When an illness derails your travel plans

 Since when the pandemic hit in 2020, making it extra challenging to travel in these post-pandemic times, one has to be cautious and try to remain healthy when traveling. Unfortunately, a cornucopia of germs and cooties has been circulating about at my work, with employees being sick with a variety of ailments. For a while, I thought I was safe. However, about a week ago, I started having a sore throat. I spent the weekend trying to "make it go away." The following weekend to come, I was planning to fly to New Jersey and participate in the half marathon.

I took the at-home test and it was negative. I went to work not feeling well, but wearing a mask all day long. After work on Tuesday, I decided to do the self-test for COVID at my work. I tried moving about at my house, doing yard work and stuff. Unfortunately, I felt as though I had no energy at all and would run out of breath. Wednesday morning, I got the result that my COVID test was negative. Well, it is comforting to know that I do not have COVID; however, this illness is hitting me quite hard. Today, it is Thursday and I'm still not recovered at all. Though, my sense of taste and smell is slowly returning but still not 100%.

I decided that I needed to take care of myself and try to overcome this illness. I canceled my flights for New Jersey and the hotels. It is sad to miss out on the half marathon in New Jersey, but I do not think I can run 13.1 miles with this illness and exhaustion already in place. I'll schedule another half marathon in New Jersey in the future! 

Fortunately, the flight tickets were able to be converted into e-credits to be used in future travels. As a habit, I try to reserve rooms in hotel that allows for free cancelations prior to the deadline. That gives me ease of mind to not worry about being forced to pay for something when I canceled with enough advance notice. 

At this point, it feels as though this illness has been lingering about for so long; it's hard to be optimistic for it to go away soon. I know it will go away in time!  What are the best ways to try and get better? Here are a few tips:

- getting plenty of sleep: this lets your body rest up and "repair itself" when you are sleeping.
- staying hydrated: this can flush out the toxins from your body. 
- eating properly
- taking a long hot shower or bath

The last thing you want is to be sick before going on a trip, but please don't go on a trip when you are sick. This may spread the illnesses to other travelers, ruining their trips and causing inconvenience to them. Moreover, you may be laying in bed in an expensive hotel elsewhere rather than your home where your comfort zone is. It makes no sense to spend money when you will have no energy to visit places and do activities. Please be a responsible traveler, and contain the cooties to your own domicile, if possible. There will be other opportunities to revisit your trip in the future, and you will enjoy it even more when you are feeling well again! Happy wanderings!