All too often, we’ve meet travelers that look like they are straight from the set of 28 Days Later– dirty, stinky, sleep-deprived, emaciated, and hung over. They drag their feet from castle to cathedral groaning and drooling all the way. How can anyone travel like that and actually get something out of it (besides psoriasis of the liver)?
You travel to see the destination, and you can’t expect to have a productive day in Istanbul if you ignore basic hygiene. It may sound like common sense, but you would be surprised.
Here are a few tips to keep you on the path of humanity as you travel:
1. Keep It Clean
If you live in a major city, you know what it’s like to be sitting on the metro next to a backpacker that looks like he and his bag have been thrown from a moving car. Come on. Unless you are camping or hiking, there really is no excuse to skip bathing. There are people around you that have nostrils!
I am aware that people travel on a very tight budget. However, even the most basic hostel has a shower. You can find free soap and shampoo most of the time. We went for several weeks just using leftovers in hostel bathrooms. Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and take 10 minutes to bathe each day. Even if the water is lukewarm and you are afraid to touch the slimy walls, it is still better than nothing.
2. Don’t Over Do It
Another typical state of backpackers is the perpetual hangover. It’s fun to party all night with your new hostel pals, but is it worth missing an entire day of sights in Paris? Maybe I’m just getting too old, but I don’t want to be squinting through sunglasses and popping aspirin all day at the Louvre.
Go out and have fun, but remember to take it easy.
3. Get Your Beauty Rest
This goes right along with the above tip. You need sleep to stay healthy. How can you expect to have a productive day in Salzburg if you were out all night? If you had a fun night, just sleep in. It’s okay! Don’t drag yourself out of bed at eight in the morning for the Sound of Music tour. It’s lame, anyway.
4. Just Eat It!
We once ran into a guy who only ate a piece of bread each morning and then a small snack in the evening. We shared a room with Skelator, and he would tell us that he was dizzy and seeing spots by dinner time. Is the cost savings really worth starving yourself? Also, food is one of the best parts of travel, so just eat something!
You don’t have to eat out for every meal. Go to the grocery store or market and buy some bread, fruit, and cheese. That’s always pretty cheap, or you can usually make some kind of meal out of the free food section in the hostel kitchen. Eat a couple of times a day and you’ll feel much better. We usually eat a moderate sized lunch around 1:00 and a light snack for dinner (with an ice cream stop in there somewhere). Avoid the tourist traps. The places where the locals eat are usually affordable– plus, you will learn a few things about local cuisine.
5. Take Your Meds
Another habit of backpackers that pushes them closer to Zombieland is refusing to buy medicine. If you’re sick, you need to take the time and effort to get well.
I’m not talking about aspirin or Pepto-Bismol. We’ve run into travelers who have infected cuts, rashes, or horrible tooth pain who are simply putting up with it. European pharmacies are happy to help you diagnose your problem and find a medication to ease your pain. A trip to the pharmacy won’t bust your budget. Even when I burned my leg on an island in Southeast Asia, I was able to find the necessary bandages to keep myself healthy.
Kim & Clark Kays quit their jobs for an uncertain trip around the world. Originally from St. Louis, they relocated to Chicago after getting married in 2005. After working for five years in middle school and the Fortune 500, they realized there was more to life than the 9-to-5, so made the crazy decision to exchange money for time rather than the other way around.
Their hobbies include fighting over writing styles and searching for gelato. They think food, beer, architecture, and photography are some of the best things about travel—especially when combined. Their travel blog, To Uncertainty and Beyond, includes long-term travel tips as well as humorous anecdotes from their journey through Europe and Asia. They invite you to experience their journey and learn from their adventures and mistakes.
