TO HAVE a truly great memorable grand and enjoyable vacation, from the time you have decided, have a mindset- that you are leaving the comforts, convenience as well as the safety of home- bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, even your favorite comfy slippers.
Of course, there’s no place like home-literally. When a person travels, he/she is exposed to different kinds of environmental elements like temperature, humidity, readily-available source of potable water or urgent need for a restroom.
One of major concerns is allergies- especially for asthmatics who might just choose to go to the US or Europe during spring, March to June when the invigorating cool breeze might just be carrying all those pollens from the flowers and initiate an endless episode of sneezing accompanied by those teary eyes and running nose. Make sure an anti-histaminic, preferably those non-drowsy, once-a-day type is in your tote bag. The conventional original antihistamines could make you drowsy, and you might just miss some spectacular views.
A really big spoiler is diarrhea. The so-called travelers’ diarrhea is caused by the bacterium Escherichae coli; so much so that part of advice of travel agencies is, if you’re going to a developing country or a Third world country, mostly in Asia and Africa, the caveat is not to drink tap water, avoid raw or undercooked meats and seafood, raw fruits and veggies and unpasteurized dairy products.
Also be wary of prepared from street vendors or ambulant food hawkers. The urgency brought about by diarrhea, not to mention some abdominal pain, plus the embarrassing thought of fecal leakage, on top of the sad reality of non-availability of toilet and if there are, so much is desired in terms of their cleanliness should make a traveler t courteously beg off if he/she feels the food might just upset his/her digestive system. Sitting frequently in the toilet bowl in an airplane especially during turbulence is a big no-no.
Thus two-days before the intended departure from home, it’s wise that you stick to your usual diet and turn down offers of exotic unfamiliar foods. There are many over-the-counter antidiarrheal like Loperamide, better yet consult your doctor for a better choice.
Pesky insects and mosquitoes are part of the travel experience. Mosquito repellent with at least 20 percent DEET or 20 percent picaridin-please read the label- can protect you from mosquito-borne infections- remember malaria, dengue, Zika. If you will be outdoors most of the time, apply the sunscreen first then the repellant.
Most tour packages involve a lot of walking, especially in Europe where a bus cannot pass thru the so-called “old towns” because of their narrow, cobbled stone streets. Thus, for the sake of your aching feet, with all its corns, calluses and bunions, and hopefully, not gout- get a very comfortable pair of rubber shoes, or depending on the weather, espadrilles or sandals.
Hunger is another issue, thus if the interval between meals is predictably long, put some candies in your pocket, especially for diabetics, whose blood sugar might just drop, a sandwich to tide you over and please, don’t forget a little bottle of mineral water. Have fun, enjoy, be careful and bring a treasure trove of pleasant memories. Cheers!