Into each life a little sneeze must fall . . .

I have the mother of all mid-winter colds now that ice and Arctic nastiness have invaded the temperate Carolinas. I am not enjoying it. As I sneeze, wheeze, hack, and sniffle into the week, I recall seeking out a drugstore on Samos to acquire a cold remedy, and an earlier search for an antihistamine in Italy. I am making a vow before witnesses that on future trips I will always carry a cold remedy.

No one wants illness on her itinerary Yet, "sick happens."

For a budget traveler without the services of a tour guide or local travel agent, illness can actually be frightening. Once I experienced chest pains probably precipitated by some over-enthusiastic curry. By the time I finished my neurotic fantasy, I had imagined myself dead of a heart attack due to a perceived inability to arise from bed and summon help.

Additionally, if you have to seek medical care away from home whether you've gone fifty miles or crossed continents, it can be expensive, time consuming, and cut into your travel time.

Help is on the Web!

Before packing up and heading out, check out these web resources whether you are gallivanting around the globe for months or road tripping two hours away. A few bytes of prevention may be worth more than many dollars spent on cure.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/health/healt... The resourceful folks at the lonely planet site provide an overview of various aliments and preventatives that smooth any journey. They also get my vote for best list of stuff to tote for possible problems. In a blunt, no-nonsense style they set out the precautions every traveler should take.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm With all due respect, the Center for Disease Control's site may be dangerous to your health if you are a tad over-cautious. Among other warnings, they caution the wary about eating food from street vendors in Western Europe. While I am not up for swimming in piranha invested waters any time soon, this seems a tad over cautious. However, they have good current worldwide data about disease outbreaks. The site seems especially useful for a traveler who knows she has a low resistance to flu or other specific aliment.

My favorite resource is at http://www.tripprep.com/index.html. You'll find a searchable database of current information about disease outbreaks and health risks as well as a database of healthcare providers who will see travelers. In areas where you know you'll use cash instead of health insurance, it can be a hassle to find a provider. The web site covers most places on the planet and seems to be regularly updated.

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