Illness or Injury on Vacation – It’s the Worst!

Illness

Ugh, going on a trip and getting an illness or an unexpected injury. It’s a fear most people secretly . . . or not so secretly . . . harbor when planning a trip.

I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. Getting sick or suffering an injury on a trip you’ve been looking forward to is quite literally The Worst! If you’re a frequent traveler, this inconvenience is bound to eventually happen. Sometimes the cold or flu germs in a foreign country are a little different than what we’ve developed immunity to. These foreign germs find a new victim (us) and attack our immune systems with a vengeance.

Plus, people as a rule are kind of gross. Did anyone else find it odd we had to be told to wash our hands during a pandemic?

Illness is everywhere, how do we avoid it while traveling?

Germs Are Everywhere . . . and Illness Follows

It’s no wonder people often get sick while traveling.

Different countries and cultures have varying hygienic customs.

I love to cruise, but cruise ships are a floating germ party . . . you have no idea how many fellow cruise passengers I’ve seen ignore the happy-happy washy-washy singers. However, I must say that I love the new cruise ship handwashing stations, which you can see in my Cruising During Covid article.

For fun, observe the world around you and watch as people:

• Pick their noses in their cars
• Cough without covering their mouth
• Blow snot out of their nose and out into the world without using a tissue
• Spit everywhere
• Don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, even on the airplane (we hear everything that goes on in the airplane bathroom, including whether or not you flush or wash your hands)
• Spittle when they talk (at some point a rogue illness-tainted speck of spittle is going to land near your nose or mouth and make its way into your system)

Watch out for your germy enemies. They are everywhere!

The Squatty Potty is Your Friend

I remember the first time I used a Squatty Potty.

I was on a very long and bumpy drive between Thailand and Cambodia and our van stopped at a rest stop. We all hopped out to use the facilities and discovered instead of a normal toilet there was a white ceramic hole in the ground. 

Completely grossed out and feeling very ungraceful, I pulled down my shorts and squatted over the hole, certain I was about to make an enormous mess.

My first thought was, “Dude, this is terrible!”

But then I realized my bare skin wasn’t touching anything.

In fact, I found the whole squatty potty business was quite comfortable and surprisingly sanitary. After I finished I stood up, washed my hands and was on my way, no worse off. 

Mentally Prepare for Squatty Potties

I’ve encountered many other squatty potties in public restrooms in my travels across Asia. You will occasionally find American-style toilets, but they’re reserved for the handicapped and the elderly.

Every time I step into a squatty potty stall my first reaction is still, “Oh no, Gross!” But, once I’m in the squatting position I always realize I’m actually very comfortable and oddly grateful my skin isn’t touching anything.

Side Note

When visiting China be sure to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. In addition to the gaggles of tourists, China has such a huge population and I found that toilet paper and soap weren’t usually available in public restrooms. In the morning I’d grab a handful of tissues from the hotel and put them in my pocket and I was good to go.

It’s a good idea to carry your own toilet paper or tissue while you’re traveling in general. You just never know.

Be Prepared

I carry a very small mini-pharmacy with me when I travel. Here’s what I take with me, and why:

Band-Aids/Bandages

Unless you’re a marathon runner, chances are good you’re going to get a blister on your heels or between your toes at some point during your trip. Carry bandages with you and cover up the damaged skin the moment you notice the discomfort. I love to shop for bandages in foreign countries, their selection is way more interesting than what you’ll find at home.

Ibuprofen

I’ve experienced headaches, sore throats and pulled muscles during my travels. If you forget to bring ibuprofen, you can find it at any pharmacy but you’ll generally need to buy it from a pharmacist. 

Benadryl

I always keep a dozen or pink Benadryl in my bag for allergies or bee stings. I was once stung by a bee multiple times in the Czech Republic and was grateful I’d brought a stash of antihistamine.

Tablet Pepto Bismol/Imodium

For obvious reasons.

Chapstick/Carmex/Blistex

Different climates will do weird things to your lips and the inside of your nose. Be prepared by carrying your favorite lip ointment. It’s also fun to shop for different types of lip ointment in foreign countries, their selections are interesting.

Muxinex/Tylenol Cold and Flu/Theraflu

I always keep ten or so Mucinex or Tylenol Cold and Flu tablets with me. If I catch a run-of-the-mill cold these will keep the symptoms at bay.

Optional Additions:

Allergy Pills/Nose Spray

I’m allergic to hay, cherry blossoms and cats. I always keep two weeks worth of seasonal allergy pills with me and a nose spray. I refuse to let my seasonal allergies take away my fun. 

Antibiotic Ointment

If you can, carry a small tube of antibiotic ointment. It will come in handy for scrapes and blisters. 

Note on Carrying Medications for Illness or Injury

It’s a good idea to research whether or not your specific OTC medication or prescription medication is allowed in the country you’re visiting. There are some countries that do not allow over-the-counter cold medicines to be brought inside their borders. (Hello Mexico!) 

Being sick on a trip sucks, I hope by carrying a mini pharmacy, you can pre-mitigate smaller problems. 

Illness and Accidents Happen

I personally have never needed medical care outside of the United States, but I do know people who have. 

Allergic Reaction on Cruise

One friend had a severe allergic reaction while we were on a cruise ship in Turkey. The ship arranged for an English-speaking hospital representative to meet us at the port and we were driven to a local health clinic. Through the English-speaking interpreter, the clinic recommended an ultrasound and prescribed an antibiotic.

Total Cost

With the transportation, clinic visit, ultrasound and prescription, her bill came to $300. She paid with a credit card and it was later reimbursed by her health savings account. She had to refill the prescription in the USA and it was almost as much as her entire hospital bill in Turkey. Boo.

Hit By a Bike

Another friend was hit by a bicyclist in London. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, received an x-ray and learned she had a fractured pelvis. She very uncomfortably flew back to the USA a couple of days later.

Total Cost

London has socialized medicine and she paid nothing for her ambulance ride or emergency care hospital visit.

Travel Insurance for Illness or Injury

I’ve never purchased travelers insurance, and every country charges for medical care differently. I’d guess that most of the time if you need emergency medical care outside of the United States that it’ll be cheaper than what you pay in the United States. When you return home, you can also always try to get your health insurance to help cover the cost of your foreign medical bills. 

Medical Tourism

On the flip side, medical tourism outside of the United States is a huge industry. I met a man from Germany visiting Budapest for the sole purpose of getting all of his dental work done because it was so much cheaper. 

I don’t know anyone who will fess up to trying it out, but I’ve heard that elective surgeries followed by time spent at a “Resort Recovery” are very popular and incredibly inexpensive in places like Mexico and Thailand.

In fact, if you visit the border mall between San Diego and Tijuana, on the Mexico side you’ll see an enormous building with an enormous sign in English advertising cheap plastic surgery. What great advertising. I bet they make oodles of money!

Illness and Google Translate Are BFFs

If you fall ill and you’re far away from home, I sincerely hope it’s something minor.

This situation is also where Google Translate or some other language translating app would come in very handy.

Using Google Translate, I’ve never had any trouble explaining to a pharmacist in a foreign country what I need. I’ve found I enjoy wandering around pharmacies in other countries, just to see how different they are and what’s available. A lot of pharmacies, especially in Europe, are like tiny Wal-Marts. Pop inside and have a look, but please don’t spread any germs.

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

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If you’re wondering what prompted me to share my travel knowledge, check out the About Me section.

I’d love to hear about your travel experiences, good and bad. We’ll all be better travelers if we learn from one another. 

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, I took the photo of the Squatty Potty, the rest came from Unsplash.