Firstly, I am not a doctor (but I play one on TV). Therefore, I am not qualified to give . . . → Read More: General Medical Information]]>

Firstly, I am not a doctor (but I play one on TV). Therefore, I am not qualified to give any advice on health or medicine.

This section is just a list of things I found out about travel and health whilst reading about various countries around the world. It also serves as a checklist of things to do before I go travelling and the order in which I need to do them.

For all travel-related health advice consult an expert (your doctor or travel clinic, for example). You can also read books and browse websites, but remember that health advice changes all the time, epidemics come and go, new diseases appear, drugs become resistant, more effective vaccines are developed, and so on. And some of those websites may just be plain wrong.

It is a good idea to become familiar, in general terms, with what are the possible health risks in each country you intend to visit. Some of these risks should not be taken lightly but, on the other hand, you shouldn’t allow the fear of health problems to put you off travelling.

It is all a question of perspective. Whilst you hear about all kinds of horrible diseases in the news, like Ebola and Plague, travellers don’t get them. In fact, one of the deadliest viruses of all is found in the developed world and is far more widespread.

That said, in most countries in the developed world you will probably not have any health problems at all, just those you get at home, such as coughs and colds, diarrhea and constipation, and hangovers. Everywhere else in the world the worst you will probably get is a stomach upset from unfamiliar microbes.

As stated above, consult an expert, follow their advice, and take sensible precautions. Knowledge and prevention will greatly reduce the risks of falling ill anywhere in the world.

The Main Health Risks for Travellers

The main cause by far of preventable deaths and injuries among travellers is accidents. These include being run over by, or crashing in, a moving vehicle.

Thus the best advice is to do what you do back home; always wear a seat belt (or helmet on a bike), always look both ways before crossing a street, at the same time standing well back from the curb.



Studies have shown that around 50% of deaths while travelling are from heart attacks (which you probably would have had at home anyway), another 20% or so due to injuries, with the rest made up of such things as cancer, suicides and homicides.

Only around 1% of deaths are due to the infectious diseases and illnesses listed elsewhere on this website. Also, most deaths while travelling occur in Europe (where most people travel), and not in developing countries.

On Being Your Own Doctor

When you are at home and get a sniffle or cough you can either ignore it or hope it will go away. Others may try to treat it or at least ameliorate the symptoms. Doing this while travelling in the developing world, however, can have serious consequences.

You should never ignore symptoms or try to diagnose yourself (or anyone else) while travelling. Seek professional advice as soon as you can. Doctors in developing countries may not seem as well-qualified as those back home but they are usually familiar with local health problems, and the knowledge base they use to diagnose will be far more extensive than yours which will probably have been gleaned from books or the Internet.

After getting advice from a health professional, try to get to the best care available whenever you can, even if it means travelling long distances.

Upon Returning Home

If you feel ill after returning from the developing world, go and see your doctor and let them know you have just come back from there. You may be referred to a tropical disease specialist. Some people get tests to see if they might have picked up something, even if they have no symptoms.

Getting in (and out) of countries can sometimes be a challenge. I once (a long time ago) took a . . . → Read More: Essential Documents]]>

Getting in (and out) of countries can sometimes be a challenge. I once (a long time ago) took a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco (a 2.5 hour journey), only to be turned back as I tried to disembark and had to return to Spain.

The problem was a missing stamp in my passport which could only be obtained in the passport stamping office on the boat, and by the time I found this out the place stamping the passports had closed. Of course, nobody tells you this when you get on or while you are sailing, and I wasn’t the only one turned away that day.

Needless to say, I was at the front of the line on the boat the next day, got the stamp, and entered Morocco without any further problems. Of course, it may be different these days but I will know to check next time.

The moral of this story is, make sure you know before you leave what it takes to enter the countries you want to visit. This section lists a few things to watch out for when travelling around the world. Some may seem obvious (a passport, for example) but there are other less obvious things you have to look out for.

It is also a good idea to make sure you have these documents well in advance of your trip. For example, if your passport only has a few months before it expires then some countries will not let you in. It can take a few weeks to renew a passport (months at busy times of the year), and getting vaccinations takes time too (making appointments, taking a course of pills, waiting for them to take effect).

There are companies who can get passports in a hurry, for example,RushMyPassport.com can get your US passport to you within 24 hours.

These include the usual ones you would get at home, colds, sore throats, and other infections. Take proper medications, . . . → Read More: Other Travellers’ Ailments]]>

These include the usual ones you would get at home, colds, sore throats, and other infections. Take proper medications, or try to get access to good medical care whilst abroad.

Jet lag

Cause – crossing many time zones in a short space of time.

Symptoms – disorientation, tiredness, and irritability for several days after a long journey.

Treatment – take time to become oriented to the local time and climate when you arrive. Outdoor activity and exercise can help. Some take Melatonin or a short-acting sleeping pill. Afternoon naps can help also.

Prevention – rest well before leaving home. Sleep on the aeroplane on long journeys. Drink plenty of water.

Motion sickness

Prevention – if you are susceptible to motion sickness, Dramamine pills work better if taken before symptoms develop. Scopolamine ear patches may also help. While at sea or riding a bus get as much fresh air as possible, and focus vision towards the horizon. Think pleasant thoughts. Avoid greasy or spicy foods.

Altitude sickness

Found – occurs at altitudes above 8000 feet (2500 meters). About twenty-five percent of travellers to high altitudes will be affected, but younger people are more susceptible.

Cause – ascending to altitude before the body has time to adjust to the lower air pressure and lower oxygen content of the air.

Symptoms – mild and flu-like, such as headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Insomnia often results due to shortness of breath. Usually these symptoms last only a short time as the body adjusts. Many travellers have trouble sleeping their first night or two in high-altitude cities.

Severe cases result in fluid buildup in the lungs. This leads to intense breathlessness, coughing and wheezing. Fluid may also build-up in the brain, leading to severe headache, seizures, vomiting, hallucinations, and even coma.

Treatment for mild cases – is usually just rest. Plan for an easy day or two upon landing in a high-altitude city. Aspirin may help. Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of fluids.

Treatment for severe cases – requires immediate action. Don’t wait until morning or the victim may die or suffer brain damage. They should be brought down at least two or three thousand feet and have oxygen administered. They should also be brought to a hospital as soon as possible where diuretic drugs may be given.

Prevention – best by slowly gaining altitude. If you walk to gain altitude you can go back down a few thousand feet if you begin feeling symptoms. One rule of thumb is to always sleep below the highest altitude achieved that day.

There are a number of ways of carrying money, or at least getting access to it, as you travel.

Whichever way you choose to finance your trip, how far your money goes will depend on which countries . . . → Read More: Budgeting]]>

Whichever way you choose to finance your trip, how far your money goes will depend on which countries you intend to visit, how (well) you intend to live, and the activities which you undertake whilst there.

If you are on a modest budget then don’t spend all your money on expensive gear. You will be constantly worrying about having it lost or stolen, and you probably won’t have enough left for food and accommodation. In many cases you can just take what your already have. See the ‘Packing’ section for hints on what to take and what to leave behind.

To make your money last longer you can (obviously) sleep and travel by the cheapest means possible, do lots of hiking, and limit yourself to free activities (for example, looking at the outside of famous buildings and monuments but not paying to go inside).

But bear in mind, if you do choose to live on a shoestring, you will always come across unexpected situations where you will want (or need) to pay for things.

For example, you would expect that something like the famous Meteor Crater, a 4,000 ft diameter hole in the middle of the Arizona desert, would be easily accessible for viewing (as it was in the movie ‘Starman’), and therefore, free.

However, when I arrived there I found it was completely fenced off and run as a privately owned and managed “attraction”, and inaccessible if you didn’t pay the $15 admission fee.

So keep a small emergency fund for these unknowns so you don’t miss out on things you always wanted to see, or return from your trip owing money.



Work out a rough budget for travel, accommodation and food. Include your air tickets, rail passes or tickets, local transportation, lodging, passports and visas, immunizations and health supplies, clothing, luggage, food, restaurant meals, tours and general daily expenses, by day and by country if you can.

Doing this should help you avoid the usual budget traveller’s mistake of spending a lot at the beginning of a trip, less in the middle, and next to nothing near the end.

However, avoid trying to live too cheaply all of the time as it is almost always a false economy. You may save money by staying in the the cheapest hotel and eating at the cheapest restaurant, but you may also end up living in the worst part of town in a terrible place, and you may get food poisoning or even mugged.

And hotels can be a lot cheaper than you think, especially if you book them at the last minute. I regularly use priceline.com to book hotels and I save up to 50% on regular room rates and have stayed in some very nice hotels for very little (sometimes for not much more than at a hostel).

In general, try to play it by ear and be a little flexible. Pay only a little extra and you might get great accommodation with nice views and excellent food.

After all, one of the best things about places like France, Spain and (more so nowadays), the UK, is that you can eat at some of the world’s finest restaurants.

Remember, this may be the only time you visit the places to which you are travelling, so don’t spoil it when a small amount of money could make a big difference.

If you are a diver and have a card or log book, take it with you. I forgot mine . . . → Read More: Diving Card/Log Book]]>

If you are a diver and have a card or log book, take it with you. I forgot mine once when I was visiting Key West for less than a day. The diving equipment rental company wouldn’t believe I had one and instead insisted that I take a diving test in the local swimming pool before taking me out on the boat, and I just didn’t have enough time.

Note that there are many different bodies around the world which award diving qualifications (e.g. PADI, BSAC etc.) so you may need to know the equivalent qualifications for each to know which level you are at (for example, Sports Diver, Instructor, etc.), especially if you want to do more training,  so find out before you go. There are plenty of places online which give this information, for example, here.