Travel: Your questions answered by our panel of travel experts

An off-beat way to celebrate a 50th birthday

My 50th birthday is in February next year. I want a week's special holiday with my wife. She doesn't like skiing and I don't like beaches. We both enjoy food and drink and exploring. We have pounds 1,000 to spend. Can you suggest something alternative and memorable?

Mike Cahill

Kidlington, Oxford

The travel editor replies: For an active holiday in beautiful surroundings with pretty well guaranteed winter sun thrown in, it could be worth trying a pre-planned walking tour of La Gomera, in the Canary Islands.

This is the most uncrowded and unspoiled of the islands, giving walkers a rare "alone with nature" experience. The accommodation is chosen to add to the authenticity of the experience, and includes a restored country mansion, a small pension in a farming community (run by a local restaurant owner and providing traditional Gomeran fare) and a seafront pension in a tiny fishing village.

The price of pounds 652 per person for seven nights is slightly beyond your budget but this is half-board. Available through Sherpa Expeditions (tel: 0181-577 2717).

For a snowy, wintry alternative - which need not involve skiing - how about seven days in the Black Forest, staying at the Hotel Schiff in Schluchsee, Germany? Flying to Basle with Crossair from Heathrow or Manchester, the package then includes rail travel to your destination via historic Freiburg, where you will transfer on to a memorable picturesque rail journey through the Black Forest.

In Schluchsee you can indulge yourself on the food (influenced by nearby France and Switzerland), and witness the local crafts of glass-making, wood-carving and clock-building. In the surrounding woods you can take to the slopes on a sledge or (depending on energy levels) horse-drawn sleigh. You could take a day out to nearby Freiburg, visit historic buildings and museums, or take in a concert or two. Price of pounds 459 includes an information pack on the area with OS map detailing local walking trails. For more information contact New Experience Holidays (tel: 01922 410909).

When long-distance flying can be a pain in the back teeth

My boyfriend is going for some serious dental treatment the day before we fly to New York for a weekend break. I know it sounds a bit bizarre, but I've heard stories about people's teeth exploding in mid- air and we wonder if we should cancel the appointment.

J Stevens

London E5

Dr Larry Goodyer replies: To describe teeth as exploding is a bit of an exaggeration, but people do sometimes complain of tooth pain during flights. Atmospheric pressure changes can cause quite intense pain in filled teeth, a problem sometimes experienced by deep-sea divers. This phenomenon - it's called Areodontalgia - is well known to dentists, but as commercial airlines are pressurised the problem is rarely encountered. Pain can occasionally be felt if there is a space for gas to collect underneath a filling or tooth, so that the small pressure changes at altitude are sufficient to cause problems. Occasionally a recently filled tooth which is still slightly inflamed might be aggravated by the flight. Don't cancel the appointment, but speak to your dentist about your concerns.

In general it is a good idea for all travellers to have a dental check- up, particularly before embarking on a destination where medical facilities are poor. Even if going to New York, where it would be no problem to find a good dentist, I am sure you would not want the inconvenience of organising emergency dental treatment.

If you do have to be treated while away remember that dental surgery could carry a risk of contracting Aids or hepatitis B if equipment is not sterilised properly, particularly if using needles for local anaesthetic injections. Many sterile kits for travellers will include a dental needle. It is also a good idea to ensure the dentist is wearing rubber gloves while working on your mouth. DIY repair kits are fiddly to use and probably worthwhile only if there is to be a delay before seeing a dentist. A dental abscess would be the most serious problem encountered by the traveller and regular sufferers should discuss with their dentist the possibility of travelling with a supply of the appropriate antibiotic.

Dr Larry Goodyer is a lecturer in clinical pharmacy at King's College, London. Contact the Nomad Travel Health Helpline (tel: 0891 633414; calls cost 50p per minute).

Happy trails in store for Texan visitor

We're trying to arrange a visit to the United Kingdom from San Antonio, Texas. We aren't having much luck on this end, as my desires do not fit the usual travel agency profiles. My wife and I would like to spend three to four weeks travelling the island using public transportation and B&Bs. We cannot seem to get anyone over here to help us. Do you know of an agency there that can be useful? The time of year really isn't important but, as we live in a warm area, we don't deal with the cold very well.

Neal Long

Texas, USA

The travel editor replies: If you are planning to travel within the UK independently, without the services of a tour operator, there are plenty of sources of useful information which should help to smooth the progress of your trip.

The British Tourist Authority (BTA) promotes Britain overseas. In the USA, the toll-free hot-line for the BTA (tel: 1800 GO 2 BRITAIN or 212 986 2200) offers advice which includes the best time of the year to travel, accommodation and options available for transport to and within the UK. They do not book anything on your behalf but can give you advice on where to go and can tell you agencies through whom to book. The web site for the BTA is at www.visitbritain.com. It's very comprehensive and is specifically geared to overseas visitors.

As for transport within the country, trains and buses can usually be booked right up to the point of departure. There are special passes and discounted tickets for rail travel that can be purchased through BritRail in the USA (tel: 1888 BRITRAIL). These deals are available only for overseas visitors.

A comprehensive guidebook to British B&Bs is The Good B&B Guide published by Which? and the Consumers' Association. It is available in the USA from book shops that deal with UK imports (ISDN number: 0852026935), or you can order it directly over the internet at www.Penguin.com. The book contains specific descriptions and ratings on hundreds of family-run establishments across the country, which you can book directly.