Packing for the Cold

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You do everything you can to avoid it - loading up on vitamins for weeks before you leave and praying to the travel gods to keep you healthy - but if you venture out often enough, it's just unavoidable: sooner or later, you're going to get sick on a trip. Coming down with something on the road is one of life's cruelest ironies since most of us enjoy so few vacation days per year...but between congested airplanes, germy taxis and entire menus of unfamiliar foods in your new destination, catching something seems inevitable.

I've been in Martinique all week sampling delectable French and Creole cuisine, sailing to hidden coves and snorkeling spots, and generally enjoying the warm hospitality of the islanders. But somewhere between my layover in San Juan and checking into the lovely Hôtel Plein Soleil on my first evening here, I had already begun to feel the familiar nudge of an oncoming cold - and this one was a bully.

Not wanting to miss a minute of fun on Martinique, I was relieved that I always carry my trusty bag of over-the-counter cure-alls in my luggage - like ibuprofin, allergy meds and band-aids - no matter how healthy I'm feeling when I'm packing. Had I arrived unarmed with my Theraflu and cough drops in this entirely French-speaking country, well...I'm sure I could have gestured and Pictionaried my way through purchasing something at a local pharmacy. But having your own meds definitely beats the hassle. And the cost in Euro.

What are some of your own tips and tricks for staying healthy on the road?