7 Things I Do to Handle Getting Sick While Traveling

Since I spent the last month recovering from an illness, I had a lot of time to ponder. And all the times I’ve fallen ill while traveling.

When this happens, it’s definitely not fun at all. It can really put a damper on your whole trip.

I’ll share things I do to handle getting sick, my experiences, and how I avoid it in the first place. This may give you something to think about and help you plan and pack for trips. 

Disclaimer: This post is based on my personal experiences and is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. Please consult with your healthcare provider for any questions about your specific illness.

Getting Sick While Traveling

Those beautiful images on social media may make it seem like traveling is all rainbows and butterflies, but it’s not. 

One of the best things I’ve learned is to prepare for the worst-case scenarios. Plus, I do some things to lessen the odds of catching any bugs.

1. Take Precautions

I avoid germs like the plague, and there are things I do from habit. I’m one to take public transportation in the city often, and I know how dirty it can be.

Airports have so many people, and they’re coming and going from everywhere. The time I caught COVID was after taking a flight from Chicago to LA.

There was a guy behind me coughing up a lung, and although they claimed the air on planes is cleaner with the HEPA filters and all, I still got sick.

I take buses and the subway all the time, and I’ll wear a mask. I avoid touching anything and use hand sanitizer. 

If you do have to touch the handrails, you don’t touch your face after, and certainly not your mouth.

I’m a germaphobe and wash my hands all the time. When traveling, we may come into contact with more surfaces.

I’m also one to bring sanitizing wipes when staying in hotels. The phone, TV remote, and other places need to be cleaned before I use them.

Overall, I mind my health and try to get all the rest I need, eat well, and stay hydrated. I find this makes a difference.

2. Be Careful with Food and Eating Out

I was sick all last month because I got food poisoning. I know it wasn’t a virus, and I’m 99% sure I know which restaurant was the culprit.

Luckily, I was home when this bout hit me, and I was sick for several days. The initial infection probably cleared in a couple days, but I wasn’t getting better.

I couldn’t eat, had stomach pain, fatigue and dizziness. Well, I ended up going to urgent care and got an IV because I was really dehydrated. 

Then it took another several days for my levels to normalize and for me to have energy again. Whew!

This whole ordeal reminded me of when I traveled to Asia and got food poisoned. Why did I eat that pizza after my relatives told me not to?

Well, it looked good but made me sick. But at that time, I was a spring chicken, and I bounced back very quickly, within a day or so.

Bacterial infections from food or water are the worst and could send you to the hospital. That’s why we take so many precautions on the road.

We prepare our own food as much as possible, making sure perishable foods are properly stored, and avoiding sketchy eateries.

But even the most cautious person can get sick. And when that happens, you might have to pause any plans.

3. Slow Down While Feeling Sick

Luckily, most illnesses I’ve had while traveling have been very mild.

I used to fly to New York often, and every time I did, I’d catch a cold. I’d get a pesky sore throat and sinus issues.

While I could still walk around the city, I felt under the weather. It was annoying but tolerable.

But when you have food poisoning or something more severe, you’re forced to slow down.

When I was recovering this past month, all I could do was lie in bed or watch TV on the couch. I felt dizzy, fatigued, and drained. 

On the plus side, I binged on YouTube. I watched a video of a man hiking the Pacific Coast Trail (PCH).

He drank untreated water in the wild. As you can imagine, he got very sick. 

Although he was dehydrated and couldn’t eat or even drink, he kept on going. Finally, after hiking some miles, he had to lie down under a tree right off the trail.

I don’t even know how he got that far while filming himself too. If I were that sick, I wouldn’t have been able to drag myself along.

Well, he ended up staying there for a couple days to rest. He couldn’t move, and his body had to do its thing and recover.

4. Prepare for the Worst

Okay, we travel in our van like the apocalypse could happen any moment. We bring tons of stuff in case something happens.

And we’ve had to use some of that stuff on occasion. We’d rather be safe than sorry!

Getting back to the man on the PCH, he didn’t have an emergency plan or meds. I get it, no one wants to think about these before traveling.

We just want to go on the adventure and have fun. But life happens. 

Without any electrolytes or filtered water, he was in trouble. Plus, he said he soiled his pants really badly.

Luckily, a woman hiking the trail found him after a couple days and gave him some Gatorade and soup packets. 

If it weren’t for her, I’m not sure if he would’ve made it.

If you’re staying in a city with a phone signal, you could easily contact someone or go to a hospital.

But what would you do if you were solo traveling off the grid like he was? These things can happen to anyone.

5. Bring Medicines

The one thing I must do is to bring all my allergy medicines. I don’t always need them.

But there have been times I’ve forgotten them. When I’ve really needed them the most, they weren’t there.

Once, we were out in the middle of nowhere and so miserable. I had a bad allergic reaction and survived, but it wasn’t fun.

I’ve learned to always pack more of my medicines so I don’t run out if we stay longer. 

Say if you go out of town, and your flight is delayed by a day or two. You could run out of medicine if you pack only enough.

I know from experience that it’s not always easy to run to the pharmacy and get more. So, I always bring more for extra days or if I lose a pill or two.

I’d rather be safe than sorry on this one.

6. Rid the Fear of Missing Out

Well, I’ve been there. You’ve done all the planning and have traveled so far to get somewhere.

Now you’re stuck in one spot being sick. So, should you keep going and stick to the plan?

I’ve ventured out when my sinuses were acting up. They weren’t so bad, but I didn’t have a good time tending to my symptoms. 

I eventually ended up retreating early and crashing on a couch.

If I’m not feeling up to it, I’ve learned to stay back until I have enough energy to enjoy my time. Otherwise, it does nothing for me.

Put it this way, you can always come back at some other time. If you get sick and push yourself to see and do everything, you could delay recovery.

No one wants to be cooped up in a room feeling miserable. But I’m always better off resting and dreaming about my return.

7. Choose Destinations Wisely

I have to choose where we go based on my personal factors. I’ve got pesky food and environmental allergies.

So, I need access to stores and restaurants that have food I can tolerate. Plus, with all my allergies, I need to consider the landscape and season carefully.

My body is also very sensitive to altitude changes. And flying and traveling to certain countries can turn my system upside down. 

I’ve traveled to countries where I had to get shots, be tested for disease, and be cautious of drinking the water. So for now, I’ve been mostly traveling in the US.

You’ll have to research and know what your body can tolerate. Some people can travel anywhere in the world and thrive, but that’s just not me.

Final Thoughts

Getting sick while traveling is one of the worst things that can happen. But I’ve learned to slow down and take care of myself above all.

Sure, missing out on exploring a new place isn’t fun either. You’ll have to decide what’s best for you and your body.

More About Travel

I have other interesting posts on my blog. You might want to check them out. 

• You might want to know how I deal with traveling with allergies. 

• I’ll tell you why you might want to take time off work to travel. 

• Want to know how I went from minimalist traveler to overpacker? 

I’d love to hear about your fun travel adventures!

Originally published: December 4, 2025