brazil and a con man threw a boa constrictor through the open window at a traffic light.  Of course, he then jumped out, and the con man got into the car and drove away.

. . . And another article: 10 most common scams

It's the violent muggings that make the headlines but there are slealthier crimes against tourists.  Here are some of them:

Hit and Run: Busy streets, lifts, markets and stations are the obvious venues.  While moving through the bustle you bump into a passer-by; you both proffer apologies, you brush yourself down and move on.  It's only later you notice you're travelling light - your keys, wallet and phone have long gone.

Flat Tyre: You're driving along the motorway and a driver pulls up alongside you, pointing to one of your rear tyres and gesturing to you to pull over.  You stop on the hard shoulder and the good samaritan draws up behind, insisting on helping.  While you lift the car with the jack, he lifts all your valuables from the front seat and with a friendly wave is on his way.

Scanner Scam: Going through congested airport security checks might be less safe than you think.  You place your new laptop on the belt while waiting for a couple of people to go through the metal detector. The first passes but the second person triggers the alarm and laboriously takes out all his coins, jewellery and boiled sweets from his pockets.  By the time you go through, the first person has long gone, as has your laptop.

Clean-up: You're walking down the street admiring the sights when you feel the unmistakable splat of bird droppings on your shoulder.  As you stop to examine the damage, an amiable local appears at your side.  He helps you take off your jacket and clean off the mess.  He also cleans out your wallet.

Bent Exchange: Blinded by the apparently great exchange rates offered by the hustler on the street corner, you hand over your readies for what seems a huge pile of notes.  Wary of your new currency being stolen, you tuck the notes away.  It's only when you open them in the safety of your hotel that you realise they have been padded out with newspaper cuttings or Monopoly money.

Credit-card clones: Credit-card fraud has gone hi-tech.  When you pay for a meal in a restaurant, the waiter takes away your credit card and swipes it - twice; once through the payment machine and once through a palm-sized electronic devise, which records all the information contained on the magnetic stripe.  It takes only a few seconds.  Your card is returned and you're none the wiser that it has a clone - someone somewhere will be enjoying a spree at your expense.  These card-cloning scams are just as common in shops and service stations.

Slow count: Unscrupulous cashiers adopt suspect counting methods when handing over money to foreigners.  With irregular pauses they miss out number sin the count back in the hope that tourist is not concentrating or does not understand.  More often than not the inadequate change will be gathered up and with a cheerful 'thank you' the traveller will be on his way.

Passport, Please: Wearing a stolen hotel uniform, the conman approaches the guest, saying that he needs his or her passport to make a photocopy for the hotel's records.  He never reappears. A stolen passport can fetch thousands of pounds on the black market.

Fishy Business: On the Continent fish restaurants often allow patrons to choose the catch they intend to consume.  The price is given per kilo, but owners often overestimate the weight and charge extortionately.  If you don't ask the price first, it might be difficult to prove your case once the evidence has been swallowed.

Beggar, Me?:  Doleful-eyed child beggars carrying placards pleading for money can fool even the most experienced traveller.  Naturally you bend down to read their desperate message; in the mean time your rucksack, bag or wallet is being rifled by a light-fingered accomplice behind you.

I'm sure we wouldn't fall for any of these . . . or would we?

See also http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/travel-rights/holiday-scams/, http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2010-06-03/five-holiday-scams-to-watch-out and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10522923

And a few more:

How to see off the world's swindlers

All over the world, tourists are easy prety for scammers and street criminals.  Statistics are notoriously difficult to compile because the vast majority of victims don't want to take time out of their holikday to report what is often only classed as 'petty crime'. But some do.

Last year the police in Barcelona, one of Europe's top 10 holiday destinations, were told about more than 100,000 individual thefts.  Figures in Britain show that ppickpocketing has risen 17% in the past two years.

Here is some interesting information from the makers of Scam City TV show for the National Geographic Channel:

In each episode they went under cover in a different city to investigate the criminal gangs that prey on tourists and travellers.  They wanted to find out who these people were and, more importantly, to document how they operate.  Here are the most common scams to which travellers fall prety - and some advice on how to avoid them.

Bangkok gem scam:  A must-see tourist stop in Bangkok is the temple at Wat Pho. The scammers are wise to this and take up positions 500 yards or so from the entrance.  As you arrive they helpfully inform you that today the temple is closed, even though it isn't.  The scam involves them offering to take you to see an alternative, which their tuk-tuk-driving friend will take you to free to charge.  It sounds great, until you realise he's taking you to a few jewellers' shops along the way, all of which sell over priced gemstones.

Tip: In the first instance, check for yourself whether the temple really is closed.  If you find yourself ushered into a jewellery shop, smile graciously, thank them for the advice and leave.

The Istanbul fake friend scam: You'll never walk alone in Istanbul for long.  The city is full of friendly young men waiting to be your new best friend.  They'll approach you in the street or in a bar and welcome you to Turkey by buying you a beer.  What could be friendlier? Then they invite you to another bar.  The only problem is the drinks in that bar cost £80 each.  When it's time to pay you're left with a whopping bill.  Your new friend offers to pay half but of course the bar never charges his credit card.  After he has said goodbye he doubles back to get his commission.

Tip: The best way to avoid this is something your mum told you years ago - never accept drinks from strangers.

Pickpockets in Barcelona: In Barcelona, they infiltrated a gang of pickpockets to get an insider's view of how they work.  These gangs have rules - never steal from locals and always work in crowded areas.  

That means they work the Metro during the day and the Ramblas at night.  They target bulging back pockets and bags slung over shoulders.

From: http://traveltipsbook.com/how-to-prevent-against-being-pickpocketed/

Their skill levels are incredibly high - undoing a bag zip while climbine a flight of stairs is no problem to them.  Within an hour spent with my new 'friends' they had pilfered four wallets, a phone and a pair of reading glasses.

Tip: When you're on the Metro in Barcelona, carry all your valuables in front of you where you can see them, it may feel uncomfortable but not as uncomfortable as gueuing up to report them lost at the police station.

Guided tours in Rome: People often ask me what they can do to prepare for their trip before they leave home.  Booking activities in advance is a great idea - especially in Rome, for sights such as the Vatican or the Colosseum.  

Guided tours are a lucrative business for scammers and some of the tour operators are controlled by the mafia.  They charge a premium rate, but your guide turns out to know less than you do about the Romans or Renaissance art.

Tip: The reputable tour guides are all online so if you book ahead, you avoid the risk.  So far the scammers haven't caught on to the online potential but it won't be long before they do, so be sure to pick a company with good reviews on websirtes such as Tripadvisor.com.

Counterfeit currency: Watch out fgor counterfeit money, especially outside Europe.  Many businesses that deal with tourists have become willing distributors and taxis are notorious for passing off fake bills in their change.  The time to be on your guard is just after you've handed over your fare.  Keep your eyes on your driver - this is the prime time for them to slip in a few dodgy notes.

Tip: Keep your eyes on the cash during a transaction, always check your change and don't be afraid to return a dodgy-looking note and ask for another.  Better still, carry lenty of change, so you can hand over the exact fare.

Rug shopping in Marrakesh:  If you're off seeking winter sun in Marrakesh this year then beware.  No trip to Morocco is complete without buying a carpet.  The general rule is the older it is, the more valuable.  They discovered a rooftop factory bleaching rugs to make them look aged and these were being sold to tourists as 'antique' for many times their real value.

Tip: If you genuinely want to buy an old rug, the safest bet is to head out of the souk to Marrakesh New Town.  You may pay a little more but the bigger shops have cleaned up their acts.

Delhi doctor's visits: Tourists are not always the victims of the scammers' crimes.   One of the most shocking scams uncovered was in Belhi.  Initially, they'd been tipped off that many of Delhi's doctors have fake credentials and are in fact no more qualified than the rest of us to prescribe medicines.  

However, they then toured the clinics with the fake sore tummy that they'd perfected during school days, a shocking truth emerged, it's the real doctors you need to watch out for!

On several occasions genuine, bona fide, registered doctors suggested that together they could inflate the medical bills, and therefore the insurance claim, by adding treatments and drugs that had never been prescribed.  The costs for this unorthodox service?  50% of the profits.  Of course, client confidentiality was 'assured' but if your insurance company catches you engaged in this kind of activity, they you'll need another type of processional altogether!

Tip: If you're ill, go to hospital, not a doctor's surgery.

Footnote: Watch a woman confessing to drugging tourists and stealing their belongings in Argentina (see: telegraph.co.uk/travel).  I know this can happen, it happened to a close relative only last year.

Diary of a House Seller and Buyer
Part IV, July

1 July: Just returned from a weekend in Derby. The survey has been received by email, with hard copy to follow by post.  It looks very comprehensive.  Lots of little things need attention.  Some of them urgently. With surveys it's quite a challenge to work out what matters and what can wait - or even be largely ignored.  

Surveys are set out well these days, with sections for each part of the property, so, although it was very long, it was comparatively easy to understand. There was a summary, with recommendations for work to be done.  A section of legal stuff which could be forwarded to the solicitor:  what the surveyor thinks the solicitor should investigate.  Finally there were suggestions about general property upkeep.  So a good aide-memoir for the future.

This morning we re-viewed the property, spending enough time to see everything properly, instead of being rushed around.  Much of the place was better/bigger than we remembered.  Having viewed the survey it was interesting to spot what had been highlighted as important. Also see what we thought of the recommendations.
The owner appeared and we had a useful chat with him about small concerns. He is to sort out some of the problems - and leaving other things for us to do if/when we see fit.

So, we feel much easier now, especially as we can see clearly what needs to be done.  Today we thought about where to put the furniture. Then what needs to be bought, such as fridge/freezer, as the agent's details of what was to be left behind were not too clear.

2nd July: Contacted solicitor to ask him to go ahead with the purchase.

4th July: American Independence Day!  And for us, there's lots happening.  According to the agent, our vendor is sorting out the small outstanding jobs which need doing, such as cleaning out drains, and fixing missing roof tile and securing guttering.

Our solicitor has returned paperwork to our buyer's solicitor and is dealing with the paperwork for us re the purchase.   He seems to think it won't be long before exchange of contracts (I wonder what 'not very long' is in solicitor-speak?).
We are still busy packing up and sorting and getting rid of stuff but it's amazing how much is still to be done.  
It's also frustrating when things break, such as the light in the downstairs kitchen's stopped functioning, so it's had to be replaced (won't be our problem soon ...).

Once it stopped raining, I had a wander round the garden, taking cuttings from favourite plants to put in pots and take with us.  If they survive it'll be a nice reminder of our lovely garden here (see photo opposite and above).
  
5 July: I've been busy make a mosaic house number for the new property.  The idea was to use broken up crockery with added bought mosaic pieces.

The mosaic house number gradually being cleaned up.

It's very easy to do:  Take a piece of wood, draw a design on it (no need to be too accurate as these marks won't eventually show).  Cover a small area with pva glue then, with a pair of tweezers, place the mosaic pieces, leaving plenty of space for the grout which will ultimately hold the thing together.  When the glue's dried, grout the whole piece, scraping off the excess.  Then carefully remove any grout which has dried on the mosaic pieces themselves.  This part takes ages but it's very satisfying when the pictures eventually revealed - and voila!

6 July: Received a phone call from seller's agent to say that the damp people had detected no damp in the property - very good!

10 July: It's all been very quiet for the past few days.  We've given away lots of stuff on freecycle but it's amazing the stuff which no-one's been interested in.  Perhaps it's because the weather's improved and people are out doing stuff.  

One lodger is departing at the beginning of next week, so we'll be able to sort out his room and give it a good clean.  The other lodger wants to stay until about the 8th August, I said 'fine, but you may find your furniture disappearing under your nose', which he doesn't seem to mind.

11 July:  I'm looking forward to exchanging contracts as then I'll be able to post info on here about where we're going.   In the interim, I've been making sketches on scrap paper of how we could alter the new kitchen.  
At present it's a good-sized room, but there's no utility room for the cats to call their own.  At present we have the washing machine in the utility room, plus scratching post for the cats, together with places for them to sleep and a cat flap for them to come and go as they please at night.

As the new kitchen is L shaped, it's only a matter of putting up a wall (see dotted line on diagram), leaving two oblongs.  There's already a window, which we could alter into a back door (to install the cat flap).  This would make it straightforward taking the damp clothes from the washing machine to hang out in the garden to dry.  It would also mean if someone in the garden wanted to use the cloakroom, they wouldn't have to walk through the house, bringing in mud and dirt.  

12 July: Am feeling nervous as have 'let go' lots of stuff - either on freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org) or to a friend who helps young people starting out who have no furniture of equipment.  
It feels marvellous that these items will now have a new lease of life and be enjoyed and used, whereas here they were 'surplus to requirements'.  But some of these things I loved, am sad to say goodbye to them and hope people like them as much as I did.
13 July (Friday 13th): Sent off deposit to removers, by return they will drop off a load of boxes (included as part of the deal, tape and paper is extra).  
Also heard from the purchaser's agent that the works outstanding will be completed by Wednesday, so someone can pop in and inspect them.

20 July: Outstanding works to new house have been satisfactorily completed.  So am getting excited about moving in and altering new house to suit.  Have been thinking that, if we're going to put a new roof on the kitchen, it might be worth at the same time extending the back bedroom and adding an ensuite.

24 July: We've been down to Cornwall for the weekend, to sign contracts for buying and selling and at the same time saying goodbye (for the moment) to many friends.  However returned this evening to problems with our buyer ... watch this space.  We were to exchange this week and, hopefully, move in two weeks ...  So now may need to cancel the removers, the new talktalk telephone contract - and the new bed!

24 July: Last weekend we visited our solicitor to sign paperwork for sale and purchase of the properties. However, when we saw him on Saturday the solicitor was bemused as he hadn’t received anything from our purchasers. 

25 July: we've just had a call from our agent to say, mysteriously, he can’t get hold of the purchaser(!)

28 July:  Today, Thursday, finally had a call from the Agent saying that apparently the purchasers had had a row and ‘he’ had gone off last Friday – and no-one had heard from him since, not even ‘her’.  So perhaps this sale may be off, unless they (a) get together again and (b) still want this property ….. rather a long short.

31 July: On top of all this, our telephone provider decided to cut us off!? No advance notice.  What they imagined we were going to do until we moved, I do not know.  We have no phone, no internet.  I’m devastated and don’t know what to do! 

I spent nearly an hour, spread over three phone calls, yesterday trying to sort it out – and the soonest we can be reconnected is two weeks’ time!!  Bad management.

They admit their error and have filed a complaint for me.  If we are selling the house – and possibly buying one too – then a landline and email are vital.