Advice for Travelers

Yesterday afternoon I met my friend Lillian over at Dandelion Botanicals in Ballard. Lillian’s paintings are on display there; I wanted to see both Lillian and her work. While I was hanging out, I talked with the herbalist, Kachi. My question for her: I always get sick after taking a long haul flight: a) What the hell and b) What can I do about it?

Kachi recommneded carrying an essential oil with me on the plane. She said that the scent stimulates the nasal passages and has the less quantifiable affect of making a person feel more grounded. Also, the smell of something pleasant and earthy when you’re in such an unnatural enviromnent is reassuring to both you and the other passengers, even in very tiny amounts. She liked the cedar, but it was too skunky for my sniffer. I went with the rosemary. We’ll see how it goes, eh?

The other thing she recommended was an herbal supplement that’s an immune system booster. After picking up and putting down a few things, we settled on a bag of Morning Glory Chai. It contains the same stuff as the herbal supplments – astralagus, ginger, some other goodies. It smells delicious, tastes delicious, and, truth be told, gives me a little caffiene buzz. Yum. I’m drinking some of that every day this week.

Independent of Kachi’s advice, I’m also taking zinc and C lozenges. Last time I got sick my doc told me to take them to amp up the old immune system. I shuffled off to TJs to get a fresh bottle; I was clean out. Finally, I’ve got Airborne and Emergen-C in the carry on. I can neither confirm nor deny the effectiveness of any of these remedies… you’ll have to wait until next week for the follow up report.

Both Lillian and Kachi said that the best thing you can do to avert those travel illnesses is to take care of yourself and to appreciate that you are doing just that. All this is very fuzzy to me, but I remain an optimist.

In case you’re wondering, there are a few other things I always toss in the bag that I’m carrying on the plane. This is in addition to the standard travel documents/indispensable medication stuff.

Here’s the list:

• Plane jammies. When you’re folded in to one of those tiny seats for 9 hours, you need comfy clothes. I have velvet drawstring pants, a long sleeved t-shirt, warm socks, and booties with leather on the soles. FYI, I don’t wear this stuff in the airport, it’s for on the plane only. It’s easier to get through customs and immigration if you’re not dressed like a freakin’ hippie.
• A big soft scarf/shawl that can act like an extra blanket
• One of those dorky .Yes, they work.
• Reading material – a big fat novel and a magazine.
• Drugs. Hello, better living through chemistry. One sleeping pill for each transatlantic leg of the trip. Also, some OTC pain killer like Ibuprofen and some Tums or something to settle a churning belly.
• Food and beverage. Yeah, they feed you, but not enough and not when you feel like eating. I pack a couple of Odwallas and some fruit and whatever snacky stuff catches my imagination.Tangerines are great on the plane. They peel easily, smell great, and are really refreshing. Plus, you don’t have to take that stuff off the plane, only on. By the time your flight lands, it’s all gone. You’ve tossed the peels and wrappers in the trash.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste. It’s amazing how much better brushing your teeth makes you feel.
• Earplugs. They should be giving these out on the plane, I tell you what.
• Something to write with. They always give you forms; they never give you a pen.
• Clean socks and underwear in case my checked luggage doesn’t arrive when I do.
• In the summer, a swimsuit. You never know. And a plastic bag to put it in.
• A little moisturizer. Oy, it’s so dry on the plane.

It seems like a lot of stuff, but it’s not really. It’s pretty much what you’d take if you were going for a day at the beach, right? And why not act like you’re giving yourself a really nice treat rather than getting involved in a stupid chore like cleaning the bathroom? Just shifting your thinking about the trip really helps.

I guess that’s what Kachi and Lillian meant.