Solo travel and getting sick
Coping with the inevitable.
A few weeks ago I wrote about what I love (and hate) about travelling solo and completely forgot to include getting sick. Perhaps I was being optimistic. But as soon as I hit publish a memory popped into my head of that one time in Mexico when I threw up on myself on an overnight bus less than an hour after it left the station. It was the bus ride from hell but at least there was no one sitting next to me (he had luckily moved to a vacant seat a few rows back). I literally had vomit in my bra! Thank god there was a toilet on the bus and I managed to clean myself up a little bit, but I bet I stunk worse than boiled cabbage. I was fine getting off the previous bus and waiting for the changeover at Villahermosa. Then the bus was delayed. I got hungry. I bought biscuits. This was the only thing I ate before boarding the next bus to Oaxaca. Should have got Subway. I never bought biscuits in Mexico again.
Trust me when I say travelling and getting sick do not mix! Especially when you have limited time or a strict itinerary to follow (or you’re on an overnight bus). But we’ve all been there. Whether it was self-inflicted (too much of a good time??), we were the unlucky one that got the food poisoning or perhaps a dreaded accident—be careful on those scooters and jet skis!! Whatever the case it is hard to find the will to live when you feel like shit, have no creature comforts of home, and are on your own. This is usually when I cry and cry and cry. It can turn into the travel blues and sometimes it’s best to just hole up in your accommodation until you’re ready to emerge like the phoenix rising from the ashes.
Getting sick while travelling solo is the worst case scenario. If you’re travelling with just one other person or a group you have help, it might impact on their experience but at least you have some help and sympathy. When travelling alone there is no one to help, no one to bring you comfort food, water or necessary medications. There is no one to go get any of these things for you. However, these days you can get Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grab Food depending on where you are in the world, so at least comfort food might be an option, if you can stomach it. There is definitely no one to hug you, chat with you, or hold your hair back when you throw up for the umpteenth time. It also doesn’t help if you’re on an overnight bus and have limited water or other hydration and vomit in your bra.
I can’t even recall what I did on that bus, if I had enough water or bought something else to help with the nausea. Perhaps I just slept. I do know that when I finally got to Oaxaca I managed to Google translate that I was extremely sick and needed a shower and bed immediately. I did have to go out in extreme heat to purchase more water at a local shop. It was like walking into the desert (or hell) where you can see the heat sizzling in front you. I then slept for 24 hours. A bad case of food poisoning. I did have a foodie tour booked for the following day, but by some miracle of the Zapotec gods it was cancelled by the tour guide and I got a full refund. I must admit that I did stick to eating watery foods and fruits, ice blocks, and never tried all the wonderful food that Oaxaca has to offer, which was my main reason for heading there in the first place!
Other times I’ve been sick on holiday, it has usually been self-inflicted by having too much of a good time. These days I limit my alcohol consumption so that I am nearly always up bright and early to make the most of the days away. I may waste time at home, but when travelling to new places with limited time the last thing I want to do is waste daylight hours. I want to see the sunrises and sunsets, even if I don’t venture out much after dark unless with others. I want to make the most of my time away without deliberately drinking so much that I don’t enjoy the next day. There may be down days, or bad weather days but for the most part I want to experience every place to the maximum of my ability.
While I don’t recommend getting sick sometimes there is no avoiding it, as it is out of our control. But we can be prepared for it. My recommendation is to take a small, basic first aid kit with you, including headache tablets, anti-nausea medication, band-aids and antiseptic cream for those scrapes, cuts and bruises. Perhaps wet wipes to remove the vomit from your bra. I always have lots of water on hand (I don’t care how heavy it is), sparkling mineral water is the best, and electrolytes. My go-to is Hydralyte® effervescent electrolyte tablets available in Australia and New Zealand. These come in handy travel packs (although I usually take a full size 20 pack) and dissolve in water. Hydralyte® has saved me on many occasions! Both from dehydration due to food poisoning and also when in a tropical climate and I get a dehydration headache from not drinking enough water.
Also, don’t eat the biscuits! Or at least check the best before date before you do.
What I’m watching: Laid. I watched the entire season in one day, because I was sick and couldn’t move. The original is an Australian series from 2011.
Some other handy solo travel thoughts:
