Welcome to my «Here’s The Thing» series. It’s a compilation of lighthearted columns that examine a slew of challenges in the art of travel, such as dealing with loneliness, making and staying on a budget, ensuring personal safety, finding fun accommodations, overcoming language barriers, dealing with health emergencies, and much more.
This series was born out of many questions asked by friends and family, and out of my love for writing, photography, and backpacking the world. If you appreciate these articles, please leave a comment below (I’d love to hear from you!) and/or share the blog with your loved ones.
Enjoy. And happy travels, my friend.
In Ireland, I abruptly came down with a nasty case of bacterial pneumonia; my fever was so high that I was deliriously talking in my sleep and frightened two young girls in my dorm. The manager of the hostel took great care of me, feeding me medicated broth and applying cold presses to my forehead. I have no memory of her - I was so out of it - and unfortunately, she left for vacation after I recovered and I never got to thank her.
Travelling isn’t always glamorous. At the very least, you can arm yourself with health coverage in case you catch a fairly common bacteria like I did. Furthermore, us Westerners are hardly aware of diseases that are prevalent in countries across the planet. Ever heard of diphtheria? Yeah, I hadn’t either. With a bit of planning and forward-thinking, you can protect yourself from prevalent health hazards in your destination country. Here's how to get started.
BIOLOGY
Immunisations
Visit a travel clinic a few months before leaving to inquire about any vaccines you may need. Give yourself lots of time, as certain immunisations require several weeks and even months between shots. Yellow fever and Hepatitis A (commonly contracted through sexual intercourse, or contaminated food and water) are two of the most common immunisations required for travelling worldwide, and you might need to show proof upon your arrival to affected countries and upon your return home.
Malaria
Malaria is still one of the world’s biggest killers and remains a global health crisis, though we’re fortunate to not worry about it in North America. If you’re travelling to affected countries - especially those in sub-Saharan Africa and SouthEast Asia- you might want to pack some Malarone tablets. It’s the most-tolerated treatment (with little side effects), although no antimalarial drug is 100% guaranteed. Use plenty of insect repellent, long sleeves and pants, and sleep inside a tucked mosquito net.
Rabies
Rabies is on the rise in certain parts of the world - predominantly India, SouthEast Asia and Africa - and it's often dismissed as irrelevant. But with all those Facebook/Instagram reels of travellers rescuing stray dogs in foreign countries, it’s actually quite relevant.
Rabies scares the crap out of me, and not just because of Cujo (Stephen King, you monster!), but because it is quite literally the world’s deadliest disease.
In humans, rabies is 99% fatal. If bitten (or even licked or scratched) by an infected animal, you must get your first shot within 24 hours and before symptoms appear, or you will most certainly die a horrendous death. Then several more shots will be required for you to be out of the woods. Sorry to be morbid. Keep in mind that, depending on where you are, your first and most urgent dose may be difficult to access.
If you’ll be visiting a country with a high rabies rate or if you’re planning to volunteer/work with animals, get your vaccines before leaving (if exposed, you’ll only need two boosters shots). Rabies can lay dormant for months, or even years, after exposure.
Medications
Medications that you typically use at home should be brought with you in small quantities. Don’t wait until you need them to seek them out and never assume you’ll be able to find them abroad. This includes contraceptives and prescriptions, but also painkillers, antihistamines, anti-diarrhea and anti-nausea (motion sickness) tablets. Visit a travel clinic to check which destination-specific medications you might need. I usually stash them in my First Aid kit, with the exception of routine pills (birth control, vitamins, etc.) that I keep in my toiletries bag.
Some countries allow a surprising amount of prescriptions to be given out by pharmacists, so a visit to a clinic to visit a doctor may be unnecessary.
First Aid
A well-assembled First Aid kit will assist with the four most common travel ailments: gastro-intestinal illnesses, injuries/wounds, lung/respiratory infections and general malaise (hangovers and pain). Forget the bulky bottles; buy tiny artisanal sealable bags at The Dollar Store and pack a dozen or so of the following:
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen
Anti-diarrhea and anti-constipation tablets
Antihistamines
Antiseptic spray/antibiotic ointment
Bandages (plasters) of different sizes for cuts and blisters
Flu/fever medication and lozenges
Insect repellent
Water purification tablets
Sports strapping tape
Steri-strips
Regular check-ups
Visit your doctor and dentist for any annual/bi-annual tests or exams before you leave. This will go a long way toward avoiding expensive problems (especially dental ones) down the line.
Insurance
Have your country’s embassy’s phone number in your phone and written down in your wallet; know in which city the embassy is located, and where. This will come in handy if your passport gets stolen, but also in the event of a sudden natural or political disaster.
Protect yourself in case of an emergency and avoid a potentially desperate situation if you need access to affordable and reliable health care. Inquire about your employer’s possible travel health insurance, and purchase any extra insurance that isn’t covered. Bring paper and electronic proof of insurance with you at all times.
Your travel insurance provider can help arrange medical treatment in a sticky situation, so keep their number in your wallet. They can often coordinate payment directly with your clinic or hospital, so you can avoid a hefty bill.
I hate to be macabre with you here, but make sure you have evacuation coverage (in the event of a natural disaster) and repatriation insurance (shipping your body back to your home country if you were to pass away). Gulp. It happens. A friend of my cousin's once drove across the border to Washington State to attend a rock concert, hit a moose with his car and died. He had health coverage at home in Canada, but hadn’t thought of purchasing repatriation insurance for travel (even for a 2-hour drive across the border). His parents were forced to REMORTGAGE THEIR HOME just to get their son’s body back to Canada. Insane.
HABITS
If you’re travelling for short periods, it’s not the end of the world if you get off-track with your health routines. But maintaining your good habits while you’re traipsing around the globe will make an enormous difference in your physical, mental and emotional wellness. Do your best to keep your fundamentals in place.
Sleep
Sounds stupid, but many of the things that apply at home apply on the road. Sleep is no exception. Although it’s more difficult to maintain a sleep routine while travelling (especially if sleeping in dorms), it’s totally possible. If it works for you at home, do your best to keep your sleep schedule going on the road. Learn to sleep with a mask and earplugs to minimise disturbances.
Food and water
If you have access to a kitchen in your hostel or AirBnB, go grocery shopping and prepare your own food (which is much less costly than eating out). I always start out with this intention and it often trickles away, so I roughly stick to a routine: I start my mornings off with a fun breakfast at a different café every morning, then pack a light lunch/snack for the day (nuts, baguette, cheese, apple). Then I try to prepare supper at the hostel in the evening. I usually eat the same thing a few suppers in a row in order to finish off the groceries (ex: When I buy everything to make burritos, I have enough for 2-3 suppers). Or do the opposite: prepare breakfast every morning at the hostel and eat out at a different spot every evening.
Some illnesses are food-borne, especially from unwashed produce - wash and peel/cut your own fruit and veggies. A common misconception is that you get sick from meat but this is less frequent than commonly supposed: bacteria in meat is almost always killed during cooking (unless it’s been sitting out for hours or it's been undercooked). The culprits are usually fruits/vegetables or food that is washed with tap water, or handled with unwashed hands or in unsanitary conditions (ex: salads, sushi, etc.). Keep away from vendors that handle food and money simultaneously.
You might want to buy bottled water in certain areas of the world; their tap water may not be adequately treated but even if it is, you could have an adverse reaction to ‘good’ microbes that you’re simply not used to. Carry a water bottle and water purification tablets with you if you’re sceptical about water quality.
If diarrhea lasts longer than 2 days, see a doctor; you may have caught a parasite or a bacteria.
Print out your allergies or dietary intolerances on little cards in different languages and show them to restaurant employees and food vendors. Avoid any emergencies by checking out allergytranslation.com or selectwisely.com.
Lastly, many illnesses could be lessened or avoided entirely by eating for nutrition. Eat plenty of real, good ol’ fashioned food (non-packaged stuff that could go bad after a while) like fresh fruit you have to peel and not wash (oranges and bananas), veggies, nuts and grains. And then make what I call ‘the fun stuff’ (gelato, sugary pastries, fried foods, local delicacies) the extra splurges. It is possible to stay on budget and stay on point with your nutrition and energy levels.
Exercise
Exercise will be just as important on the road as it is for you at home. The physical and mental benefits are obvious to anyone with a regular exercise routine. Try to spend time outside (ex: walking, hiking and biking). Walk around as much as you can, rather than using public transportation; better yet, give yourself the challenge of walking to any spot that is under a km or a mile away. Bring your runners and discover your new city/town by jogging through it. Yoga is a fantastic way to stretch and relax your mind and body and hostels often host sessions. Along with quality food and sleep, exercise is the best way to avoid feeling sluggish and lethargic while travelling.
Cleanliness
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water - antibacterial gel should only be used as a secondary option.
If you’re the type, you can always take it a step further by wiping down door handles, light switches and toilet handles with antibacterial wipes.
Let's be indiscreet for a second: Do be adventurous and try the ‘bum guns’ in the restrooms in SouthEast Asia (or the bidets in Europe). They are awesome - we all swore we’d install one in our restrooms back home. I didn't, but that's not because they weren't amazing.
Safe sex
We’ve all seen it; two strangers lock eyes in a crowded room and cartoon hearts appear above their heads. Holiday hook-ups are definitely a big thing. Practising safe sex may not seem very different on the road than at home but chances are, you’ll be caught unprepared when travelling. Bring contraceptives along with you, as the quality might be inferior abroad. Order and pack enough birth-control packets to last your entire trip, and add condoms to your toiletry bag to protect from STIs.
Travel burnout
At one point during my year-long backpacking trip, I felt completely worn out. My motivation to go out and see new sights, meet new people and discover new places went out the window. I felt overwhelmed with both guilt and lethargy, and tried reasoning with myself. «So many people would love to be in your position, what is wrong with you? Get out there!» Well, I didn’t know that travel burnout is completely legit, even when everything is going well and there are barely any stressful mishaps.
Actually, that’s when it’ll hit you most. After a stressful event, we often take time to chill out and ‘recover’. But we don’t think of taking mental or physical breaks when everything’s going peachy.
It was part decision-fatigue, part body-fatigue. I’m a huge introvert, but I was jam-packing my schedule, spreading myself thin while maximising my time. I was actively grateful (writing in journals and thanking the Universe out loud at times) for the opportunity for travel, yet trying to fit it all in became exhausting. And I didn’t notice until it hit me like a ton of bricks.
So after six months in Europe, I flew to Australia to stay with friends in the (very cool) city of Melbourne. Except that I wanted to do nothing but read my books and watch movies. My friends were eager to show me around, but I was absolutely cooked. I put pressure on myself to get out and do a few fun things, but mostly I remember chilling out on their couch and feeling guilty about it. I know better now.
So do what you would normally do at home to recharge. Sleep in, read your books, stay in your pjs, watch TV, go for a quiet walk, workout, listen to music. Give yourself that time to breathe. Schedule it in. If need be, search for a few low-key activities to alleviate the feeling that you’re wasting precious time in a country you might not see again. Repeat after me: You’re allowed to chill and not see EVERYTHING.
Happy travels, my friends.
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