A Little Idea... Five Ways To Bring Your Vacation Home with You

Don’t you love the feeling of being on vacation?  I do.  I come home and think, “I wish I could always be on vacation!” 

Oh, work.  And oh yeah, school…lame!

Since we can’t always be on vacation, here are some ways I like to bring the care-free feeling of it into my ‘every-day-life’ back at home:

1.  Pick up a recipe or two from your favorite destinations.  When you come home, make them every once in a while.  Close your eyes and BOOM!  You’re back in Costa Rica, swinging through the cloud forest, eating Gallo Pinto and Pineapple Papaya Marmalade, or maybe that’s just me…

2.  Loosen up!  Vacation is all about chilling out, not stressing.  Try to do that more at home:  don’t over-schedule your kids or yourself.  Let the kids stay up late sometimes, let them have more than one Popsicle, go take a nap!

3.  Print off some pictures of your trip and put them in frames in your house.  That way you can see them every day and remember the awesome time you had.

4.  Listen to music that reminds you of your trip.  Before we met, my husband went on a huge cross-country “summer sales” road trip with several of his buddies.  All they had were each other and the car radio.  To this day, when he hears Jessica Simpson’s I Think I’m In Love with You, he gets the goofiest smile.  And maybe it makes him so happy he downloaded it on itunes...don't tell him I told you!

5.  Find fun things to do where you live, don’t just save up all your fun for trips.  Take your kids to museums, aquariums, on picnics, etc. the same way you would on vacation.  Start researching and you might be surprised to find a gem of a place you never knew about!

A Little Health... While Travelling

I love to travel!!  Whether it's close to home or across the world, I love to explore new places.  While it's fun to explore the world, a fabulous trip abroad can quickly come to a halt if you become ill. 

image:  worldnomads.com

Here are a few simple tips for good health while traveling abroad:

1.  Get a physical.  Has it been more than 2 years since your last check-up?  If so, it's a good idea to make sure you are in good health before traveling. 

2.  Get vaccinated.  Make sure routine vaccinations are up to date.  Also, check the CDC's Travel Website for a list of recommended and required vaccinations for individual countries.

3.  Get prescriptions.  Make sure you have all necessary prescription medications.  With heightened airline security it is increasingly important to carry your prescriptions in their original bottles and with a copy of the written prescription.  This is especially important for medications that are controlled substances, such as pain killers, sleep aides, etc. 

4.  Know your destination.  Read up on your destination.  Know what the risks are for the country you are visiting.  In some cases, it is a good idea to get a prescription for a broad-spectrum antibiotic.  This can be used as a "security blanket" in case you get very sick.  From traveler's diarrhea to more serious infections, an antibiotic can help you keep going.  Information pertaining to the health risks for individual countries can be found on the CDC's Travel Website. 

5.  Pack a small first aid kit.  Take the essentials with you.  Include band aids, Neosporin, anti-itch cream, antihistamines, OTC pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medications, etc. 

6.  Know your insurance policy.  It is important to know if and what your insurance company will cover if you become sick overseas.  If you have chronic health conditions, it may also be a good idea to purchase traveler's insurance.  Either way, know what your out of pocket expense will be if you get in a situation where you need health care abroad. 

image:  perfectescapes.com

So get out there and explore the world.  Just be a little health conscious while you do.