ARE YOU REALLY FIT TO TRAVEL?
STORY BY VI HUGHES, 2016
Young or old, or traveling locally or overseas, there are five key elements that will impact on the success of your holiday and determine whether you are really fit to travel!
This travel advice is not about what weights you can lift or how much you can drink!
It is designed to help you become physically, psychologically, medically, meteorologically and financially aware of things that will give you maximum pleasure and satisfaction from your journey.
This travel advice is not about what weights you can lift or how much you can drink!
It is designed to help you become physically, psychologically, medically, meteorologically and financially aware of things that will give you maximum pleasure and satisfaction from your journey.
Physical fitness
Depending on where and how you are traveling, your holiday will put stresses and pressures on your body that are different from your current every day routine.
- For example, if you are snow skiing there will be significant pressures on your legs, knees, back and shoulders that are very different from sitting at a desk all day. You will benefit from exercises like leg blasters, squats, lunges and jumps to get you ready.
- Whether you are traveling by plane, boat, car, coach, rail or trekking you may be sitting for long periods at a time and probably doing more walking each day than you normally do in a week. Being packed in a crowd - whether at a train station or a music festival - can phyically impact the next week of your holiday.
- Start exercising and walking months ahead of time (including stairs, particularly if going to places like Positano in Italy where there are 400 steps from the road to the beach).
- Read up and practice stretching and warm-up exercises - it may not be something you normally do, but 10 minutes of stretching and warm-ups can save hours of aches, pains and, worst of all, injuries that can impact on your trip.
- Don't forget to warm down (search both lots of exercises online and have a look at isometrics).
Psychological fitness
It might sound unusual, but many people have not fully thought about the psychological impacts of travel, especially when going for more than a couple of weeks.
- Whether you are young or not so young, you will likely miss your family and friends. Homesickness spoils many holidays. Make sure you make adequate arrangements to keep in touch, not only online but through FaceTime or a scheduled call.
- If you are a parent traveling without your older children, make sure you do the same, but also discuss your itinerary with them, as they can often worry too.
- Grandparents with little ones often find it hardest. There is such a small window of connection before they go to school and make friends, so prepare yourself for the separation. Get videos sent to you and ensure you have good access to social media, which may mean budgeting for paid wi-fi, or ensuring you know all the free wi-fi options at your destinations.
- Your environment may dramatically. Expect busy, bustling situations and people shouting at you in a foreign language (they don't mean harm - they're just trying to sell something). Unusual and sometimes pungent odours may attack your senses; there may be beggars in the street, or vendors pulling and pushing to get your attention. If you aware it may happen it will not be as stressful.
- Avoid tight schedules. No-one likes to sit in an airport waiting for a connecting flight or a tour, but if you make the schedule too tight you may miss the connection altogether.
- Check public holidays in your destination countries. We traveled by train from Mission Hills Golf Resort to Shenzhen in China to get a connecting flight to Vietnam, not realising it was a public holiday. It took us nearly a hour to shuffle a few hundred metres in the middle of a throng of locals that was over 50 metres wide and suitcase to suitcase (we had planned for 10 minutes, but allowed a hour of "what if" time, so we were okay)!
Medical fitness
It goes without saying that anyone traveling overseas should contact their travel doctor a few months out, and get any necessary shots in plenty of time.
- It is also important to tell your personal doctor where you are going (in advance) and get flu shots etc and supplies of regular medicines - don't rely in filling scripts overseas.
- Leave medicines in the original container or carry a letter from your doctor (or a copy of your prescription) in case there are any questions about the contents.
- Make sure you have about a week's supply of vital medications in your carry-on hand luggage, just in case your bags go missing.
- Seek advice and prescription medication if necessary for any travel bugs, travel sickness or to assist with sleeping on longer journeys.
- Most importantly, budget to drink filtered or bottled water. Even at home tap water has different concentrations of minerals and bacteria in different locations. If your body is not accustomed to it, you can quickly become ill, so "safe to drink" tap water may not be totally safe for your system.
Meteorological fitness
WORLD WEATHER WITH OCEAN OVERLAY IMAGE BY RAWPIXEL.COM
Meteorological fitness is often not properly covered in regular travel advice. It basically means learn how to interpret weather forecasts and prepare for all seasons.
"Fine" in London can be very different from "fine" in Brisbane:
"Fine" in London can be very different from "fine" in Brisbane:
- Prepare for heat, cold, wind and rain. We carry a "Pack Away Parka" that is fairly rain and wind proof and folds into a bag not much bigger than some mobile phones.
- Look at weather forecasts before you leave home, and pack suitable clothes. You will be limited by weight, so if going where it's "cold" cold, get a good quality light weight jacket with a hood, gloves and pants, as well as warm socks and waterproof shoes.
- For hotter climates take lightweight clothes that breathe, including shorts (remember you have your packet parka if it turns chilly). Ladies, a lightweight scarf is also handy in both heat, cool and wind.
- Most importantly, take very comfortable, durable shoes that have been worn in, are water-resistant, and are lightweight.
- If you are worried about people seeing you wear the same clothes every day, pick clothes that mix and match.
- Carry a small supply of lip balm, skin moisturiser, sun cream, insect repellent and hand sanitiser or wipes.
Financial fitness
Financial fitness doesn't mean only the very rich can travel. It means get all your finances ready for your trip.
While this is not a definitive list, hopefully it will raise awareness and help your holidays be that bit more enjoyable.
- Get your bank's advice well in advance regarding the best ways to access your money, whether through a travel card, bankcard other other options.
- If traveling with a partner, get separate, unlinked credit cards. This means if one card is compromised you still have access to funds.
- Check fees associated with using a credit card in other locations (and what currency they are charged in).
- Don't put all your money in one location! Carry only enough cash for your expected daily needs; separate it and keep it in different secure places (i.e. a money belt, both pockets; shared among partners; etc).
- Be aware of local charges:
- Some countries have an extra entry fee (although you may have a visa).
- In some locations, tips of up to 10% are expected
- Unexpected fees can apply - while beaches in Australia are free, in many countries beaches are leased to local businesses and it can cost $20 per person to hire your spot with some deck chairs and an umbrella.
- When driving yourself, the cost of parking in many countries (including hotels in Australian capitals) can be horrendous.
- Budget for the unexpected - allow a 10% contingency in your budget planning (and stick to it). All being well you won't have a massive debt when you get home.
While this is not a definitive list, hopefully it will raise awareness and help your holidays be that bit more enjoyable.