For as many times as things have gone swimmingly with regards to going away on that dream trip that’s been lingering in the mind, all it takes is for things to go the other way just once to make up for all those times things went well. We tend to freely plan every last aspect of our trips, taking into account all the fun things we’d like to get up to, but when it comes to planning for the possibility of falling ill abroad, somehow many of us travellers appear to apply a rather leisurely approach.
I’ll reiterate – it only takes falling ill once to learn the hard way just how important planning for that very real possibility is, even if it’s just a minor illness as that too can have a very significant impact on the quality of your vacation.
The Basics – Pack in a First-Aid Kit
You’ll be mega surprised at just how many travellers don’t even cater to their basic health-planning needs by packing in a first aid kit. It’s definitely something which should be incorporated into your travel planning as a standard practice, no matter how basic that personal first-aid kit may be. Trust me, something as simple as having to go out looking for a pharmacy to buy a band-aid for your little cut or nick can turn into one of those unwanted holiday adventures, simply because you didn’t think to put together some basic first-aid essentials, not to mention the time something like that chops off what should otherwise be a relaxing and fun getaway.
The trick to packing a first-aid kit however is minimalism with maximum efficiency. In other words, something like a small bottle of Lennon Turlington Drops is great because this doubles up as an effective cough remedy as well as a disinfectant for open cuts and wounds. You’d perhaps also pack in a box of anti allergy tablets in case you break out with acne or react in some other minor, uncomfortable way to something you might have eaten which doesn’t quite agree with your system, otherwise the first-aid kit is just that – a basic kit of bare medical essentials to use as your “first” aid.
When Things Get Serious
Prevention is always better than cure, but at times all the necessary health and safety precautions you take while away on holiday may not be enough to prevent the onset of an illness that can severely hinder the quality of your holiday. Basically you need to know exactly what to do should the unfortunate become a reality, such as knowing where to go to seek professional medical help if that’s required. That comes with preparation – doing your research on your holiday destination and all the medical facilities available to you, factoring-in considerations such as costs as well.
More importantly though, if you plan on filing holiday illness claims then taking action in reaction to your holiday illness needs to comply with all the parameters governing the claims process, such as making sure you get proper, official records from a professional medical practitioner if that’s one of the channels through which you sought help and something like notifying your hotel of your sickness so that they too have it on record.
Going back to prevention being the best approach, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always your best bet at preventing any illnesses from breaching your defences anywhere, and not just when you’re on holiday. Additionally, pay attention to your domestic tourist department’s warnings and advice with regards to the food you can eat and the food you should avoid while abroad, otherwise travel insurance is something else which you can incorporate into your holiday illness travel planning.