For the recent winter break, I went to Frankfurt for Christmas and Amsterdam for New Year’s. I was quite excited to see friends and experience Holland, a country to which I had never been.
But then the dreaded thing that all travelers fear happened: I came down with the flu. It began in Frankfurt, the day after Christmas, and continued on into Amsterdam.
Here are my tips for surviving your travels while also having fun and taking care of yourself.
1. Drink lots of fluids. This is a no brainer for when you’re sick, but even moreso when you’re in an unfamiliar country and out and about trying to see the city. And because the majority of countries do NOT, I repeat, do not provide free water in restaurants, it is imperative to carry a bottle with you at all times.
2. Know your limits. When I travel, I love to take advantage of every moment and see as much as I can of the place that I’m in. What I discovered, however, is that when you’re sick it’s more important to pick the one thing you most want to see and try to accomplish that. If you go there and still feel good, pick another place. In my case, it was all I could manage and ended up resting in the hotel room for the rest of the day. Which is okay, too.
3. Let your travel companions take care of you. Luckily for me, I was traveling with one of my best friends, but if you’re traveling with people who are on more of an acquaintance level, still let them do things for you, like run to the pharmacy or the store. The karma for their good deeds will take care of them when illness strikes on their next trip.
4. Keep your spirits up. Instead of saying, This sucks, I can’t do anything, focus on what you did do that day and keep in mind that in a few days, you’ll be good as new!
And while you’re here, enjoy a few of my favorite pics from my winter adventures 🙂
