Month: February 2021

There are several important tips for traveling with chronic illness conditions in 2021. Traveling can easily become a hassle when dealing with the complexity of medical needs, daily medications, or other restrictions due to chronic illnesses. Of course, you can never let these minor setbacks restrict you from seeing the world. To make your upcoming trip safer and easier, there are multiple important tips to help you stay better prepared. Read on to learn about the top tips for traveling with chronic illness conditions in 2021.

There are millions of people with debilitating diseases. MS, COPD, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis to name some of the bigger ones. With a game plan, you can still enjoy the world of travel. You just need to plan for health emergencies and hopefully they will never happen while you are having the time of your life.
With a little preparation, planning and some modifications you should be able to enjoy your trips stress-free.

Carry A Medical ID

First and foremost, it is key to carry a medical ID that specifies your chronic illness conditions. Simply, a medical ID displays your conditions, allergies, and current medications. In addition, they may describe your reactions, immunizations, or support animal information. This way, emergency medical personnel will have the critical information needed to properly treat you if something unfortunate were to happen. Essentially, these forms of identification work as a simple, effective way to communicate vital information in emergency situations where you may become incapacitated, unconscious, or injured. It will help you convey information to paramedics in scenarios where you may be distressed, confused, or unable to appropriately advocate for your own health. Known as the original medical ID bracelet, MedicAlert offers a range of bracelet styles. From everyday Stainless Steel, to Sterling Silver and Gold options. The bracelet is internationally recognized, offers online emergency health records, and a 24/7 emergency response team that provides critical information to first responders. $ 24.99/year medicalert.org. If you have any severe reactions to food, you may want to consider carrying a food allergy and dietary translation card as well. Take a look at selectwisely.com– They offer 35 different cards in 60 languages. They offer travel emergency cards in english like Diabetes and Asthma. Cards cost $ 14.99 each. Certainly, carrying a medical ID is essential when visiting new places with a chronic illness.

Pack A Travel Health Kit

In addition, it will be vital to pack and prepare a travel health kit. Within your kit, organize all of your prescriptions, first aid supplies, and health insurance identification. You should bring along any over-the-counter (OTC) medications you may be taking, as well as your medical ID. Be sure to pack all of these materials within your carry-on luggage. This way, you can be sure to not lose anything in the event that your suitcase gets lost or delayed. Simultaneously, this can be important to protect you in the event of a medical emergency during air travel. If you will require oxygen or any other medical equipment on your flight, be sure to reach out to your airline well in advance. This way, you can swiftly navigate the arrival, screening, and boarding process for your flight. Surely, bringing a travel health kit is essential when vacationing with chronic illness conditions.

Strategically Pack Your Luggage

As you pack for your trip, make sure you have copies of your prescriptions. If you are going to a foreign country, make sure they can be easily translated into the local language. This will help avoid questions or delays at customs or immigration. Also bring extra medication with you. If your trip gets delayed on the way back you will be glad you did. You may be changing multiple time zones and that may require a change in your schedule of taking your medications. Keep your medications in their labeled pharmacy bottles, not a generic pill pack. They may be inspected at your destination airport. Know the generic name for your medications as those names may be more recognizable at pharmacies in a foreign country.

Lets face it. Luggage can get lost or delayed. Carry all medications in your carry-on bag. For the ones that require refrigeration, consider how to transport your medications for a long travel day or flights. Make sure you have a high quality insulated bag.  Another good option is the FRIO product for Diabetics. They offer a variety of medicine cooling products. One product keeps insulin cool and safe, protects it from cold, activated by water, no  refrigeration or ice needed, it is light and compact, and is reusable. $ 27.95 holding two insulin pens. frioinsulincoolingcase.com

Request a small refrigerator in your accommodations. Ask the flight attendant to place your items in the aircraft refrigerator.

It is best to bring extra non-medication supplies such as incontinence supplies, diabetes test strips, hearing aid batteries, etc., as these may not be available at your destination. You do not want to spend unnecessary time looking for those items while enjoying your vacation. Everyday on your trip should be a good one!

Research whether your airline or cruise line has a policy for devices such as wheelchairs, portable machines, batteries, respirators, and oxygen. Maybe you choose not to bring some of that with you and look to rent it at your destination?

Plan Your Itinerary Accordingly

Next, it is fundamental to plan your itinerary accordingly. Even though travel is meant to be relaxing, it often puts high levels of additional stress on the body. To ensure that this does not occur, it is important that you understand your limits. For example, you may not want to take on a strenuous hike if you are suffering from asthma, or other respiratory conditions. Instead, you may want to opt for a more leisurely activity such as a walk on the beach. Simultaneously, you will want to allow plenty of time for rest. This way, you can maintain your well being, physical, and mental health. Indeed, strategically planning your itinerary is essential when traveling with chronic illnesses.

It is very tempting to see everything and do everything where you are going. Try not to plan too much into your itinerary. Pick and choose what really excites you. No need to check off all the boxes. Slower travel involves activities that will not exhaust you. Try a cooking class in Italy instead of a walking tour. Take a taxi to a beach and soak in the scenery. Go horseback riding instead of a hike. Spend an extra day at your destination so you do not feel the need to rush and maybe get an extra hour of sleep in the morning each day. Be patient with your body and mind. Take full advantage of substantial discounts on public transportation and entrance admissions to attractions due to the disability. Research in advance places you may go so you don’t miss out.

If you have an illness where you need help with any daily activities, we do not recommend solo travel. There is no guarantee help is available when you need it. It is always good to travel with someone familiar with the issues you have.

Purchase Travel Insurance

Of course, it is important to purchase vacation insurance to protect you from a wide range of common travel mishaps. As a chronic illness patient, you may feel fine one day, and then ill the very next. Therefore, travel insurance is essential to protect you from an unforeseen loss. This way, you can prevent minor mishaps from ruining your trip and avoid medical emergencies overseas. Simultaneously, purchasing insurance is essential to safeguard your vacation investment. Absolutely, purchasing travel insurance is key when vacationing with chronic illnesses.

Obtain Supplemental Medical Insurance

If your health insurance plan does not provide coverage overseas, we strongly recommend supplemental medical insurance. Remember that Medicare does not provide coverage overseas. Private insurance plans may require you to pay for costs directly before getting reimbursed. A good place to start is checking out worldnomads.com and personalizing the coverage you want.

Before you go abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover, and more importantly, does not cover. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the U.S., remember to carry both your insurance card and also a blank claim form so you can file it without delays. We know this may be too much planning but better to be safe and sorry.

Although some health insurance companies pay “customary and reasonable” hospital costs abroad, very few pay for your medical evacuation back home.

Medical evacuation can be very expensive, depending on your location and medical condition. For example, Medjet has a plan that covers an individual under age 75, for eight days of travel, will transport you home or to the hospital of your choice for $99. Of course the cost goes up from there for longer trips, additional services and travelers 75-84. Medjetassist.com

Look for a policy that will make payments to hospitals directly. You do not want to be in a position where you have to lay out thousands of dollars and hope you get reimbursed.

Here are important questions to consider when shopping for insurance to see if they cover:

Emergency medical care, medical transport back home, travel/accommodation costs, 24 hour contact line, the region(s) you travel in, pre-existing conditions, and activities you plan on engaging in.

At the same time, look for policies for disabled travelers on your airline’s website. Specifically, review their protocols for batteries, oxygen tanks, and respirators.

Brief Your Travel Companions

Moreover, be sure to brief your travel companions before embarking on your journey. Whether you are traveling with an unfamiliar tour guide, your spouse, or a group of friends that you have known for several years, it is important to clearly discuss your condition early on. Sure, it can be a bit embarrassing or a little awkward. However, it will be absolutely essential if you are experiencing a medical emergency while traveling. You may want to speak with your travel group about how your condition may limit your ability to do things. If the activities on your itinerary appear to be too extreme, you may want to look into finding a more appropriate group of travel buddies. Undoubtably, briefing your travel companions is key for safe chronic illness tourism.

There are several important tips and recommendations for traveling with chronic illness conditions in 2021. First off, be sure to always carry a medical ID. In addition, you will want to bring along a travel health kit. Next, you should strategically plan your itinerary in accordance with your limitations. Of course, you may want to purchase travel insurance to safeguard your vacation investment. Moreover, be sure to brief your travel companions on your chronic illness condition. Certainly, this is a beneficial tip for trips with friends, loved ones, or even on family vacations. Follow the points above to learn about the top tips for traveling with chronic illness conditions in 2021.

After preparation like this, you can get excited about the adventures to come!

There are plenty of exciting virtual travel experiences to help you see the world from home. With efforts to contain the spread of the Coronavirus on the rise, millions of value travelers across the globe are stuck, self-isolated at home. If all you want to do is look outside someone’s window across the globe you can do that at window-swap.com. To keep you from developing cabin fever, there are several exciting online vacation experiences to try out this year. In fact, these activities have been one of the largest value travel trends in the COVID world. Partaking in these new digital activities, you can escape to new destinations without leaving the confines of your home. If you are ready to get out and get back to exploring, read on to learn about the best virtual travel experiences to see the world from home.

Experience Underwater Tourism

Many tourism experts have already stated that underwater travel is the future of virtual, vacation experiences. Experience underwater travel activities today by booking a digital, online diving tour. Some of the most popular experiences include swimming with sharks and dolphins. Other popular endeavors include diving into abandoned shipwrecks or incredible coral reefs. If you have never scuba dived or snorkeled, this can be a great way to find out what it’s all about. Then, you can always decide to get scuba-certified after lockdown restrictions are lifted. Certainly, underwater tourism is an excellent virtual travel activity to explore this year.

Visit Some Wonders Of The World

In addition, there are several exciting virtual travel experiences that help you see the wonders of the world. Using immersive online, 360-degree tours, it is easy to explore some of the world’s most incredible destinations. Check out thechinaguide.com, and beeyonder.com/experience for some great options. Virtually climb the Great Wall of China, visit the Taj Mahal in India, or Machu Picchu in Peru. At the same time, you can visit the site of Petra in Jordan, the Ancient Ruins in Greece, or Jerusalem’s Old City. If you are a fan of architectural wonders of the World, there are also incredibly virtual tours of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City, the CN Tower in Toronto, as well as Buckingham Palace in London. Check out Kyoto, Japan at tctour.co/jp. Want to visit Mount Rushmore? go to cyark.org. If you are stressing about travel plans, find some virtual travel experiences that help you see the incredible wonders of the world.

Explore With Wildlife

Next, there are plenty of incredible virtual travel experiences that allow you to explore, interact, and engage with wildlife. These exciting activities provide you a close-up intimacy with animals that cannot be found at any local zoo. Visit an African Safari for exciting experiences with elephants, lions, and gorillas. Even if you do not see much, nothing can compare to the spectacle of the African sunset. Simultaneously, be sure to check out wildlife travel experiences in the Amazon Rainforest, the North Pole, as well as Asian Forests. Absolutely, there are plenty of wildlife virtual travel experiences to fulfill your need for a COVID getaway.

Take A Ride At Disney Theme Parks

Moreover, there are still plenty of ways to visit the “Happiest Place On Earth,” even if you cannot be there in person. Disney park goers can still enjoy various attractions through virtual tours, events, and celebrations. At the same time, you can browse through thousands of Disney ride-through videos online. This way, you can experience world famous rides like Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion right from the comfort of your couch. If you have never been, this additionally presents an excellent opportunity to visit Disney’s other parks. Take a virtual tour of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Paris Disneyland without even spending a dollar on airfare. Undoubtably, the Disney COVID theme park experience is an excellent virtual travel activity to try out this year.

Bask In The Tropical Beaches

Of course, many value travelers have opted for virtual travel experiences that allow them to bask in the beaches. If you have never been, use this time to explore the world-famous beaches of Maui, Bora Bora, Miami, and The Hamptons. At the same time, consider visiting Navagio in Greece, as well as Ora Bach in Indonesia. Exploring these destinations, you can experience the tropical sand, weather, and water of all these locations without even leaving your bedroom. Even better, you can do so at a mere fraction of the cost. Absolutely, there are dozens of fun travel activities that allow you to bask in tropical sands, climates, and beaches.

There are plenty of exciting travel experiences that allow you to see the world from home. earth.google.com has terrific choices that include 31 U.S. National Parks and 30 World Heritage sites.If you want a more intimate experience, there are dozens and dozens of guides offering very specific subject matter in many locations around the word. Just go to airbnb.com/experiences to choose what works for you. Firstly, be sure to look at some exciting underwater travel. In addition, take this time to visit some wonders of the World. Next, check out some wildlife experiences to enjoy a breathtaking intimacy with animals. Of course, there are plenty of exciting tours that allow you to enjoy tropical sands and beaches. Moreover, take the time to visit Disneyworld or Disneyland at a fraction of the cost. Follow the ideas outlined above to learn about the best virtual travel experiences to see the world from home.

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues across the globe, there is an ongoing rise of travel bubbles that show signs of hope. Essentially, a travel bubble refers to the controlled reopening of quarantine-free leisure air travel between two or more designated locations. Typically, this is accomplished through a formal agreement between multiple nations, states, or cities.

Under these partnerships, value travelers like yourself can begin to get out exploring again. To help you learn more about bubbles, and COVID-19 travel advisory information, read on to learn about how the rise of travel bubbles suggests sign of hope for COVID-19 tourists.

History Of Travel Bubbles

Travel bubbles are nothing new in the age of the Coronavirus pandemic. The first major travel to be announced was back in May of 2020. This bubble initially linked the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Another major travel bubble was between New Zealand and Australia in September. Unfortunately, it was later recalled due to Australia’s rising infection rates in August 2020.

Since then, Asia launched its first bubble in November 2020. This bubble, linked Hong Kong and Singapore. Now that major cities and countries have effectively begun opening up safe travel bubbles, American travelers are beginning to show signs of hope. Before you start planning, familiarize yourself with the history of controlled travel bubbles.

Inner-Workings Of Travel Bubbles

Next, you familiarize yourself with how COVID-19 travel bubbles actually work. A common misconception is that travel bubbles mean a return to pre-pandemic tourism. However, this is simply not the case. Often, travel bubble tourism still comes with a series of testing and health screening requirements. In the near future, it is expected that a vaccination record may be required for travel as well. If you want to enter the new Hong Kong/Singapore bubble, you will need to produce a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to arrival.

At the same time, travelers who have left their country of origin in the previous two weeks will additionally be restricted from traveling. Surely, it is key to familiarize yourself with the inner-workings of safe Coronavirus travel bubbles.

Risks Of Travel Bubbles

Of course, it is important to familiarize yourself on the risks of travel bubbles before you book your tickets. As mentioned previously, travel bubbles are specifically configured between locations with low infection rates of COVID-19. However, there is still the chance of risk on your journey. One of the most prominent, is that pre and asymptomatic travelers carrying the virus can bring it into safe travel areas unknowingly. In the event of this, travelers risk bringing a deadly illnesses, with limited treatment options into an entirely new location.

If you are stressing about travel plans during the pandemic, check out our complete post-COVID travel guide. Indeed, it is important to learn about the risks of travel bubbles before you book your next vacation.

Next Possible Bubbles

With conditions constantly changing, there are all sorts of predictions for where travel bubbles could pop up next. There is always the possibility of a new bubble opening up between Australia and New Zealand. While nothing has been confirmed, there has been frequent talks of a travel bubble opening up between New York City and London, two of the world’s largest business hubs. Of course, the opening of Asia’s first travel bubble also suggests many more may open up soon on the continent.

Some of the top contenders include popular Chinese cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chongqing. Undoubtedly, there are several new predictions for where the next travel bubble will be.

Travel In The Meantime

While we await the opening of new travel bubbles, there are plenty of tourism opportunities to experience in the meantime. In order to stay safe when traveling, many vacationers are looking to avoid airplanes and public transportation. Instead, there has been an influx in road trip vacations, family camping journeys, and RV travel. If any of these interest you, be sure to check out our complete RV travel guide.

Following these innovative travel trends, you can stay safe, comfortable, and confident throughout your entire COVID-19 vacation journey. Absolutely, there are plenty of safe travel experiences to check out in the meantime.

The rise of travel bubbles has certainly showed signs of hope to Coronavirus tourists. First and foremost, familiarize yourself with the history of safe travel bubbles. Next, it is important to learn about how these safe bubbles actually work. Of course, you should be aware of the inherit risks associated with these forms of tourism. With conditions constantly changing, there are all sorts of predictions for where travel bubbles could pop up next. While we await the opening of new travel bubbles, there are plenty of tourism opportunities to experience in the meantime. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about how the rise of travel bubbles suggests sign of hope for COVID-19 tourists.