Okay guys, today I’m gonna spill the beans on how I avoided getting totally wrecked by germs on my last trip abroad. Seriously, nothing kills the travel buzz faster than feeling like death warmed over.
The Plan Before the Panic
Right, so flights booked, I was pumped. But then I remembered my disaster trip two years back. Spent half of it curled up in some flimsy hotel bed wishing for mom. Nope, not this time. I was gonna be smart.
First thing I did? Raided my medicine cabinet like a maniac. Grabbed everything I might need:
- The Usual Suspects: Paracetamol for headaches, loperamide for… yeah, that. Antihistamines cos my nose hates new places.
- The Immune Crew: My daily multivitamin stash got packed double-time. Threw in some Vitamin C chewables too, just in case.
- Hydration Heroes: A handful of those electrolyte sachets. Lifesavers if things go south.
- Germ Warfare: Mini hand sanitizer bottles – like, a whole bunch. And yeah, pack of disinfecting wipes.
Airport & Flight – Germ Central Station
The airport? Felt like walking into a giant petri dish. All those people, all that recycled air. Yuck.
- My hands became a sanitizer magnet. Touched a railing? Sanitize. Used the nasty bathroom lock? Double sanitize. Before eating my sad airport sandwich? You guessed it.
- Those wipes came out the second I plonked down on the plane seat. Wiped down the tray table, armrests, the window shade thingy – basically anything my grubby fingers might touch. Guy next to me probably thought I was nuts. Didn’t care.
- Kept water close. Drank loads, like way more than I usually would. That dry air sucks you dry. No booze either – tempting, but nah, not worth the dehydration headache.
Landing & Living There – Dodging the Local Bugs
Touched down feeling okay! Win. But the game wasn’t over.
- Water is Enemy #1 (For Me). Tap water? Forget it. Not even to brush my teeth. Bottled water only, always checking the seal was intact. Ice in drinks? Skipped it entirely. Too risky.
- Street food looked amazing. Smelled even better. But… I played it kinda safe at first. Watched the stall for a bit. Crowded? Good sign. Saw them handling raw stuff near cooked stuff? Red flag, walked away. Cooked-to-order, piping hot stuff became my jam. Ate at that one busy lunch spot three days straight.
- Salads? Looked fresh. But where did that lettuce get washed? Mystery. Stuck with cooked veggies or things I could peel myself. Yeah, peeled my own sad little orange.
- Still pumped that hand sanitizer like it was going out of style. Especially before eating. Sometimes felt like a weird ritual, but hey, no sick days lost.
- Tried hard not to rub my eyes or pick my nose (gross, I know, but we all do it!). Tissues were my friend.
- My body screamed for sleep. I listened. Pushed through jet lag way quicker than last time because I crashed early that first night instead of forcing it. Made a massive difference.
The Moment of Truth (& Victory)
Remembered popping that first vitamin as the plane taxied? Kept that habit up every single morning. Water bottles became my constant companion. That stash of meds? Thankfully stayed buried in my bag.
Ended the trip feeling… actually pretty great? Yeah, tired from all the walking and sightseeing, but not wiped out by some nasty bug. Came home with souvenirs, not souvenirs plus a virus. Huge win.
It felt like a boring, hyper-careful way to travel sometimes, I won’t lie. Skipping that amazing-looking juice, avoiding fresh salads constantly. But honestly? Feeling healthy and strong the whole trip? That made all the little precautions totally worth it. No regrets!
