December is about to hit us, and with it plenty of time off from work or school to take advantage of. It’s the perfect time to go travelling, especially to the Southern Hemisphere where the weather is not brutally cold. Alternatively, a tropical paradise like Thailand welcomes millions of Brits to its hot-all-year-round shores.
Wherever you decide to go, you’ll have a constant internal conflict: adventure vs. comfort. On the one hand, you’re in a foreign country (foreign to us, at least!). There’s no way you should just lay back in perfect luxury. On the other hand, too much adventure can compromise the entire trip, to the extent that you rush through activities just to get them over with.
It’s important to take care of yourself while on holiday abroad. Here are 3 hacks to ensure you have the best time possible.
Take the telly
While they have television in [insert place name here], chances are it’s not what you want to see. If it’s not in another language, it’s back episodes of seasons we’ve already watched. You’re missing out on the latest, with spoilers abounding online.
The idea of TV is anathema to many adventurers, but if you optimise your TV time, you can use it as an efficient way to relax. In order to watch what you want, without having to wait for the right slot, you can use a BBC iPlayer VPN or the equivalent for other channels, to allow you to stream British shows while outside the country.
Bring the pharmaceuticals you trust
Again, they have pharmaceuticals in other countries. But when you inevitably catch a cold, get food poisoning, or myriad other common illnesses travellers get, you’re going to want what you know. Trying to find that in another country can be difficult and sometimes impossible. Prepare yourself by taking the basics with you. You don’t have to take an entire first aid kit, but make sure you have cold medicine, something for your stomach, and painkillers or headache tablets that don’t make you drowsy.
Schedule in some time off
There are those of us who go on holiday without any intentions but to go with the flow. And there are others who plan everything down to the finest details. Itineraries can be packed from beginning to end, so that you know in advance exactly what you’ll be doing every morning, afternoon, evening, and night.
But it’s crucial that you schedule in some time off. Ultimately, you’ll be forced to take this time out anyway, whether for your health or your sanity. Rather than letting it happen unplanned, and being stressed about it throughout, plan your time off. Give yourself a free day, or a free afternoon at least. Let yourself relax – that’s part of what a holiday’s there for, after all.
Make sure you make the most of your holiday by staying comfortable, healthy, and sane!
