Posted on

Tips for when you are sick while travelling

Stock up on food known for it’s vitamins and nutrition

First thing to do is make sure you fuel your body with what it needs to help you recover so think anything with vitamin c and zinc – fruit, fruit juice, vegetables etc

Raid the pharmacy section in the supermarket

If you don’t have anything on you, hit a supermarket as soon as you can. Most roadhouses will have the basics too, it will just be a bit pricey.

I’d recommend travelling with some basic vitamins, cold remedies, muscle rubs and pain killers anyway, as you never quite know when you’ll become under the weather and it could be in the middle of no where!!

Tell those you are travelling with

Definitely let those you are travelling with know and don’t feel you have to keep up with them but take time out if you need it and chose easier activities or walking routes.

If you are travelling solo, strike up a conversation with others staying in your accommodation, or even the staff where you are staying, as you never know what they may have in their first aid kits that could help.

Stop and rest

When you are ill your energy often plummets. It’s really easy to keep going when you are travelling and power through so you don’t miss out on anything or because you have a trip already planned. This can potentially knock back your recovery and it might be wise just to stop and relax in one place for a bit so you can rest up and let your body heal, allowing you to hit the road with more energy and probably more enjoyment!

Use Medicare and go to a bulk billing doctor

If you are from the UK, and some other countries (check the Aussie government website), you can sign up for medicare which gives you free appointments with the doctor. I would definitely recommend making this a priority when you arrive in Australia and before you set off travelling around the country. If you do go, make sure you go to a bulk billing doctor which you’ll be able to find on Google, otherwise you could be charged.

Posted on

6 Things Every Good Traveler Needs in their Backpack

I’ve been on the road a while and over time have added and thrown things out of my day bag. As you know, when you are carrying your whole world on your back while backpacking around, space and weight are of a premium! In this post I wanted to touch on what I now regularly take in my day bag in the hope that it helps you decide what to buy, pack and find a way to squish into your pack. I am also keen to hear what you guys have discovered are travelling essentials.

1. Bags in Bags!

So as well as the nearly obligatory pack-able shopper bag you need these days, I have also taken to making sure I have a waterproof dry bag in my day pack which I can put all my valuable electronic items in. This not only keeps them safe but is also a great carry case if I just want to take those with me and leave the backpack behind – brilliant on group travel tour buses when you are constantly nipping off the bus to take photos or buy snacks at the roadhouse and don’t need all your stuff, just the essentials.

2. Water Bottle

A re-useable water bottle is a must and I have attached a caribener to mine so that I can secure it to my bag.

3. Traveler’s Handy Kit

So I now regularly carry a small kit of essentials and handy items that literally get me through the day and I’d be stuck without them. In this small bag I carry: –

  • Tissues
  • Small pack of baby wipes
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Lip balm
  • Hand cream
  • Plasters
  • Pain killers
  • Nail file (for the ladies!)
  • Anti-allergy pills

4. Electronics

We can’t really live without them now. I always have my phone, phone charger and power bank as a staple.

On top of that I have my camera and Go Pro and SD cards, plus their power cables so I can charge up from my power bank as needed.

Plus, for the long bus journeys, I have a kindle. I also now buy my guidebooks as ebooks to save on space and weight!

5. Items to make you comfy in any climate

Being protected and comfortable in any climate is key to enjoying travel. In my pack I always have everything I need for the sun – always important in Australia – which includes sunnies, sunscreen, hat and an umbrella (good for shade as well as keeping you dry in rain). I also have bug spray and a long sleeved top in case it gets chilly or I feel myself burning and need to protect my skin from the sun.

6. Snacks

You can’t head out on the road without any snacks! As you are never quite sure when the next stop will be and what will be there, I have found having my own supply of snacks and keeping them topped up is vital. I tend to go down the road of some unhealthy sweet stuff like chocolate and some healthy energising food like almonds and fruit. Pick whatever suits you.