Too sick to travel? *cue the self-pity party*

What to do when you’re too sick to travel? *0 results*

What should you do when you can’t travel because you’re too sick? *1 result = ‘don’t travel’*

Great Google. Thanks.

This December, with the whole new novelty of Annual Leave and being able to have 30 days off in a financial year *applause sound effect*, I’ve had more time to think about where I want to go and how I want to spend my time. In November, I went to Madeira (and didn’t go to visit family? *gasps*) and really wanted to spend the week before Christmas in Lyon. Now, the reason for this actually came to me when I went to Edinburgh. It was so nice seeing everyone and having an impromptu reunion, that it made me want to revisit my Lyon days.

For my year abroad, I spent 6 months in France and the rest of the year in Coimbra, Portugal. My time in France was really special for me, especially because I had spent the 3 years prior not even being able to utter the word Year Abroad and my biggest panic attack-inducing fears were terrorist attacks and death. Unfortunately for me, I did have to leave earlier than everyone else because I couldn’t finish my exams (they said I could have a separate room and then I couldn’t blah blah blah…). What I loved most about France was the Christmas market. It felt so nice, cosy and Christmassy – something I wanted to experience again.

After booking my trip to Madeira, a few weeks later I decided to book my holiday to Lyon (5-6 days) to then be able to come back just in time for the Christmas celebrations. I had the days all worked out, had enough money saved up – I was ready.

Obviously, as the months went by, and it got closer and closer to the date I started freaking out. MAJORLY freaking out. All the thoughts and worries of solo travelling and something happening during the Christmas period in France really kick-started the worrying. I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t going to meet up with anyone – what the hell was I doing?

Nevertheless, I found it was so much fun telling everyone where I was going. I think I started to enjoy the fact that I had something planned than actually going to the place that I had planned to go. Telling people and receiving that reaction of ‘Oh Wow! Amazing!’ started to calm my nerves a bit – I could do this.

December hit, staff Christmas parties started coming round the corner and BANG! I get sick. I come down with the worst stomach virus/flu (that my family ended up catching as well) and couldn’t travel. I had to go to the doctor’s for them to tell me I was too sick to travel or I would’ve probably still gone – frequent toilet visits be damned!

Illness can and will slow you down. Sometimes these things happen or another phrase everyone has been telling me ‘it just wasn’t meant to be‘. I did honestly feel quite down after it happened and for a long time (before the doctor’s appointment) thought it was me. I thought my anxiety had brought on such a bad stomach ache that my body was telling me I shouldn’t go, seeing as though my brain was refusing to listen. Of course, this wasn’t the case but sometimes it is hard for us to distinguish between anxiety and gut instinct, fear or common sense, a great idea or a safety net/protective mechanism. I honestly struggle with this a lot and had never heard of anyone being too sick to travel but at the end of the day, these things do happen and it’s not your fault. Sometimes your anxiety is also the one sitting on the sidelines when sickness strikes – and you both just have to deal with it.