tropical travel Archives

March 3, 2020March 3, 2020

Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

With our vacation just around the corner (during flu season), and now the threat of the 2019 novel coronavirus, we started doing a little research to get some tips for staying healthy while traveling. We specifically wanted info on airline travel, but the tips we found are really good guidelines for staying healthy everyday – and everywhere!

*Before making any changes to your health plan – be sure to check with your doctor or healthcare professional. * Our posts may contain affiliate links to products that we use or think you would like. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes and island destination posts!

Wash your hands

The first tip is commonsense (and something most of our mother’s have been telling us forever…), but WASH YOUR HANDS. This one is probably the most important tip of all. There are millions of germs on surfaces that we touch and proper handwashing can remove many of them and should be your first line of defense from…uck, those nasty bugs. Check out this article from the CDC on handwashing, the science behind it, how to properly wash your hands and when and how to use hand sanitizer.

avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Even with proper handwashing, we can transmit viruses and bacteria that still lurk on our hands to our body by touching or rubbing our eyes, nose and mouth. Avoid touching these areas as much as possible during travel – and flu season!

avoid close contact with anyone displaying symptoms of illness

This can be especially hard while traveling (think airline seating arrangements), but keep your distance from anyone who is coughing, has a runny nose or doesn’t look like they’re feeling well.

Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing

Did you know that germs from a sneeze can travel 6-8 feet? If at all possible, be sure to cover your mouth with at least a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you’re caught without a tissue, bandanna or handkerchief, use the crook of your elbow.

Strengthen your immune system

We’ve always heard that the flu and other illnesses are hardest on those with compromised immune systems. What are a few ways you can support your immune system?

Try eating more of these foods that boost the immune system:
Citrus, bell peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, yogurt, almonds, turmeric, green tea, papaya, kiwi, poultry, sunflower seeds,
Consider adding more of these vitamins to your diet either through foods or supplements: Vitamin C, Vitamin D
Get sufficient sleep.
Eliminate stress.
Drink more water.
Get enough exercise – especially out in the sunshine.

check current travel restrictions and advisories

For health related travel restrictions, check with your airline to make sure there are no restrictions to the area you will be traveling. For travel advisories, you can check your intended destination here.

Don’t panic, drink rum

While we have no scientific basis to recommend drinking rum to stay healthy while traveling (aside from a few articles like this one), a good glass of rum (or a tasty cocktail) could at least help you relax and enjoy the moment!

Cheers! Stay healthy and enjoy your vacation!

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

October 10, 2017June 6, 2019

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Itineraries

With the recent catastrophic hurricanes in the Caribbean, our thoughts have been laser focused those impacted by the storms instead of what we usually (constantly) focus on – vacation. Ok, and rum. Rum and vacation.

But, with a Windstar cruise on our horizon, thoughts began to cross our minds about the impact of the storms on our cruise (and many others), as our original itinerary was scheduled to take us from Puerto Rico to Culebra, Montserrat, St Barths, St Martin, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke… With almost all of these islands taking such an awful hit, are cruise lines cancelling, rescheduling or rerouting upcoming cruises?

Truth be told, we would love to have continued with the original itinerary. As soon as it is humanly possible and we aren’t getting in the way of recovery, we want to take our vacation dollars back to the islands and islanders that have sustained such damage. They will need the tourism dollars and, well, we long to spend time again on those islands. We want to see the progress and experience every new little beach bar and re-built restaurant and go sailing again. The beaches are still beautiful and the foliage is starting to regenerate, so as soon as we aren’t using resources needed for re-building, we are there. But…in the meantime, cruise lines have made changes to their itineraries necessitated, I’m sure, by the safety and enjoyment of their guests, and that includes our upcoming cruise.

Where will be be stopping now? From Puerto Rico we will sail off to Martinique, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Montserrat and St. Barths! We’ll be stopping at two islands that we have not had the pleasure of visiting yet and are excited for the opportunity to tell you about the experience of sailing on a small luxury cruise ship.

So for now, our changes in latitude will include changes in itineraries, but the changes will widen our tropical experiences and open our eyes to other tropical treasures.

Have the hurricanes caused you to make changes in your vacation itinerary? Tell us about it!

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 25, 2017June 5, 2019

5 Excuses Not to Travel and 2 Reasons Why You Really Should

Whether you dream of exploring the Alps, finding the prettiest, most secluded beach in the world or just taking a weekend away with the family, it often feels like there are more reasons NOT to go than TO go.

Have you found yourself weighing the reasons to go or not to go on vacation, or have you ever felt that because of your life circumstances that you will NEVER get to experience some of the wonderful locations you read about or see on the web? Have you ever heard the saying that if you wait for just the right time to get married or just the right time to have a baby or just the right time to see the world that it may never happen?

Yes, there are certainly good reasons to consider. Being a single parent, not having a stable job, health reasons, taking care of a parent or other family member, etc., are all very valid (and responsible!) reasons to consider putting off a vacation – but should you let it hold you back forever?

Here are 5 of the excuses we hear the most when someone talks to us about wishing they could take a well deserved getaway:

1. It’s too expensive.

Yes, it can be – especially if you have champagne tastes and a beer budget, but if you really would like to experience something you’ve always dreamed about, here are a few tips.
a. Look for vacations closer to home. Do you long for time in the sun on a beautiful beach? Check out coastal regions close to home. It may not be Bora Bora, but just walking in the warm sand while enjoying the sunshine and a cool beverage may be just what the doctor ordered.
b. Take a long weekend instead of a week or longer.
c. Search the web (or talk to a travel agent) about destinations that are not as popular, but still beautiful. The more popular a location, the more likely it will be pricey.
d. Start saving your pennies now. It may take a while to save up for that time away, but if it’s important to you – start now!

2. Flying has become too complicated.

Flying has become a bit more difficult with baggage fees, overbooking and crowded flights – but, if you want to vacation in a destination that you can’t drive, or take a bus or train to, you may have to board that plane. A few tips:

a. If you like to fly with a specific airline, look into getting a credit card with that airline that not only builds points when you use the card to book your travel on that airline, but will offer you a free baggage allowance on flights billed on the card.
b. Book your flights for days and times that are usually less busy. Although there’s no doubt that flights we’ve been on lately have been more full, we usually find mid-week flights not only less busy, but sometimes a bit cheaper. Busiest days to fly (besides the holidays)? Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
c. If you haven’t already spent every last dollar, consider upgrading to a priority seat that offers more legroom. We struggled with this for a long time, but now make sure to leave room in the budget for this little luxury – especially on longer flights.

3. It’s too short.

We’ve been there. You work hard and save all year for that well deserved vacation and suddenly it’s there – and then it’s gone. Tip:

a. Instead of one long vacation, take a few shorter trips per year. Even if they’re not all at a 5 star resort, just getting away can be exciting.

4. I’m too scared to go to a foreign country.

You’re not alone. Even seasoned travelers may feel some angst about language barriers, customs and food when considering travel to a foreign country. Tips?

a. Look into locations that are more like the country you’re familiar with. If you’re a US citizen and you want to go to a beautiful tropical location without too many surprises, there are many to choose from. Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Hawaii are either part of the US or US territories and, for now at least, don’t require a passport!
b. Research a location that is part of a different country. You can glean so much information on different travel destinations today that can help you decide to go, or not to go to a particular location. Find out what other travelers have reported about their travel there to decide if it’s right for you.

5. I’m to young or to old or to single to travel.

Although understandable concerns, age, marital status or physical disabilities should not preclude you from experiencing travel! Tips?

a. Find a travel agent that can find a vacation to suit your needs. In recent years, there are resorts and locations that absolutely cater to senior travel, solo travel and accessible travel – so you can find the vacation and location that really appeals to you. If you have a special need or request – don’t be afraid to ask!

Now that we’ve discussed the 5 top Excuses Not to Travel and given you a few tips on how to overcome those hurdles, here are a 2 Reasons Why You Absolutely Should:

1. Life Is Short.
If you want to see some of the world, start making plans to do it now. Even if you start small by taking a day to go hiking or a weekend to check out a National Park near you – do it soon! Don’t wait until the “time is right”.

2. Experiencing Something Outside of Your Daily Life Can Be Enriching, Invigorating and Life Changing.
We all get stuck in a rut from time-to-time, but taking time away from the grind of daily life makes us grow as people. We may learn more about others, learn to appreciate the beauty around us, and learn to appreciate what we have.

Do you have other travel tips to share? Tell us about them!