Solo travelling is a dream come true for so, so many of us. Wanderlust is a very real feeling, and one that a great many of us are lucky to feel. It’s a catalyst, that spurs us on to see what there is to see out there in that wide world – an opportunity for us to expand our horizons, and become better for it.
Enigmatically beautiful as a solo trip can be, it can also be a dangerous undertaking. Travelling at all takes a toll on your health, but doing so alone (and, presumably, for a long period of time) is almost guaranteed to have some impacts on your health. At least, if you don’t take the following steps to keep yourself healthy. Let’s find out how to stay on top of your health while travelling solo.
Prepare Before You Depart
Preparation for a healthy trip starts well, well in advance of your actual departure date – and depends greatly on where you’ve decided to go. Different regions in the world are home to different diseases, which you will not have any natural immunity or pre-existing vaccination to. As such, you’ll want to arrange vaccinations for relevant diseases before you travel.
It’s also crucially important that you don’t overlook health insurance as a necessary expense. Things happen, even with the best of intentions and the most cautious of approaches; you do not want to be stranded in a foreign country with no healthcare and no money.
Stay Aware Of Sexual Health
It may be an uncomfortable topic to face head-on, but it’s important to do so before you leave; sexual health is and always will be a vital consideration when it comes to keeping well, and does not diminish itself when you go on holiday. Indeed, the social freedom that comes with exploring a new culture and environment can seriously increase health risks.
You may not be travelling with the intention of finding love, but it remains true that a considerable number of travellers have sex with a new partner while travelling. In the interests of preparation and prevention, practising safe sex and arranging post-travel STI checks like a syphilis test are important things to bear in mind, even if only for ensuring peace of mind after your travels.
Eat, Drink And Rest Wisely On The Road
Health is a holistic thing, and requires you keeping up the good fight on multiple fronts. One of the more direct ways you can engage with your health while travelling is through food and drink. Always drink bottled water when travelling beyond Europe; tap water isn’t always dirty in non-European countries, but that doesn’t mean you won’t react negatively to bacteria strains your body isn’t accustomed to. Freshly-cooked meals, by this same token, reduce the risk of stomach issues.