Traveling abroad is often an exciting time and staying healthy while you travel can help ensure your trip overseas is a happy and enjoyable one.

There's a Chinese saying that says he who has not climbed the great wall is not truly man. Well, increasingly tourists flock to this great wall, but what should you know before you make such a voyage?

Infection control specialist Lisa Taylor says, "If you are planning to travel overseas you should really go and make a visit to your primary care physician. Vaccinations are very specific to different areas of the world to where you might be traveling."

Travel consultant manager Elizabeth Robinettte says that being on a plane packed with people coughing or sneezing near you may also be a reason for concern. "I've even gotten to the point where I've wanted to hand out the masks for people to wear on the planes."

Elizabeth also says that good hand washing and taking your vitamins are ways you can try to avoid catching something on a plane, but for traveling to places like china, jet lag may also be a concern. "Try to avoid drinking alcohol on the plane, caffeine. Drink a lot of water because you become dehydrated on the plane. Jet lag can be real hard on some people."

Registered nurse Cheryl Svochak says "For every hour of time zone that is changed, you need a day to catch up with that and the best way to do that is incorporate yourself with the time schedule in which you are in."

Flying east is reportedly harder than flying west - but that may vary from person to person. No matter where you're going, just remember you need to be prepared and thinking of things from immunizations to jet lag.

And for more information with the most up to date travel advisories you can visit the center for disease control at www.cdc.gov.