I decided to stay a little longer in St Helena whilst I was out there, so I spent several days rearranging my travel plans, which seemed like an opportune time to write this post. Having been lucky enough to travel quite a lot, both long and short haul, whilst being various stages of sick, I have learnt quite a lot about the best ways to manage my illness whilst travelling, so here are some top tips for flying when sick.
1. Book special assistance where you can
I spent years avoiding using special assistance because I didn’t want to admit that I was sick and could use the help. However, since doing it, I have realised that it makes a huge difference: skipping queues at airports; priority boarding; and help lifting luggage and hand luggage onto the plane. And, as an extra bonus, when flying with a quick layover, special assistance makes sure you get to your next plane on time! So whilst it may be extra faff to arrange special assistance beforehand, it is definitely an energy saver during the journey.
2. Avoid layovers where you can
When I was travelling back and forth between Malaysia and the Netherlands a lot, I took a variety of different flights – one of which was a 22-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur through Shanghai (which is really not on the way to Malaysia!). I took this flight because it was about £100 cheaper than the 15-hour direct flight, and I am only able to travel on a very, very tight budget. THIS IS NOT WORTH IT IF YOU ARE SICK. The less layovers, the shorter a journey, the easier a journey and therefore the less energy a journey takes – and the less time it takes to recover afterwards.
3. Bring help/mobility aids with you
Things I have always had on flights with me, even when I was still pretending not to be sick and refusing assistance, are my thigh high compression stockings (to help with sitting upright for the whole flight); earplugs (to keep the sound out); rehydration salts (to keep hydrated); a blanket (to keep warm); painkillers and pills! In fact, really anything you use regularly to bring yourself comfort is worth packing if you are allowed to bring it and have space.
4. Capsule hotels for layovers
In many airports they have capsule hotels that you can book for a couple of hours. I have booked these before when I’ve had a longer layover so that I can have a lie down and a proper rest before the next flight. Whilst not the first word in luxury, they are definitely something I would highly recommend.
5. Plan the first few days
I know that I am always exhausted when I first get off a flight. For this reason, I make sure that I know exactly where I am going – and also how I am going to get there. As post-exertional malaise often hits two or three days later, I make sure that I have accommodation arranged for the first few nights, so that I am a little rested by the time I start travelling again. This also helps me to settle in and gives me time to adjust to any culture shock I may be experiencing – always an added bonus.
In addition to this, if I am by myself, I bring snacks with me, in case I am feeling too sick on the first day to venture out and find food!
6. The cheapest option isn’t necessarily the cheapest option
Often people with chronic illness have to travel on a budget, as many of us struggle for income. The only way I have been able to travel is with help from friends and family, or through sub-letting my room and subsisting on that money. This means cheapo travel. What I have learnt over time though, is that the cheapest option isn’t necessarily the cheapest option.
What on earth do I mean by this? Well, when I first went backpacking, I would stay in whatever the absolute cheapest accommodation was; however, this doesn’t always pay off – sometimes it means that you are miles from where you want to be and need to pay for taxis; sometimes it means you are unable to rest properly because the room is too uncomfortable or loud (notable mention to the room in Kuala Lumpur that was right above the shadiest liquor store and next to the huge Deepavali celebrations, meaning no sleep at all!). In the end, if the thing you are paying for doesn’t meet your needs, you will end up paying with bad health and therefore with lost time or extra money. There is a fine line that is hard to tread between cheapo travel and self-sabotage!
7. Even a healthy person can’t do everything
FOMO is already a thing for people with energy related illnesses, but when you are travelling, it can be really difficult not to get sad about all the things you aren’t well enough to do. Something I’ve found helpful to remember is that even the healthiest person is not going to be able to do and see everything they want to whilst travelling. There is never enough time when you are travelling, whether you are sick or not, so just enjoy whatever you can manage!
Travel is a privilege
Many people with chronic illness, for example people with severe ME, genuinely cannot travel, no matter how much they plan it beforehand, so I feel incredibly lucky that I am still able to do so, more often than not. I am still finding more energy efficient ways to travel with a chronic illness, without overdoing it, so I hope these tips will help those of you who can, to make the most of being away. Happy travels!
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