Travel Advice - Don’t start your vacation on the wrong foot - Pace yourself

While on vacation, normally sedentary people lug huge, heavy bags of clothes. Next, they begin to exercise their walking skills: sometimes those skills have not been exercised since their last vacation. Not only do travelers walk more frequently than while at home but do so for longer distances than usual.

Eventually, travelers complain that they are having trouble sleeping in beds that are less comfortable than their bed at home. The same travelers complain that the “strange” foods they have been eating, for some reason, have not “agreed” with them. Finally, they begin to think that they would really enjoy their vacation if only that headache would go away or if only they felt better.

Most of the problems described above result from common "Dumb Traveler" tricks.  If you follow our recommendations, we bet most of your aches, pains, and sleeplessness will decrease if not disappear.

Follow these recommendations:

1. Either pack light (see our articles on  luggage and packing) or let porters carry those huge bags.
2. Take it slow  the first two days of your vacation. Settle into your new environment and pace your activities.
3. Do not eat every high calorie item that you see. If you must splurge on a big, greasy meal, eliminate dessert. If you are not hungry, eat light.
4. Eat sensible meals (healthy food, reasonably sized portions) at sensible times.
5. Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, or cola) after 6 PM, until Jet Lag dissipates.
6. Take time to wind-down from the day’s activities.
7. Go to bed only when you are sleepy and establish a routine for sleeping and waking.

In other words, use the simple rules leading to good health that you already know.

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