Staying Healthy on a RTW Trip

One of the many issues that round the world travelers need to think about before they set off on their trip is related to health. Even a young and healthy traveler can be hit by a food- or water-borne illness, or suffer an injury, while on the road. If making sure you’re prepared for an emergency means you never experience one, it’s still worth it.

With all of the expenses involved in long-term travel, it’s good to learn that getting RTW travel insurance is pretty inexpensive. You can choose from plans that cover only medical issues and others that include insurance against theft of your belongings while you’re traveling. You may not need to use your insurance during your trip, but it’s far better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

Another thing many people take care of before they leave home is getting pre-trip vaccinations, but some wait until they’re traveling to get the shots they need. This is because vaccinations can be significantly cheaper in some countries, so if you don’t have an insurance plan at home that will cover the costs of your shots this is definitely a budget-friendly solution. Be sure to do your research before you leave, though, to make sure you can get the vaccinations you need where you’ll be traveling.

For those who take prescription medications, you’ll need to do some research on this as well to find out how readily available that prescription is in the places you’ll visit. You may be able to get your medication easily and for much less than it would cost you to bring a stockpile from home, but you may also be in more remote areas for long enough that having a supply with you will be critical.

There are many more questions that come up under the heading of RTW travel and health, and this is one area where you don’t want to skimp on research. Don’t freak yourself out over some online diagnosis – there’s no need to become a hypochondriac here – but be aware of potential health risks in the places you plan to visit so you’re prepared to prevent them or deal with them if they happen.

There’s a detailed RTW health FAQ section on BootsnAll with tips about exercising on the road, sexual precautions while traveling, and more – plus, there are interesting threads in the “health and travel” forum at BootsnAll, too, including a question from someone who was never vaccinated for anything as a child and is now wondering what places in the world to avoid, and another who’s a cancer survivor and wants to find out where in the world to get inexpensive health care should it be necessary during the trip.

Want to find out more? This month’s Round the World Ticket Watch newsletter is all about staying healthy on the road, so sign up today and get RTW travel tips delivered to your inbox every single month.

We encourage you to talk to your personal doctor about all of your health-related issues before you leave home.