When eating out abroad, you should consider taking a break from the tired and trodden ways and giving the usual Chinese fried rice, Mexican tacos or Italian pizza a miss. Instead, it would be a good idea to sample the local food. A little time spent talking to people about where to find authentic local cuisine can lead to a unique eating experience. Give yourself the opportunity to revisit these places (if you decide to go back) by noting their names and addresses.

When ordering your food, take some time to talk to the waiter or waitress to try and understand what goes into the dish and how it is likely to taste. This will also give you an idea of whether it has gravy or not; is boned or a fillet, is hot, sour or sweet; and so on.

Find out also about the portions served as you may end up with too much or too little. It is better to be careful as you may not need a starter if the main course contains all that you want to eat and the portion is large enough.

Another consideration is that in some cuisines, such as Chinese or Indian, several dishes are usually served so the meal becomes more enjoyable if there are a few people eating together. However, some restaurants take orders for mini-platters to cater to individuals.

There is much difference between eating out in developed and developing countries. In the former, prices are much higher and the price difference between a fast food outlet and a regular restaurant can be steep.

In developing countries, however, it is possible to get a decent meal in congenial surroundings at a reasonable price. It is also possible to get that meal at a later hour because restaurants in the developing world tend to stay open longer. In Europe, for example, you can be left high, dry and hungry, with nowhere to go, at 11 p.m. on weekday night. In the United States, though, there are places that are open for a snack or meal around the clock, and some will even deliver to your hotel or home.

When dining out in developing countries, the risk of contamination and infection is higher so you must be careful about the consumption of certain categories of food and beverage. This include:

• Drinking water, soft drinks and other liquids
• Salads
• Fresh fruits and fresh fruit juices
• Uncooked and cold meats
• Fresh cream, ice cream and milk products

Having said this, there are of course, many developing countries where the product quality and standard in these categories are comparable with the best in the world. I have experienced more stomach upsets caused by eating not very fresh food at fancy restaurants in Europe than in some developing countries. The best thing is to be cautious even as one is adventurous.