How to Salvage a Food Trip Despite Feeling Sick

No matter how carefully you’ve planned, nor how cautious you’ve been, sometimes you get sick while traveling. Having nausea or a cold is bad enough at home, but falling ill on another continent, far from your home comforts, when you’ve invested serious money and time in your trip, can feel catastrophic. 

I am rarely ill while home but frequently sick while traveling. Is it the novel stew of germs circulating through airplanes, lounges, trains, and stations? Could it be interrupted sleep, overindulging, microbes in the drinking water, motion sickness, anxiety, or bad luck? From Europe’s great food cities to the streets of Cartagena, Colombo, Manila, and Melbourne, I’ve been sick all over the world, and have therefore learned some valuable lessons on how to prepare, how to feel better, and how to salvage your trip.

Pack for the worst-case scenario

While you hope that you won’t end up needing them, it’s well-worth reserving space in your suitcase for all those remedies you’d reach for if you fell ill at home. The specifics will vary, but consider including over-the-counter pain relievers, motion sickness tablets, cold and allergy remedies, and an anti-diarrheal. You could gamble on buying what you need at your destination, but beware: There are wide variations in drug laws in foreign countries, and some of the pharmacy items you take for granted at home are not necessarily available over the counter in other countries. Antibiotic ointments, nausea medicine, and laxatives require a doctor’s prescription in many European countries, and certain cold remedies are illegal in Japan.

Consider also packing Covid tests, disposable face masks, and gloves. A few plastic or plastic-lined paper bags can be a lifesaver, as anecdotal evidence suggests that airsickness bags, once a staple on all flights, are being phased out on commercial flights. (I have learned the hard way to always have one on hand when traveling in a taxi, train, or plane.)

Make the most of what’s available

Don’t be shy about relying on others when you’re sick. Find out whether your travel companions may have packed the remedies you need. Your hotel concierge or front desk staff can direct you to a reputable walk-in clinic, pharmacy, or hospital, and can call ahead to arrange a visit or inquire about a specific product, based on your symptoms. (If you’re in an Airbnb or other homestay, your host may be able to help).

If you fall ill while traveling in Europe, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, or Vietnam, use Doctorsa to book a video visit with a local doctor, who can make a diagnosis and write prescriptions to treat symptoms of common ailments (cold, flu, infections, insect bites, skin issues, fever, allergies, shingles, STIs and more). 

Check your cancelation policies

If you or your travel companion are prone to sickness, or if you just want some extra insurance against it, opt for refundable or flexible flights and train tickets. If you’re thinking of skipping a meal because of sickness, early action is advised. An increasing number of restaurants require a credit card number to hold your reservations, and if you’re too sick to make the table and don’t cancel by a certain time, you’ll be charged as a no-show. 

Tip housekeeping

Cleaning up after a sick guest can present some unpleasant challenges for hotel housekeepers. In places where tipping is customary, consider leaving some extra cash for staff who have had to deal with the inevitable biohazards of illness.

Give yourself some grace

Last year, in San Sebastián, Spain, a gastric illness ravaged all my carefully made restaurant and pintxo bar plans. Too nauseated to see straight, I still considered powering through, rather than miss a single gilda, but in the end, a long afternoon nap and some beef broth from the hotel restaurant were what was called for. The next day in Madrid, still feeling slightly delicate, I canceled a coveted lunch reservation and saw a matinee of Napoleon, with a can of seltzer and a bucket of plain popcorn. It can be hard to pivot when you’re traveling on your stomach, but being temporarily out of the eating game can give you the opportunity to see your destination from a different perspective, and a reason to return and hit all the spots you missed the first time.