Let’s face it; being sick is just no fun. And being sick on vacation can really impede the entire trip and take away from your precious PTO. However, when you get out of your daily routine, it seems inevitable that at one point or another, you will get sick while traveling. I am actually writing this recovering from a cold I picked up in Mammoth. I did not bundle up properly and my body didn’t know how to react to the snow!

To help prevent getting sick in the first place, check out my best tips on staying healthy while traveling. Now, if all else has failed and you get sick while traveling, best of luck to you. These are my best tips for how to get yourself back to 100% as quickly as possible to enjoy the rest of your vacation!

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1. Pack your favorite cold/flu medicine

This one you will have to remember to do before you leave. I also wrote about this in my 2 week Europe packing list post. I always, always bring my favorite cold & flu medicine in case I get sick while traveling out of the country. You never know what other countries will have in their pharmacies, and it is so nice to have on hand when you start to feel unwell. 

2. Chug water and tea

It can definitely sometimes be hard to force yourself to eat or drink when you are sick. However, getting those fluids through your body is essential to recovering quickly. Make sure to bring a water bottle so you can keep it by your side and filled up! These past couple days, I have been drinking tea 2x and large glasses of water about 6x a day. 

3. Continue to eat regular meals

Again, you want to listen to your body and don’t force anything. I’ve found though that when I continue to eat regular, healthy meals, I recover a lot quicker. The body needs those essential nutrients and energy to fight off the illness!

4. Avoid contact with other people

If it is feasible, rearrange your plans so that you can rest in your hotel alone and are not around large crowds. Overexerting yourself will only make it worse and cause your recovery process to take much longer. If you must go out, remember to wear a mask out of consideration for others and the local community. Most employees you interact with in the tourism industry can’t afford to take a day off, so please be respectful.

5. Rest up!

Finally, rest is most important! When I build out my itineraries for my longer trips, I make sure to incorporate rest days. I try to alternate between destinations where there is a lot to sightsee and destinations where we can just relax on the beach. For example, in my upcoming Europe trip, we are planning to go to an all-inclusive Greek resort for 3 days in between Rome and Vienna. This will give us time to relax, enjoy our vacation and quality time together in between two busy cities with lots to do.

Although ideally I would not like to be sick during this rest time, it builds in a buffer to your schedule, just in case. It also gives your body the opportunity to catch up on sleep so you can be ready for your next destination! Comment your best tip for getting over being sick while traveling!
💙mariss