As you plan your travels for the rest of the year, there’s always the opportunity to go on a multi-country trip to tick off multiple destinations from your travel bucket list all at once. For one, a CNN article highlights the travel experiences among members of The Travelers’ Century Club (TCC), an organisation for people who’ve visited 100 or more of all the UN-recognised countries and territories. These travellers have attested to the increasing accessibility of visiting various destinations with the advent of social media, as well as the growing focus on sustainability through slower forms of travel.
Even if you’re still far from reaching the same record as members of the TCC, it’s never too late to start exploring diverse cultures around the world — from popular destinations across Asia and South America to smaller countries like Monaco and Luxembourg. Whether you’re embarking on an outdoor-oriented adventure or a weeks-long holiday focused on cultural and historical excursions, you must prioritise your health and wellness to make the most of your travels. However, ensuring you get enough nutrients, sleep, and exercise is easier said than done when you’re hopping from one country to another. As such, we’ve prepared a list of packing essentials to help your mind and body stay in shape throughout your trips.
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Health and Wellness Must-Haves for
Multi-country Trips
Table of Contents
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Travel essentials for body health
First-aid kit
As you lug your baggage around new and unfamiliar territories, you cannot eliminate the risks of getting minor injuries like bruises, cuts, scrapes, and wounds. It can be especially dangerous to your health if you’re camping in the middle of nowhere and can’t get the injury treated immediately. So, remember to pack a first-aid kit with bandages, wipes, and ointment to dress up any minor wounds or cuts and thus prevent infection. If you’re planning to go hiking or backpacking on mountain trails like the Greater Patagonian Trail in South America, it also helps to include an insect repellent in your kit to ward off not only pesky itches and bites but also the risk of insect-borne illnesses.
Sunscreen
Regardless of where and when you’re travelling, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can penetrate your skin and contribute to sunburn, premature signs of ageing, and the risk of developing skin cancers like melanoma. Fortunately, you can minimise skin damage by applying sunscreen to sensitive areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. Sunscreens can widely vary in terms of ingredients and formulations, but the most important thing is to choose a product with a broad-spectrum sun protection factor of at least 30 for safety and coverage. If your multi-country trip involves water sports like swimming and surfing, it’s also a good idea to opt for sunscreen brands like Neutrogena and CeraVe, as they have variants with water-resistant properties.
Water bottle
Hydration is key to optimal health and functioning in daily life, but it’s especially crucial when you’re out travelling and doing more physically demanding tasks like walking for longer distances and engaging in outdoor activities. In this case, a water bottle is a must-have to refuel your body for full-day sightseeing and explorations. Among the reliable water bottles available in the market is the Owala FreeSip, thanks to its 40 oz capacity, insulation and leak-proof properties, and a built-in straw if you’re too tired to chug. The bottle itself also boasts a slim shape so you can easily carry or slip it into your backpack for particularly long walks or treks.
Travel essentials for eye health
Contact lenses
Clear vision is essential to enjoying all the sights and scenes you’ll witness, but it can be incredibly inconvenient if you need corrective eyewear to compensate for vision impairments like myopia and astigmatism. Instead of bringing eyeglasses that can be prone to loss and damage, consider switching to monthly contact lenses to get seamless corrected vision in the long term while also saving money and luggage space. Brands like Air Optix and Soflens not only accommodate single and multiple prescriptions but also use silicone hydrogel for the lenses to ensure all-day comfort and breathability. Just remember to pack extras, and to practice proper hygiene when wearing and storing contact lenses to prevent eye irritation and infection.
Sunglasses
In addition to sunscreen, another sun safety essential is a pair of sunglasses, as UV rays can also penetrate the eyes and increase the risk of eye conditions like photokeratitis and cataracts. When looking for travel-friendly sunglasses, ensure that they’re labelled with UV400 or 100% UV protection to shield your eyes from both UVA and UVB rays. Whether you’re getting your UV-protective glasses from designer names like Prada or outdoor brands like Oakley, it’s also ideal to get protective styles like oversized frames and aviators to maximise coverage and visibility, especially when visiting countries with high UV indexes, such as the tropical hotspot Maldives and topographically diverse New Zealand.
Eye drops
Prolonged UV exposure when outdoors can contribute to ocular symptoms like dryness and discomfort, and the risk is higher if you wear contact lenses that disrupt the tear film on the surface of the eye. As such, travellers should also pack hydrating eye drops to retain moisture and provide immediate relief from the aforementioned symptoms. You may consider TheaLipid eye drops, which are designed to restore the lipid layer and alleviate a wide range of eye conditions and symptoms. This product is also suitable for contact lens wearers, as long as you apply the eye drops 15 minutes before wearing or after removing contact lenses.
Travel essentials for mental health
Travel pillow
Besides taking care of your physical health, your mental health must also be given equal attention for a more fulfilling travel experience. Although long travel periods can introduce stressors through changes in timezones, weather conditions, and your overall environment, it helps to prioritise sleep quality for improved mood and energy levels. In this case, the Far Win travel pillow can help you get your much-needed rest. With its memory foam material and 360-degree neck support, you can sleep comfortably whether you’re stuck on a long-haul flight or riding an RV for a cross-country road trip.
Eye mask
You can further enhance sleep quality and comfort by investing in an eye mask. The Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask, for instance, dims exposure to light, allowing you to sleep without interruptions even when riding public transport or battling jet lag. It also incorporates an ergonomic cupped design to better fit your eye and face shape, ultimately providing comfort no matter your sleeping position.
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