Bulgaria: Do not accept any food or drink from strangers as there is a risk it may be drugged. Vehicle theft, including armed hijacking, has become more frequent. There have also been shootings in public places between rival criminal gangs and a small number of explosions involving home-made devices. Moldova: Avoid non-essential travel to Transdnestria (north-west Moldova), which is not under Moldovan government control and where the security situation is unpredictable.Greece: To counter the continuing threat posed by boat thieves, the Greek authorities have announced measures to tackle the problem, including a 50-strong police unit with the specific task of protecting the coast of Corfu from incursions by criminals.India: There is a serious risk of kidnapping in the state of Jammu and Kashmir Avoid travel to all parts of the state apart from Ladakh. Travel with a local guide who can ensure that local customs and traditions are not inadvertently breached. A local authority leaflet suggests that Huntingdon is more regularly flown over by military aircraft than by the birds.

Perhaps that's appropriate in a region of political high fliers.. Albania (above): Avoid remote areas, keep valuables secure and do not carry large amounts of cash Take care when in rural areas. American bandleader Glenn Miller used a transport plane from RAF Alconbury on his last flight Alconbury remains a US Airbase and offers tours for groups. Fruit picking at local farms, flour milling for tourists at the 17th-century watermill at Houghton and "watching the mysterious honey bee at work" at Grays Honey Farm in the village of Warboys, are flourishing. But another farm en route, where we had hoped to stop and watch cheeses being made, rang us back sounding sad after our enquiry. "We're sorry, but we don't make cheese here at the moment, because we can't sell our existing stocks rapidly enough."To get a different taste of the past we moved on to Warboys, one of 12 World War Two air bases in the area, chiefly used by American pilots.

During these weekends you learn about wattle and daub, domestic crafts and thatching. Judging by the many well preserved thatched cottages, skilled thatchers have always been in demand in the area. It is also possible to "get on your bike" (or hire one) at nearby Grafham Water, and cycle around the park.The District Council supplies tourist information which states, a little peevishly: "As subsidies diminish and competition from the European market increases, farmers are looking towards diversification to make a living". One of the many activity breaks offered is a weekend of "Back to the Iron Age", which may perhaps be taking "Back to Basics" to an extreme."Back to the Iron Age" happens twice a year - dates for next year's events have not yet been confirmed but are likely to be in May and September. And there's more: Hinchingbrooke House, just outside Huntingdon - now a school but occasionally open to the public - advertises itself as Cromwell's childhood home.Activities at adjoining Hinchingbrooke Country Park have clearly been motivated by contemporary political leadership as much as that of the 17th century.

Young Oliver, and his near- contemporary, the diarist Samuel Pepys, were both educated in a small, 11th-century building in Huntingdon town centre, now the Cromwell Museum. The centrepiece is a huge, wide-brimmed hat, once worn by Oliver Cromwell. Neighbouring St Ives, which also lays claim to Cromwell, has a museum with a proud collection of Cromwellian artefacts. A helpful barman at the nearby Old Bridge Inn explained that this is due to the bridge's joint construction by the Huntingdon and Godmanchester town councils. A closer inspection revealed tasteful decoration on the Huntingdon side and a puritanical design on the Godmanchester side.