An absolute must when travelling is a first aid kit. We travel with two, a large one with absolutely everything we should need. The other one is a basic first aid kit including all the basics for on the go bumps and scrapes that may occur. I will also add some painkillers for those dreaded headaches.
Below is a fabulous list from MyDr.com which helped me tremendously as I was organising first aid kit.
Analgesic (pain relief) medicine such as paracetamol or aspirin.
Antihistamine tablets for bites, stings or allergies.
Cold and flu tablets.
Cough medicine.
Motion sickness tablets.
Throat lozenges or drops.
Antiseptic solution for cleaning wounds or bites.
Antiseptic ointment to apply to a wound.
Blister and wound patches, such as sticking plasters.
Medical adhesive tape, e.g. Micropore.
Wound dressings, e.g. a crepe bandage, gauze swabs and OpSite, and Steristrips, which can often take the place of stitches.
Safety pins, scissors and tweezers (you may not be allowed to carry these in your cabin luggage).
Insect repellent containing DEET (diethyl toluamide).
Sting relief solution, e.g. Stingose (aluminium sulfate).
Diarrhoea medicine, e.g. Imodium (loperamide).
Mild laxative, for constipation.
Antacid for indigestion.
Antifungal or antibacterial cream.
Low potency hydrocortisone cream.
Fluid and electrolyte replacement powder or tablets, e.g. Gastrolyte or HYDRAlyte.
Eye lubricant drops.
Ear plugs.
Sunscreen (at least SPF 30+).
Thermometer (a forehead thermometer is best for travel as it doesn’t break or run out of batteries).
Health insurance card.
I had never thought of including eye drops in our mini kit until we were on a long motorbike drive in Lombok and even with sunglasses on, my eyes became irritated from the dusty roads and smoke from burn offs post rice harvesting. That day I'd wished we had eyedrops.
As someone suseptable to chest infections I always travel with antibiotics prescribed from my GP so I can start immediately. In addition, I include an asthma spray like Vetolin and an oximetre to measure my oxygen levels. You may have personal health requirements, so be pro-active instead of re-active as these medical emergencies invariably occur when you are in remote areas without access to these medications.
Post COVID I will be adding a couple of RAT tests, thermometer and an oxymeter in the event we find ourselves falling ill. This was we are able to self monitor any symptoms we may acquire.
If carrying large quantities of prescription medication, it is advised to ask your doctor to provide you with a letter noting your current prescribed medications.
We all want to keep travelling and enjoying our adventures so taking precautions and taking care of cuts and scrapes along the way will keep us on the road.