Emergency Preparedness While Traveling: 3 Essential Tips

A few months ago I was preparing to travel abroad with my son for his senior trip. I posted in my Facebook group asking for tips on preparedness for international travel. Emergency preparedness while traveling is such a tough topic because you have limited space. Yet you have an unlimited amount of possible emergencies that could arise. There were some great tips on that post but it definitely left me feeling overwhelmed and nervous.

I tend to get analysis paralysis and get so worried about everything that could possibly happen that I give up and end up doing nothing. This is something I’ve learned, so I’m getting better at forcing myself to do little babysteps to be more prepared. I try to prepare for the things MOST LIKELY to happen in the areas I’m going. Also, the things most likely to happen to ME.

Today I want to give you just a few tips I’ve learned from being prepared and from being UNprepared for a travel emergency. If you want to dive deeper into this topic there are some great articles on the CDC website and Red Cross. You can read the tips here or check out my video below to hear a few funny stories from my recent vacation to Costa Rica.

Travel Preparedness Tips

TIP #1: Pack tissues and/or body wipes.

I had an experience in Mexico a few years ago that caused me quite a bit of trauma. I got stuck in a bathroom stall with NO toilet paper, no one who could speak English to help me, and WALLS on all four sides of me. Ever since then I have always traveled with some “wiping” supplies in my carry-on backpack and I keep that with me at all times. You never know when DISASTER will strike! Check out my funny traumatic text exchange with my husband while I was on the toilet

TIP #2: Bring sunscreen and bug spray from home.

You never know if/when you will be able to buy these items, especially if you are staying at a remote resort. And if you are able to get them you might not be able to AFFORD the crazy prices they charge when they know you are stuck there. Want to know how much we paid for one TINY bottle of sun screen? Watch my video below, I think it will shock you.

TIPS #3: Bring medicines and first aid supplies.

We usually pack a fair amount of different pills on vacations including a spare antibiotic in case we can’t access prescriptions out of the country. But I am now going to also include some medicine for upset tummies (watch the video below to find out why). If you are going somewhere where the water is sketchy this is an even bigger potential concern. Also if you are going somewhere hot, consider preparing for sunburn and/or severe heat rash, etc. We won’t talk about how ITCHY I got on my most recent trip lol.

Emergency Preparedness While Traveling – VIDEO

BONUS TIP: Bring snacks!

I wanted to keep to three tips for the video. But seriously, if you have little kids, or dietary restrictions/allergies, or just get plain hangry … bring snacks. Airport food is expensive and sometimes you can get stuck without being able to find something that meets your needs. We had flight delays one time and got in so late that everything was already closed. I couldn’t find any gluten-free food for myself in the entire airport. It was terrible and we were stuck there overnight! I love bringing Thrive snackies with me for a healthy snack that is lightweight. You can also make little snack mixes and put them in ziplock bags if you need something more substantial.