Staying Healthy While Exploring: Travel Tips for Body and Mind [Ladies Who Travel]

In episode 69 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy is joined by Shelly and Melissa for a Ladies Who Travel episode all about staying healthy on the road.

Together, they dive into the realities of travel wellness, sharing practical tips, personal stories, and lessons learned from decades of global adventures. From long-haul flights and disrupted routines to managing mental health and bouncing back from injuries, this honest chat covers it all.

Melissa opens up about navigating mental health and healing after injury, Shelly shares how daily habits and supplements help her stay grounded, and Tracy reflects on the importance of slowing down and listening to your body.

Whether you are a frequent flyer or planning your first big trip, this episode offers real-world advice to help you feel your best while exploring the world.

⭐️ Guests - Melissa (QueenslandTravelGuide.com.au) and Shelly Marie (SoloHerWay.com)
📝  Show Notes - Episode 69

🎧 Listen to next

• Episode #56 – Essential Tips for Surviving Long Haul Flights [Ladies Who Travel]
• Episode #43 – Finding Your Ideal Accommodation: Tips, Tricks, and Travel Tales
• Episode #52 – Travel Safe Travel Smart: Real Tips for Every Type of Traveller

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Wellness While Travelling
• 4:30 Recent Travel Adventures
• 9:42 What Wellness Means During Travel
• 15:24 Preparing Physically and Mentally
• 22:01 Staying Healthy During Transit
• 29:47 Travel Mishaps and Health Emergencies
• 37:02 Mental Health While Travelling
• 42:19 Top Wellness Items and Final Tips

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

From long flights to foreign food, travel can do a number on your body and mind. In this episode of Ladies who Travel, we're sharing how we stay healthy on the road, plus the mishaps we've learned from along the way. Hi and welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast. I'm your host, tracey Collins, who, with my expert guests, will take you on a weekly journey to destinations around the globe, providing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, practical tips and more to help you plan your next travel adventure. Hello and welcome to episode 69 of the Global Travel Planner podcast.

Speaker 1: 0:42

This week we are chatting about wellness on the road staying healthy while traveling. So now, whether it's long haul flights, unfamiliar foods or just being out of routine, travel can take a toll on our health, both physically and mentally. So in this month's Ladies who Travel episode, we're diving into how we stay well while exploring the world. So, from the essentials we pack to the habits we try to keep, we're sharing what helps us feel our best on the road. We'll also chat about the times things didn't go quite to plan, like when travel exhaustion or a mystery bug knocked us sideways, and how we've learned to bounce back. So if you've ever wondered how to avoid travel burnout, keep your immune system happy or just feel a bit more balanced while away from home.

Speaker 1: 1:21

This one's for you. So grab a tea or a hydration tablet and join us for a chat about staying healthy while seeing the world. Hi, shelley and Melissa. As always, great to speak to you guys every month, so let's do a quick catch-up about what you've been doing since we last chatted. So I know, melissa, you've been exploring Queensland and you've been on a boat which looked amazing.

Speaker 2: 1:47

So awesome. I was in the Whitsundays for nine days and it was really cool because I got to experience the Whitsundays by three different ways. So there's so many different ways you can explore the Whitsundays. So I stayed on Hamilton Island, which is an island in the middle of the Whitsundays. So I did stay there for a few days exploring the area, which was amazing. But the highlight of the Whitsundays I did stay there for a few days exploring the area, which was amazing. But the highlight of the trip had to be sailing around the Whitsundays on a catamaran. There was my boyfriend and I and another couple and the skipper and the hostess, and we just sailed around, stopped wherever we felt like snorkelled paddleboard, went on, you know, on some of the islands, saw turtles, fish, beautiful reef. It was amazing and I highly recommend everyone who come in the Whitsundays give it a go. And then we obviously went to the mainland as well and did some exploring from there. So such a great trip Sounds amazing.

Speaker 1: 2:40

It's one of my favourite places to visit in Queensland and Australia. It's so lovely there. And well, what about you, Shelley? What have you been up to? Because you're in Florida still?

Speaker 3: 2:50

Yes, I'm in Florida and I have been working on a series of exploring all of the Disney theme parks, resorts, water parks, and it's a a lot, especially in this heat. So, yes, so I'm, I'm working on doing some projects with that and just catching up with friends and family and just doing normal life things and, I guess, planning your next adventure as well, because you'll be leaving and stay soon.

Speaker 1: 3:26

Yeah, so we'll talk we'll be we were talking about that, uh, in a future episode, because you've got some exciting plans. Um. Well, I've just been to stanthorpe. Doug and I went and had a a few days away in stanthorpe, which is a beautiful uh area to visit from brisbane. It's a great place for a few days and the wineries are amazing and the scenery is amazing. The walks are amazing. Even for somebody who's not a hiker, I do like a little bit of walks there in the garurian national park. So that's what we were up to, so that was really good.

Speaker 1: 3:55

We're trying to um before we go away on a next big trip, um, which at the moment is in november, when melissa and I go and talk together exciting um, but we may go in September. We're just not sure where yet, so hang on for that one. We'll be announcing that, but anyway. So this episode we are talking about wellness, uh, on the road, staying healthy um, which I'm really conscious of at the moment because I have unfortunately put a little bit of weight on over the last 12 months, so I need to shift that. So I've been probably doing a bit too much if they're eating and not enough of the exercise. So I thought I'd be good to talk to you guys, because I'll get some tips from you. But um, let's start, I guess, with the question of what does wellness mean to you when you're traveling? So what does it mean to you, shelly?

Speaker 3: 4:39

Uh, wellness means to me while I'm traveling is just staying like rooted and staying almost on my same schedule but just in a different location. So if I have like habits that I do in my home country, I try to carry that along, especially since I'm a traveler for a long period of time. So if I have a routine I try to stick with it as much as possible.

Speaker 1: 5:10

So would you say that for like kind of like physical exercise or like eating regimes or All of the above.

Speaker 3: 5:18

So, like I like doing physical activity every day, so if I go to a country that I'm planning on staying for a month, maybe two months, I will go ahead and try to find a place either a gym, Pilates studio or a nice walk path that I could go ahead and start implementing. That Same with in the mornings. I like to have quiet time in the mornings. I'm more of a night owl than a morning person, so I like that cup of espresso, maybe a little cookie and either, you know, read a little bit in the morning. Sometimes I'll meditate, Sometimes I'll journal, Just keeping those little routines. I find it's refreshing and it energizes you for the day. Trying to switch things up from country to country can really mess with you mentally. It can really start fatiguing you if you just are doing one thing in one country, one thing in another country and you're not really grounded and keep those routines the best you can.

Speaker 1: 6:29

Yeah, yeah, no, I think that's a good point, and probably my mistake is I don't do a lot of stuff when I'm at home, as in go to the gym or party, so maybe I need to start these things at home and then I can carry them abroad. That might be the thing. And what about you? You, melissa, what does wellness mean for you in your travel?

Speaker 2: 6:47

um, I tend to, um, obviously, uh, try my best to avoid getting sick or or, in my case, breaking my foot and I say that because anyone who follows follows me knows I've broken my foot three times overseas like that's mental, but I don't know what you can do to avoid that. But look, I try. I'm a bit of a stressor and I do struggle with my mental health, so probably for me the best thing is to try to keep my mental health in check. I do. I am the sort of person that stresses a lot and gets overwhelmed really easily. So that's something that I really need to look out for, to make sure I'm not too stressed or overwhelmed and burn out.

Speaker 2: 7:32

When you do the sort of travels that we do maybe not so much Shelley, but maybe Tracy and I when we're traveling kind of you know, not quickly, but you know on the go a lot, it is really easy to burn out really quickly because we try to pack a lot in. So it's just being really careful with that and making sure that you do factor in some downtime for yourself as well, and that's something that I actually talk to with my travel clients. Quite a lot People just go. I'm going to do this, and I'm going to do this and I'm going to do this. It's really important to have some downtime. Otherwise, and that often can impact like your physical well-being as well you might come down with a cold or something like that, not just mental health.

Speaker 1: 8:22

So, yeah, that's something that I really try hard to avoid is yeah, or make sure my mental health's in check no, I think there's a good point and I try to, because this last trip because obviously we were traveling for nine months and I found every six months I got every six weeks I got sick, literally got sick, bad cold, a sore throat, and and Doug was like you get this every six weeks. This you need to slow down and I think that is that's a good point. We were still trying to do too much quickly and I kind of that's reflect on in it that I I was actually getting physically very tired, but also mentally quite tired as well, because constantly having to think all the time of like what, what we're doing, how we're doing it, um, thinking about photos, think about videos, it's, it's a slight what we do slightly different way of traveling, I'd actually like to slow down and spend longer in places and I think that's that's something that you've taught michelle is like, if I can do that, um, you know, let's spend six weeks in a destination and make the best of it that way, and also for me it's also it's not getting sick as in, uh, physically sick. So we're always really keen on making sure we have like a medical kit with us, um, because you know Doug's Doug's into all that. So he, he takes care of that.

Speaker 1: 9:30

But what about preparing before you go on a trip? Is that what do you do? Um, I know, before we went to India, uh, last year, melissa, I took probiotics. My mom was like I'll take some probiotics and and prepare that way. Um, but what sort of things do you do to prepare Melissa?

Speaker 2: 9:47

For me again, going back to my mental health is one way that I feel a lot more at ease when I travel is if I've planned a lot, so you know. A lot of people would probably say I'm an over-planner. But if I know you know roughly, I know what's going on and I know how to get a bus somewhere and I know that I've got tickets to hit this it actually calms me down a lot more than thinking I've got to wake up and go. Oh my God, how am I going to catch the bus and what time is this, and all that.

Speaker 2: 10:17

So, becoming being prepared and making sure my notes are all clear and I know what's going on, that helps me personally, and I know not everyone's the same, but that helps keep my mental health in check. And also, um, not having built in days or maybe not even a day, a built in afternoon where I know I'm going to have some downtime where I can just hang out by the pool or rest in my hotel. That makes me my mental health feel better. Um, but, yeah, like you said, you said, uh, the probiotics. So, depending on what country I'm going to, I might take probiotics if there's an issue with water or food, um. And then the other basics is obviously just making sure your vaccinations are up to date, um, and just checking, checking the um.

Speaker 1: 11:00

You know the advice for wherever, wherever you're going, whether or not you should have a certain um injection or yeah, now there's a good point and um, just thinking about that in terms of like I, because I also get anxious with things. So one thing that I always do and it's a bit you know, it can be seen as a bit of an extravagance, but I and I suggest this for people visiting the uk and visit in london I I get picked up at the airport even an airport.

Speaker 3: 11:25

I know, I know.

Speaker 1: 11:26

Heathrow, like really, really well. But I want to get off a flight and be met and my suitcase is taken and I want to be delivered to my hotel. I don't want to think about how I've got to get there, how I've got to do it. So that for me is a big kind of like a must do and yeah, and exactly, getting getting all make sure I've got the injections. Uh, making sure for me, because I get very anxious when I fly. I do not like flying. So then I I do lots of ways to prepare for flights because, um, you know, I, at the, the couple of days before I fly, it doesn't matter how short the fight is I my anxiety levels build, so so I kind of look at ways of managing that. So what about you, shelly? What do you? How do you prepare?

Speaker 3: 12:08

um, well, I always try to make sure that I have all the supplements and vitamins. Um, I'm pretty good about that on a whole, that I always am doing that. But especially before I leave let's say, my home country, because I do travel most of the year I just touch base back and see my family and friends. So I will, like I always take elderberry just to boost my immune system. I always take the multiple B12s. That's good for your nervous system, that's good for your energy level. You know, just sticking with, like the probiotics, just sticking with what works for you and what's been prescribed for you and what is healthy for you.

Speaker 3: 13:00

Every person is different, but I find, if I stick with those same types of vitamins, immunity boosters, eating healthy, also a big thing for me and I know you guys will laugh, but a big thing for me is taking supplements with me that are for my hair and my skin, and that being because you go to different countries, there's different water and even if you're not ingesting it, you're bathing in it, you're washing your hair in it and I can't tell you.

Speaker 3: 13:36

There's been several countries where, like, I've lost some hair or I've you know. So I'm very conscious, conscious and I'm very sensitive to the changes. So if I bring the supplements, or I bring what's good that I have found for my body, I make sure that I take those things Now, having said that, I've traveled for the last three years straight and now I know what supplements I can buy in other countries, so I don't have to lug down my luggage. And there are certain things that I know I could only get in my home country that works for my body, so I make sure that I bring those things with me yeah, stock up on them when you're, when you're back, so that's a good idea now, obviously we we travel a lot.

Speaker 1: 14:22

The three of us are kind of generally planning something or going somewhere or just returned from somewhere. But you know, and whether it's flying or road trips Doug and I love road trips. In fact that's what we may do in September it's a toss up at the minute between the UK or whether we do a road trip around Western Australia. So I don't know, flipping a coin at the moment, but how do you look after yourself when you're transiting, whether that's on planes, trains or taking a long drive, Shelley?

Speaker 3: 14:49

Usually, if I'm most of the time I'm taking planes, there are train rides. I I kind of am not a good sleeper on planes, I just don't sleep. I don't care if it's a long haul or not, so I I plan for sleep. I don't care if it's a long haul or not, so I plan for that when I land. So when I'm on the actual flight or the train, I always try to get up every three hours or so, stretch my legs. I mean that's kind of standard. I know a lot of people do that.

Speaker 3: 15:19

But I also try to hydrate quite a bit. That's why I always pick an aisle seat and I always try to eat as clean as I. This. They always give you so much salt. They always give you such like I don't know it's not really healthy food. So if you need something that's going to sustain you, then you know, pick it up at the airport or bring it with you. Because the worst thing is being on a flight. You're exhausted, you're dehydrated and you're either hungry or you're eating something that's going to make you feel sluggish and then when you get off the plane or train you're just like low energy. You just feel not good. You're already going to be sleep deprived or you're going to be in a different time zone. So those are some of the things I do.

Speaker 1: 16:37

I have to say Doug always gets a bottle of water. That is kind of rule before we get on a flight. Get a bottle of water and off we go. I think I tend to go more of the snacks thing, so that I've just got something to keep me to eat and I'm I am bad. I know that you're not supposed to drink alcohol on flights, but again, I don't like flying so I do. That's fine. What about you, melissa? Because obviously we do lots of road trips as well, and I mean I don't know a road trip again, getting out and stretching your legs, because you know you can find that after a few hours you get a bit stiff. But how do you prepare?

Speaker 2: 17:10

Like the water thing like you were talking about. You know I have my water bottle right here with me. I know our listeners can't see it, but it has a clip thing on it, so I have it and I can clip it on my bag and I always make sure it's empty pretty much before I go on a flight, because a lot of the times, obviously, you can't take water on a plane. But I've often got caught with the bottle of water thing. So and I'm sure you have too where there's an extra security point, you've bought your water and there's an extra security point, then you've got to throw your bloody water away. So I now tend to get on the plane without with an empty water bottle and then I try and get it filled up as soon as I can. So that's one thing I do with the water.

Speaker 2: 17:51

But another thing I personally suffer from is I get, you know, low blood sugar and I get shaky if I don't eat properly. And this is at home as well. But obviously at home I've got easier access to food and stuff. So I do try and think ahead if I know that perhaps I won't have access to food or the right kinds of food. So I try and make sure I bring things with me. I'm probably not as good as planning that that I should be. The other thing that I it's a bit funny, I guess is I hate going to some of these bloody toilets. On, on, uh, on, I don't know. Tracy might remember where we were in India, like I often made her go into the toilet first and asked her what it was like like.

Speaker 2: 18:33

I feel so gross. So I try really hard when it's like a long you know trip or trip or something is to go to the. If I see a nice toilet, I'll go and use that nice toilet so I can avoid any gross ones. But something like of a bit of a serious nature, which you talked about is DVT. I've had DVT and I got it from flying when I had a broken foot and so, look, I used to be one of these people that would just sit in my chair for 12 hours, whatever, and not move. But now I'm really careful about making sure I do those exercises and stuff, like I'm only 48, so it is something that people can actually get DVT. And I ended up in hospital with clots in my lungs, so you really do need to take DVT. And I ended up in hospital with clots in my lungs, so you really do need to take um DVT very seriously. It can happen to um anybody.

Speaker 1: 19:26

Yeah, yeah that's a good point. And when, when there's horrible socks, there's something that I always do, but I hate them, I absolutely hate them to put them on and take them off as soon as I can, uh. But talking about toilets, I will say that I I because, yeah, I struggled a bit and there's some places I've struggled actually, athens, I think, was one one place, I think the squat toilets just not, oh, no, no, no, uh. But but india, we did a train ride for 21 hours. I just didn't go to the toilet. I didn't go to the toilet once, I just was like no, and even in sri lanka, I just avoided the toilet.

Speaker 1: 19:54

So I know you've got to keep hydrated, so I kind of have to be careful with it, but I do find that I sweat a lot. So therefore, if I drink, I tend to sweat, so I don't need the toilet. But that is a huge issue, huge one, I think. And you know, just like, um, you know thinking of like I mean, we, we did get some shiwis, I will put that because then you don't have to sit, or if you've got a squat, it's just so much more difficult. But yeah, those are something you do have to think about, really um. But now we talked a little bit before about keeping the daily routines, and that's what you do, which is really good. You've got those habits um shelly and I must admit, I think part of the problem for me, and I don't. It's actually interesting having this conversation with you because I realized I don't have these habits at home, which is what I'm doing. So there's the problem. I don't want to keep saying that to me. Have you started that pilates class yet?

Speaker 1: 20:42

well, I'm like no I haven't got time, I haven't got time right down the street. Maybe I should, maybe I should. Um, so I, I, I carry my bad habits abroad. That's probably my problem. So we've kind of gone through your routines and let you kind of try to keep those routines. What about you, melissa? Do you, do you try to do any of those things? No, I'm really bad as well.

Speaker 2: 21:06

I mean, I, I am good at home, um, but yeah, it just got me thinking. When you, you know, had that question, I was just like, yeah, uh, you know, um, in in the prompts that tracy sent limiting alcohol. No, you know, there's just so many beautiful cafes and that I'm like I need to have a glass of wine there.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Cheap cocktails and exactly, exactly. And I was thinking like I mean we stay in these lovely hotels that have got gyms. I've never once been in one.

Speaker 2: 21:34

I don't even know why they put gyms in hotels. No.

Speaker 1: 21:43

So Shelly can use it, yeah, so.

Speaker 2: 21:45

Shelly can use it. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, no, I'm really bad Tracy about that. So, no, I'm not the person to ask about routines, you know what I've decided.

Speaker 1: 21:54

I'm the worst example. You're the kind of middle ground Melissa and Shelly is. We're going to hold Shelly up as the example of what we should be doing.

Speaker 2: 22:03

Don't call me Shelley, don't call me Tracy and I when you go on holiday, about staying well.

Speaker 1: 22:09

Honestly Right, what about? Let's talk about? This is like things have gone wrong and we haven't been well when we've been travelling. So I'm going to talk about I seem to get food poisoning.

Speaker 1: 22:21

Food poisoning seems to be my thing, so I've had that a few times in Bangkok. Oh, I mean, I did the rookie error a landing late at night and ordering room service and getting a chicken curry, and it was. I ended up very, very sick and and then I also got pneumonia, which I've mentioned before, when I was in South Korea last year and then went to Vietnam and ended up in hospital in Hanoi with pneumonia. So I didn't. I know, for me, food can be an issue. I can get food poison and obviously and I have got that cancer, sensitivity to colds and then turning into pneumonia, and also I was tired, so, again, not taking notice of the fact that I was fatigued. Um, now, melissa, I have been with you when you've broken your foot, so I know this is going to be the one you potentially are going to talk about. So, oh, how did that go? I?

Speaker 2: 23:07

don't know. You both have been with me when I had a broken foot. Yes, me around in a wheelchair. Um, yes, honestly, I don't know how you can prepare for that like don't be clumsy when you walk around um insurance, insurance, you're right having experience is definitely something you can prepare for.

Speaker 2: 23:25

You know, I have heard people say, oh no, I'm not taking insurance, like you're absolutely crazy. I mean, like I said, three times, I've broken my foot overseas Twice. I ended up flying me home business class because of it, and the last time I sat down and actually wrote the figures of how much I was out of pocket and because I've got a bad memory, I'm pretty sure it was about ten to fifteen thousand dollars. So that's not a huge amount we're not talking two hundred thousand but I don't have a spare fifteen thousand dollars sitting in my pocket, so that that really yeah, travel insurance is so important. So it's similar to like what you've said.

Speaker 2: 24:01

I've had really bad food poisoning before and, like we talked about earlier, taking probiotics before is really important where you're going somewhere where the food or the water might not agree with you. I also had pleurisy when I was a lot younger I was in my 20s. I was partying way too hard and drinking way too much, and I don't do that now, but it's a good example of when you are doing too much, how you can end up extremely sick. So it's just about setting some limits for yourself and knowing when you need a break.

Speaker 1: 24:37

I think yeah, no, absolutely. What about you, shelley? I know you had a major incident in Thailand and you had to be flown back to the States. I think.

Speaker 3: 24:45

Yeah, yeah, I had an accident and ended up breaking a bone and it was very, very serious and I ended up having to have emergency surgery and spending like a week in the hospital and then I wasn't able to fly back home for like two months. They wouldn't clear me. So I ended up speaking to insurance If it wasn't for the insurance. I mean, you know, when you go someplace now, granted, I usually stay a couple months in one place, but that particular one I was not planning on staying a couple months in one place, but that particular one I was not planning on staying a couple months. I was supposed to head off to Singapore and then I was supposed to head off to another country, so it was kind of just a stopover and then that happened. So, definitely, yeah, I had to be flown home again, business class, because I had to lay flat, I couldn't have my leg, and then I ended up recovering a good several months back in the US. So it was very serious.

Speaker 3: 26:05

Things that occur, like, you know, luggage and different things that happen along your trip. You know, health-wise, yes, I think it's all perspective and how you handle it, because I know Melissa she has like a fantastic attitude about the whole thing when we were in Greece and that happened. Of course you're in pain, you're frustrated, you don't speak the language. All these factors happen and same when I got hurt. But I think it's how you handle yourself as far as trying to stay as calm as possible because you know whatever has happened has been out of your control, because if you could have controlled it it wouldn't have happened.

Speaker 3: 26:46

But you know, most people around the world are so very kind and they want to help you, especially if you keep your composure and you're. You know you're open and I think that's the key for most. You know vacation travelers, solo travelers, you know just long, slow travelers keep your composure because you are in a foreign country, you are their guest and just like if somebody was coming over to your home, they want to help you and they want to be hospitable. Granted, if you're in pain, we get it, but it's just the mindset. Just know that you will be helped and everything's fixable. I mean it is fixable. It's is fixable. It's a hassle, it's disappointing, it's upsetting, but everything is fixable and getting upset or lashing out at somebody is really only gonna hurt you absolutely, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 27:54

I think the key thing is is, as you say, it stay is to stay calm. I mean, I was really sick in in Vietnam and Hanoi and and um, and I just said, doug, I just need to get the hospital, that was it. So it was just kind of that, and the hotel was so good, they were so lovely and so helpful, um, and everybody at the hospital was um and really understand it, and we had travel insurance, so you're less stressed if something happens, if you know you've got the insurance, because it's like you're covered. So we paid everything at the hospital in Hanoi I think I was at pocket $400, and I had everything like x-rays and MRIs and the full works, all the medications, and it was the best care. It was amazing and the people were fantastic.

Speaker 1: 28:36

But I think it's that If you have your insurance, you know you have that backup if something goes wrong, if you get sick, because these things happen, we can't predict them. So I think and I hear far, far too often people saying, oh no, I only got travel insurance, or I got travel insurance for my luggage, or I'm like, what about if you get sick? What happens if you break a leg? You need it, or I didn't bother because I just thought I've got free cancellation or whatever on my hotels. I'm like you need to be thinking about your health if something happens to you.

Speaker 2: 29:05

And just particularly with not being able to walk, like being sick, but being able to walk. Not being able to walk is crazy. Like when I last broke my foot, I was actually by myself, not with these wonderful people, I was by myself. So I had to get a lot of tax. I was meant to be catching buses around, but because I couldn't get on a bus, because I was by myself, I had to get a lot of taxis, and some of these taxis were like a hundred euro, you know. So and and, but, going with what Shelley just said, like I was really, really stressed because I was on my own, not being able to walk, but gosh, and I couldn't speak the language, but gosh, people were so helpful, like everywhere I went, um, people, just, you know, they see I was by myself and they just do everything to help.

Speaker 3: 29:48

So, yeah, try and stay calm because that was a pretty stressful situation and I still managed to get through it just fine well, we'll have to say we all, we all kind of went great she's done again and none of us are with her this time, I know I know, and I would like to make one caveat, and I know I've mentioned this in another podcast, but make sure, depending on your trip and depending on your activities, now like things like that happened to Melissa myself, you, Tracy, that was unexplained, but if you're going to go scuba diving, or you're going to go rafting or you're going to go bungee jumping in New Zealand, make sure that you have the adventurer's package on your travel insurance.

Speaker 3: 30:33

If you are just going to go on a cruise but they have like this big slide or something you're going to go down or whatever, make sure your travel insurance meets your travel plans. I think that's most people just get like you were saying, tracy the minimum and then like they don't. Like I got stuck one time with a ruptured eardrum after diving in Borneo, I mean, but I had the insurance because I knew I was doing an activity. So just kind of like the same thing what we touched on before with your health. You know, make sure what works for you and your plans. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 31:15

Now that's absolutely a good point. Now we're going to move on to and we touched on it before but looking after our mental health while we're traveling. And I have to say there's a few things that I've learned to do, actually, and one was from you, melissa, because I, if I'm traveling on my own, I am terrible even if I'm with doug, I am terrible at remembering my hotel room. Awful, absolutely awful, um, so I take a photo, I take a photo of the door with the number, and then I don't have to worry because I, you know, travel, mind I just I'd be like stressed and thinking which, what number am I at? Well, I just couldn't remember and that sounds like a crazy thing. But if I've left, you know, I don't know, I just that's something. I just need to know where the hotel room is.

Speaker 1: 31:54

So that's something that I do, um, and I think, taking things slower and also recognizing when you're like this last trip, I recognize that I got to the point where I was just getting fatigued, going to see new places and experience, which sounds crazy, and I'm sure lots of people are listening and going oh, really, like you've seen all these amazing things, but you are also like the mental. Mentally it can be quite a lot when you're constantly seeing new things, learning new things and experiencing new things. So yeah, so that's something that I'm conscious of. So I know we've kind of briefly touched on that with you, melissa, before. But Shelley, what sort of things do you kind of do for mental?

Speaker 3: 32:32

health. One of the biggest things I do and we kind of touched on this in another segment was on the first day when I arrived. I consider that an admin day. I do not plan anything that day. If I arrive late at night, then that starts my admin day. And what I mean by that is I make sure I get to the hotel, I make sure I get my bearings around, I get food, I get snacks. Even if I'm just in a hotel room, I'll go to the local 7-Eleven or convenience bodega, whatever and I'll get myself situated. If I need some toothbrush, toothpaste, whatever, everything admin I let the people that I touch base with know I arrived safely and then I just take it easy, like I don't like just stay in the room but I may walk around and have a cafe or or you know whatever.

Speaker 3: 33:35

But I do not schedule anything. And if I have an obligation to go to that country or that city and I need to do something, I ride the day early Because I just have an admin day. There's no pressure, there's no hit the ground running Because, like you said, tracy, you know, sometimes I think people over plan and they don't give themselves enough time to actually absorb where they're at. They're so excited about going in and which I get. I get excited, but you don't. How much of it do you retain? Because you're just, you're mentally fatigued.

Speaker 1: 34:15

I'm just thinking about I was in. It was in the Vatican City, a couple of it was a few years ago now, actually, and I was on a. We were doing a tour. It was a small group tour. In the morning I think it started like 8.30 or whatever, it was the Vatican Museums and a family arrived and they'd just flown in from Canada. So they had literally just flown in, touched at the airport, come in, left their their luggage at the hotel and then joined this tour. Well, they lasted an hour and then they were like we're tapping out. They were so tired and it was they again.

Speaker 1: 34:44

This kind of you've got to give yourself time when you land to just get you know you're in new surroundings, you've probably been on a long flight, you're gonna have some jet lag, so and I know I've talked to other people go. I'm so excited. I just plan everything and I hit the ground running and I'm like, well, yeah, but I think that catches up and so I think, having that first day away, you certainly don't want to be doing a tour. You don't want to be wasting your money on that sort of take it easy. If you want to do something, go on. Don't jump on a hop on, hop off bus and just sit and take that. Don't do anything massively physically demanding, because I think that's the thing and I just want to mention when I said about the hotel taking a picture, this is mainly because these days you get those cards and they don't tell you what your room number is.

Speaker 3: 35:27

I do the same thing, and the other thing that that I find is extremely helpful for myself is leaving yourself open to like small interactions with the people around you. So, like Melissa said, she loves to go to cafes and sit outside and maybe have a coffee or a drink. I just wrote a whole blog on how solo travelers could like feel not lonely, because it does get lonely at times, but if you, if you sit outside and you let yourself be open to like eye contact or a smile, if you're not up to a full conversation, that's okay, but at least you're interacting, you're outside, it makes it feel less awkward. So I think that's important to that admin day when you're acclimating yeah, and I think that's a really good point as well.

Speaker 1: 36:22

Shelley, you've just said about when you travel and solo, because I I think that's true because you know I hate eating out when I'm traveling, so it's like I, just I really I know you don't, but I really hate it so I'll avoid it.

Speaker 1: 36:36

I actually went to Hong Kong once for an entire week and just ate at McDonald's. I shouldn't tell you I was 27. I went for my 27th birthday. I literally just ate at McDonald's because I just take away and I just hate eating on my own. So that's the kind of thing. What about you, Melissa?

Speaker 2: 36:56

We've kind of touched on, kind of like, looking after your mental health. Is there anything else you can think about, just like? These are two things and they're a bit the opposite, right, so hear me out. So, like I said before, being a planner actually helps me stay calm. So, being planned, have an idea what I'm going to do, blah, blah, blah. But then, given like sort of what Shelley was saying before, I thought this was really important as well, also being able to go with the flow.

Speaker 2: 37:18

So I do do a lot of planning because that makes me feel calm, but I also know that not everything is going to go to plan, and that's okay as well. So you have to go with the. You have to, for me, make a plan but also be able to go with the flow. And I do see this a lot of times with some of my travel clients that you know they're a day tour that they really wanted to do has been cancelled because of weather or whatever, and they're just so upset and so miserable and they let it ruin their whole trip. You just, I just don't think you can do that. It's just not planned for everything and you just got to go. Okay, that's not happening. What will I do instead?

Speaker 1: 37:59

I think that's right. You've got to have that kind of attitude and that's what we're actually talking about in next month's episode, about that being flexible when things don't work out. I think that's a really important one. Now I'm going to move on quickly, but what are your top three wellness related items? You always pack so I'm going to jump in here so not necessarily pack, but I'm going to say I always have my vaccinations, always because I don't want to go to like I have my, I have my rabies vaccinations.

Speaker 1: 38:21

Before I went india, so I you know and you don't have to have them. I went to the doctor, have a chat about them and but I've been bitten by a monkey, so I had that in back of my head. So I have everything I can. Um, I always take my earphones because that's just so you can listen to an e-book or you can listen to some music when you're in a situation where you need to block out the world. So I do that on noise cancel and headphones go with me everywhere and I usually take a book. I don't have a kindle. I have got a kindle, actually I've got a couple but I tend to have a book. So, again, that I can just escape for a little bit of time. So those are kind of three things that I kind of always do or take. What about you, shelly?

Speaker 3: 38:59

usually I will always take my supplements. I always make sure that I take my supplements. I always try to make sure that I have a download of a playlist that it kind of incorporates a little bit of. I like sound bowls, so a little bit of sound bowl but then also going into like ocean sound, something relaxing, because you know you're in a new environment, your, your system, your nervous system is already, you know, heightened. So nervous system is already, you know, heightened. So sometimes with the headphones, like you said, tracy, I'll listen to the playlists and, um, I mostly just try to take things that are practical.

Speaker 1: 39:47

I think that's true. It's just thinking about sort of practical things that you need. That will help you, I guess. What about you, melissa?

Speaker 2: 39:54

mine is my refillable water bottle that, as I said before, has got the attachment so that I can always carry water with me and attach it to my bag. And I keep talking about the attachment. And the reason why that's important to me is because it's in front of me. I think about it, drink water, drink water. If it's in my backpack somewhere, I probably just wouldn't even drink it. My travel insurance, obviously, and also for me it's just having all my notes accessible and I do it in a way like that. I have like a google sheet or a google doc and I have, and I have a lot of links in it. It just makes me feel calm knowing that everything my my vouchers or or or tickets or whatever I know where to get them easily and I don't have to stress about it.

Speaker 1: 40:36

Perfect. So we'll wrap up with the one tip that we would share with a friend who's about to travel. So mine is get the vaccinations. Honestly, you don't want to get bitten by a monkey or get sick, because there are still countries in the world where you can pick up some pretty nasty diseases. So make sure that you go to the doctor, check out what you need and get yourself sorted before you go. What about you, shelley?

Speaker 3: 41:02

This is kind of a simple one, but I think it's important. Usually I tell my friends that are going to a different country that you cannot drink the water. I usually say start brushing your teeth with bottled water a week before you leave. So they get used to it, because I can't tell you how many people have gotten sick because they they remember not to drip the water but to brush your teeth and do this. So I always tell them start a week ahead of time, put it by your bathroom in your bathroom and just get used to putting the water on the toothbrush, rinsing and doing that for a week. Then when you get to your destination it's already going to be a habit, that's a great one.

Speaker 1: 41:47

I love that. I really love that, because I have slipped up on that before and then had a panic attack thinking, oh my goodness, no, no, no because you do you just slip into the habit. If that's what you do, isn't it? So that's a really cool one. What about you, melissa?

Speaker 2: 41:57

um, don't plan too much, and I've just told you all about how I'm such a planner, but I do actually plan downtime. So I just can't believe the amount of people that just have every single second of their trip mapped out and no downtime. You have to have downtime or you'll just not enjoy your trip or get sick or something.

Speaker 1: 42:19

No, absolutely absolutely Well, it's been, as always. It's always great to chat with you guys. I love these conversations. I think we do. I just think they're brilliant. I'm sure, if you're listening right now and you've got some feedback for myself, melissa or Shelley, go on to Speakpipe and leave us a message we love back for myself. Melissa or shelly, go on to speak pipe and leave us a message we love hearing from you guys about you know.

Speaker 1: 42:39

So what are your tips? What, what would you? What are the things that you do to prepare for a trip or, when you're on a trip, to stay well? Um, yeah, let us know. We want to know and we can. We'll feed those back in a future episode, so definitely get in touch. Um, you can always find the notes to this episode in the show notes at globaltravelplanningcom. Forward slash episode 69. But until next month's episode, it's always a joy to chat to you guys, so we'll chat soon. Bye guys, bye, tracy, bye, shelley, bye. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanningcom. Remember, if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favorite podcast app, because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts, just like you. Anyway, that leaves me to say, as always happy global travel planning.