Safe and Healthy Travel Tips

From a couple’s vacation to girls’ getaways to solo adventures…ladies, we’ve got places to go, people to see this summer! Travel is great and summer is the perfect time to get out there and explore. Along with the awesome expanding horizons part, there come a few travel uncertainties that are unique to women. So read up and take heart, travel warrioress.

Whether you’re planning a tropical escape or a trip abroad, it’s important to be prepared. These tips address the health and safety concerns women may encounter and can help ensure a more enjoyable journey—no unplanned surprises!

Body Basics

•Travel can take a toll on a woman’s cycle and throw it out of sync. The result is that those once-predictable periods may disappear altogether. If your period is late and you know you’re not pregnant, don’t’ fret. It might just be your cycle has been thrown off track by your travel. If it doesn’t go back to normal when you’re back home, check in with your doctor.

•Yeast infections are more common in warm, tropical climates. In addition, pre-travel antibiotic meds can also bring on an infection. Be prepared by carrying your own remedies such as medicated creams or a doctor-prescribed single-dose tablet.

•A bladder infection can be an unwanted travelling companion. And it’s not uncommon to get dehydrated on planes, trains or in your automobile. Make a conscious effort to drink plenty of purified water before and during your trip to reduce the chances of urinary tract problems.

Feminine Supplies

•Bring along your favorite Kotex® products. You will pay steep prices for fem-care products in other parts of the world. In addition, most tampons and pads will not be of the same quality or type you’re used to. And in some places, just finding protection can be difficult. By packing what you need, you can avoid some of the uncertainty.

•Keep all medicines you bring with you in their original, labeled containers. This will help avoid problems when passing through customs.

Smart Packing

•Leave the jewelry at home. Expensive-looking jewelry (even if it isn’t) can draw the wrong attention. Avoid becoming a target. Don’t dress in a manner that could mark you as an affluent tourist.

•Likewise, leave the fashion handbags behind. Handbags, fanny packs and outside pockets are easy targets. Instead, carry a cross-body bag (a sturdy shoulder bag with the strap worn across your chest).

•Pack light to move more quickly and with agility. If you’re juggling heavy, bulky suitcases, you’re more likely to plop them down frequently, creating the potential for unattended items to be targeted by thieves (or forgotten luggage to be left behind). Moreover, tiny planes, tight trains, and indigenous modes of transportation typically can’t accommodate large luggage.

Personal Safety

•Keep your hotel door locked at all times. Bring along a rubber doorstop for extra protection.

•Do wear a plain, simple, cheap wedding band…even if you’re not married. Women who travel solo or with other women find that it helps deter unwanted attention.

•Think twice before “checking in” or broadcasting your travels on your Facebook account. Depending upon your privacy settings, you could be letting those thieves in on your empty house (with all the valuables you left at home inside!)

•Always walk confidently and with a sense of purpose even if you’re lost. Act as though you know where you are going and ask directions only from individuals in authority.

You GO Girl

The world is a big and wonderful place. Don’t let concerns about safety prevent you from exploring it. Use the same common sense traveling outside the country that you would when traveling in it. By being well prepared you can travel with confidence.