Work in ... South Sudan

Five top tips for working in the world's youngest country

With female police officers waiting for training to begin

1. Take emergency snacks  The number of restaurants is increasing in Juba, the capital, but lunchtime options are limited. Having cereal bars, biscuits and other non-melting snack items in your bag is great for quelling hunger pangs when you just can’t face another club sandwich and chips, dry samosa, or greasy Chinese.

2. Dress smartly for meetings  While you can get away with dresses, smart-ish trousers and shirts at NGO-gatherings or meetings with other expats, meetings with counterparts are more formal. You don't need to cover your hair in South Sudan, but it is advisable to cover your shoulders and knees for formal meetings. Your counterparts are likely to be in suits and will expect you to be suitably attired. Make sure you wear a smart jacket at least – and grin and bear the heat when the air-con fails.

3. Your dirty laundry will be aired in public  If you surrender your clothes to the hotel or guesthouse laundry, your clothes will most likely be dried outside on lines. This is an important point to remember as you pack your dainty, lacy knickers (although you don't need to go as far as paper pants). 

John Garang Memorial Ground, Juba

4. Getting exercise... Certain hotels have some sort of gym facilities (running machine, rowing machine), but the options are limited. For those who get bored of these options, or want to avoid the testosterone, ask around other women for hotels where groups get together to run their own yoga or aerobics classes – perfect for stretching out joints after too long spent on pitted roads. Another option is to take out your own yoga DVD and practice in the comfort and privacy of your room. Central Pub runs salsa classes once a week for a more fun way to get moving.

5. Hygiene – bring your own supplies  Well obviously there isn’t a Boots on every street corner so stock up on feminine hygiene products before you arrive, especially tampons – you'll find them much more easily and cheaper at home.

Travel in ... Armenia

Five top tips for travelling in the country where they claim Noah parked his Ark

Getting your five-a-day is surprisingly easy

1. Dress chic in Yerevan All those diaspora visiting family and bringing their American dollars back to the motherland mean that Armenia’s capital is cosmopolitan. The scene is very much pavement cafés during the day and languid drinks in bars or clubbing in the evening. The level of English in Yerevan is high – expect a warm welcome and impeccable English from younger residents. Armenia has a continental climate: summer is hot, winter is freezing and chic is for all seasons.

2. Take a scarf or shawl for all those churches Claiming to be the first country to adopt Christianity, Armenia has three UNESCO World Heritage churches not to mention countless other monasteries perched in picturesque settings. The younger women in Yerevan may not always cover their shoulders, but outside the capital make sure to cover yours and avoid shorts or short skirts.

3. Be surprised by the food For those expecting a diet of grilled meat and flat bread, you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get your 5-a-day. Home to the apricot and cherry, Armenian cooking can be varied with high quality fruit and veg, nuts and grains. There are plenty of restaurants serving tourists barbecued meat and unadventurous salads, but be picky and you will find restaurants with a more appetising array of choices. Don’t forget the de.li.cious pastries. 

4. Get your cash in Yerevan On the whole Armenia feels safe and non-threatening for female travellers but, apart from the fact there are far fewer ATMs outside the capital, withdrawing cash in other parts of the country often means visiting isolated banks with poor lighting.

5. Take your driving licence Armenia is approximately 1.5 times the size of Wales with beautiful verdant gorges to high, mountain plains. The best way to cover this small and naturally diverse country is by car; signs between major towns are generally good and in English and Armenian. But beware the potholes and cars avoiding the potholes - drivers will go to great, swerving lengths to avoid them and just one vertebrae-crunching experience will show you why.