Thursday, September 9, 2010

Travel Tips for Island Escapes + Healthy Travel

Over the past four weeks I've been unusually busy, not only traveling in Malta (I've blogged about my adventures on the island of Comino and will be posting about my travels on the big island of Malta in a couple of weeks) but also writing guest posts for some fellow bloggers. Each one of these posts, like my own blog, deals with either hidden treasures or key travel tips. I want to share these with you:

1. I'm a big fan of island travel, especially when I can find lands that radiate authenticity. In this guest post you'll find out why I especially adore Sardinia, Corsica, the Azores, Bozcaada and the Lofotens. Because I believe in checking out the landscape slowly, on some, I bicycled past vineyards, sandy beaches or small fishing villages while on others I hiked and walked through a lush, wild landscape.


2. So much of the Caribbean is hardly off the beaten track, especially the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, when I visit my favorite island, St. John, instead of sunning on a stretch of golden sand, I take to the hiking trails far from the madding crowds. Here's what I found along these dirt paths that network this island that's mostly preserved as a national park.



3. A trip just isn't enjoyable when you're sick or in pain. Which is why I carry a very organized and extremely complete first-aid kit. Because I also have a medical background, I've devised a first-aid kit that takes care of just about any malady that might hit you on the road, whether you're doing a weekend at the beach or traveling far afield. In this post, I've described in details everything I carry in my first-aid kit. Some may think it's overkill, yet my kit packs small. And, it fits along with my "always be prepared for anything" mentality.

22 comments:

kris bordessa said...

I really need to take your advice on the first aid kit. I tend to be a bit more slap-dash than that.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi kris, you're actually in the majority. Most people I know who travel all over the place, only bring band-aids, at best.

Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart said...

You are such a genius at this travel stuff. I'm so jealous.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Roxanne, Aw, thanks for being so kind. Always glad to provide cool tips that can help out my readers.

Melanie Haiken said...

The first aid items I have wished for most often are hydrocortisone cream and monistat for yeast infections; it's hard to be uncomfortable when you're traveling!

MyKidsEatSquid said...

I love St. John too. I've always wanted to camp there, which I understand you can do since it has such an extensive national park on the island.

Ilisa said...

This is a great article. I too like the tip about the first aid kit. It makes a lot of sense and is great for small emergencies! A new resource that I discovered for staying healthy while traveling is: http://www.thehealthyroadwarrior.com. They offer tips and information on eating healthy on the road, workouts, flying, getting enough sleep, managing stress and more. I love the info they give! You should check it out!

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Melanie, Those two first-aid items you mentioned are definitely key on any trip.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi MyKidsEatSquid, the camping options are really lovely on St. Johb. My friends have camped at Maho Bay, which offers a variety of different camping-styles, and they really enjoyed it.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Ilisa, Thanks for th heads up on that site. I'll totally check it out.

sarah henry said...

I am currently in land locked DC. And while this town is lovely and green and the weather fallishly nice, when I travel for fun it's often an island I want to play on.

Name Tags said...

I had a really bad experience while sailing in the Bahamas a few years back when I got to see a local doctor, which was not quite up to American standards. Anyway, great post again, I just wish I could have had some warning years earlier.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Name Tags, I know what you mean when you say the medical treatment wasn't up to U.S. standards. Glad you liked my post and I hope it helps with anything that might ail you down the road.

Stephanie Stiavetti said...

"A trip just isn't enjoyable when you're sick or in pain. Which is why I carry a very organized and extremely complete first-aid kit."

I'm so with you on this! I carry everything, because there are few things worse than being miserable when you're far, far from home.

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Stephanie, Great to connect with another well-organized traveler, especially with regard to first-aid needs.

Donna Hull said...

Good roundup of your current guest posts. I especially enjoyed the one on your emergency first aid kit. I notice that it has several creams that probably have to be put in a plastic bag to make it through airport security. How do you manage that along with other toiletries, such as lotions, etc. (we need to stay beautiful)?

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Donna, that's a great question. And you're the only one that's asked it so far. When I'm about to go through security, I simply add the few first-aid liquids/creams to my liquid zip-lock baggie that is hardly full. I bring few toiletries to begin with, especially liquid based. I usually only include a trial size of 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, hair product, body lotion, vaseline (for blisters). And that's pretty much it.

Caribbean Culinary Tours and Vacations said...

Hi JB Great blog just found your blog today great post will be following you

J The Travel Authority said...

Hi Island pepperpot, So glad to connect with you. Appreciate your kind comments.

canvas prints said...

What a great post, thanks for the tips on keeping safe and health it's a must when on your travels.

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I'm so with you on this! I carry everything, because there are few things worse than being miserable when you're far, far from home.

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