I definitely don’t think myself of much of a jet setter, my last overseas trip was 2015 and before that I think it was my honeymoon 6 years ago. But I do find myself jetting between my hometown, Sydney and up to Far North QLD for some sun and relaxation regularly!

One thing I notice when I fly is how drained I feel after. Even if it’s a 2 hour flight.

We could blame the fact that I have children crawling on me the whole time and I tend to be an over packer but let's put those issues to the side for a moment and think about what it could really be.

Obviously there is going to be a direct physical impact of flying. You’re very high up, in a pressurised cabin going really really fast. The pressure that you feel can leave your fingers, toes, legs and joints feeling swollen and as you go down, your body has to deal with the re-pressurization. Some people feel this more than others but there are definitely things you can do to help, like drinking more water, taking walks and even wearing ear plugs.

But once I land, other things seem to get me. I remember recently getting very sick from what I believe was the mould in the aircon vents in my hotel room. It’s so hard when you can’t open a window at 22 floors high and you can smell the damp. It took me about 2 weeks to start feeling really good again, so from that moment I added some extra goodies to my travel bag to help me in those situations!

After that trip, I created a little list in my phone of my Travel Non-Negotiables, so that I wouldn’t get caught out again.

Activated charcoal

I took this when arriving home from my suspected ‘mould poisoning’ and I now take it everytime I fly. This helps by absorbing and excreting any germs picked up on the flight.

I also keep it with me when travelling in case I make a bad choice around food as I find it stops me from bloating and feeling as sick.

Stainless Steal Water Bottle

I have this water bottle with me where ever I go and I simply fill it up when I find a place with filtered water! Why? Because bottled water is ridiculously expensive and I don’t like the idea of filling out land with MORE plastic to break down.

Plus, I stay hydrated and don’t get headaches when I'm out for a big day!

Himalayan Sea Salt

This one may seem pretty random but stay with me for a moment! Two things I know to be true -

:: iodised table salt - pretty standard and questionable

:: pink salt - delicious, nourishing and pretty (come on, it’s pink!)

So I actually carry my own mini salt around for when I’m eating out. This way I can make pretty much anything taste good and I’m not using the creepy white table salt!

Coconut Oil

We’ve all seen the meme quote - *pours coconut oil over entire life* and we laugh because it’s true. This stuff is the cure for EVERYTHING and when I’m travelling it it literally used for -

:: body moisturiser

:: make up remover

:: nappy balm

:: in a warm cup of tea

:: keeping me full when food isn’t around (one tablespoon on a long flight stops the mid-way cravings

I personally use this one (link) because the lid means it’s least likely to leak in transit!

Natural Bug Repellent

If anyone has a child like mine, a mosquito bite turns into something the size of a 50c coin that needs multiple bandaids and plenty of cuddles. When we were in Fiji a few years ago we used natural insect repellent and not only did it smell good, but the bites were much less.

And that’s all on my little list at the moment. I plan on travelling loads in the next decade so I’ll continue to add to it, share with you and become a better jet setter!

If you have any amazing wellness hacks for my next trip, please let me know in the comments below and remember to share this post using the links below so that any of your friends or family who are travelling during the holiday season can stay well!