Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Internet facilities at airports have improved dramatically and no-charge kiosks are becoming commonplace. You can log-on for free at Sydney International, Singapore's Changi Airport and Tokyo Narita. Wi-Fi can sometimes be accessed free at Helsinki, Hong Kong, Dubai and Athens. You will need to pickup a p[passwords from the airport's information desk

Airport lounges are not just for First/Business Class passengers, you can take advantage for free-charging travel lounges at most of the major airports.

BookFHR (www.fhr-net.co.uk) has more than 120 pay-per-entrylounges across the globe.

44 Servisair lounges worldwide can be booked at www.executivelounges.com. Three hours costs around €24 with most lounges providing comfy seats, TV, newspapers, food and drinks. Oryx Lounge at Doha (Entry €30 phone::00-974-4465-6658) even has showers.

Airport Spars are starting to spring-up around the world, with treatment tailored to the weary traveller. BeRelax (www.berelax.com offer a 30 minute chair massage from €42) with outlets at Heathrow and Manchester Airports. In the USA look out for XpressSpa (www.xpresspa.com 10 minutes massage - €20) with more than 30 outlets. Amsterdam's Schiphol's 'Back to Life Spa' (www.backtolife.nl/ - €1 per minute) delivers full-body aqua-massage without the need to get wet. Or for those who fancy getting wet - non-guests can use the pool and Jacuzzi at Singapore's Change's Transit Hotel (phone::00-65-6542-5538 - €8-9 includes towels and a soft drink).

Many terminals have air-side hotels so you don't have to navigate immigration to get your head down for your forty-winks. At the 5star Dubai International Hotel, entered via Terminals 1 & 2, you can rent a room in hourly slots (phone:: 00-9714-224-4000 www.dih-dca.com €31/hour, while Zürich boasts rest areas (with reclining chairs, blanket and lockers) and private dayrooms (phone::00-41-438-162108 - dayrooms from €40 for 3hours). If a snooze will suffice, look out for the NapCabs www.napcabs.com have a minimum charge of €30. These have recently been installed at Munich Airport where you can sleep securely in a cozy cabin. For a longer sleep period visit Yotel (www.yotel.com 4hours from €31) at Heathrow, Gatwick and Amsterdam Schiphol.

If you have a decent amount of time, consider a swift trip downtown. You will need to factor in the distance from the airport, and the speed of transfer transport links. Easy airports for excersionsinclude Hong Kong (24 minutes by express train) Sydney (13 minutes by airport train. Kuala Lumpur (28 minutes by express rail link). A worry-free option is to book an airport-organized tour - see what's available at the airport information desk. At Singapore Changi Terminal 2 & 3 you can register for a free trip at the airport tour booth. Or there's the 'Floating Dutchman' amphibious tour from Amsterdam Schiphol (departs from Schiphol Plaza €42pp) If you are feeling confident and fancy going it alone, plan your route carefully, leaving plenty of time to catch your onward flight.

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