Some Sickness Got You Down?

Traveling While Sick

As I write this post, I am fighting the third day of torture wrought by a cold.  The entire duration of this sickness will occur while I am abroad.  This is not my first, fifth, or last sickness I caught while traveling.  Thankfully I am recovering quickly due to a few self-imposed rules that I share here.

Rule # 1: Make Sleep a Priority

Traveling is tiresome and often (especially when traveling long distances) travelers can be left sleep deprived for days, lacking the ability to "catch up" on their sleep while on their trip.  Who wants to risk missing a day trip to some ancient ruins and checking out the local nightlife, when all you need to do is miss a few hours of shut eye.  Every time I have caught a cold while traveling the last few years I was sleep deprived.  Going on tours all day and staying up to party all night, even if I did not over do it on the alcohol, left me more vulnerable to whatever virus seemed to be hanging around at the time.  I still have to practice either prioritizing the excursions I want to do or shelling out the dough so I have plenty of time to see everything with a good night's rest every night.  

Once I get sick, sleep becomes an even bigger priority.  I know if I listen to my body and hit the hay every time it asks, I will recover days sooner and be able to enjoy the rest of my trip on a high note of health.

Rule #2: Come Prepared

Too many times have I woken up in a hotel room, tent, or cabin on a cruise ship dying for an apsrin/aleve/other medicine.  Now I keep bottles of every important (as in I don't have time to wait for the pharmacy to open) medicine in a zip lock bag that lives in my suitcase. Excedrin, ibuprofen, anti-diarreah (I said can't wait for opening hours), and melatonin (to help with sleep, see Rule #1) all live in this bag.  

I was so grateful yesterday to have some immediate relief from the pain in my head by being able to take an ibuprofen immediately in the morning.  While I had to wait to get some decongestant, the waiting was all the more bearable due to the ibuprofen.  I am sure decongestant will be added to my bag of goodies now as well.

Rule #3: Don't Skimp on Sunscreen

A sunburn can be as painful as any cold.  It can put an end to all those awesome hikes and snorkeling adventures I had planned.  Sunburnt lips can also lead to cold sores which limits the amount of exotic goodies I can cram into my face while abroad.  I also pack lysine which is a natural supplement (an amino acid, commonly called the building blocks of protein) that aides in skin repair if I do over do it in the sun.  

Rule #4 Know What You Can/Cannot Get Abroad

Asprin is widely available every where.  It's a given at any pharmacy.  What about pamprin or tampons in a dominantly Muslim country?  What about cranberry juice to fight those urinary tract infections in Northern Europe?  Does that cruise line carry the mosquito repellant I know works so well?  So many health care products we take for granted at home have the ability to be unavailable in other countries or even in other states.  A little bit of research on the front end of what health care products (other than my standard bag of goodies) I should bring is time well spent in my book.