[MM]: The Global Pharmacy Scavenger Hunt: When the Clues Are in a Different Language
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Hello Reader, Heya Fit Travel Tribe! Next up on this Monday Momentum, let's talk about medicine while traveling π· ...in part because I just needed some meds....more than once...while in Vietnam... I'll share more travel anecdotes below, but after my week in Quy Nhon, on my flying day to Hanoi, I started to get a tickle in my throat. I was in Hanoi for about 5 days and one day was spent almost fully in bed resting (obviously not on my itinerary). When heading to Sa Pa (the coldest part of my 2 month trip), I reverted back to feeling unwell because of the cold π€ I stopped at 3 different pharmacies and then later scheduled a doctor's appointment. The chest congestion medicine did not seem to be working. Thankfully I rarely get sick. However, when I do, I often just guess I'll tough it out for a few days and it will pass. So it means a lot that I ended up needing to take some action. β So what I have learned that YOU should consider when traveling.... β HOW TO PLAN IN ADVANCE
β New to Travel Insurance??? Send me an email and ask some questions! Transparently, I'm a bit new to it as well. I used mine in Iceland a year ago when I had a dental filling pop out while flossing in Reykjavik (my first night there). I had to have an emergency dental appointment the next day and used my insurance pretty easily. I got the procedure fully reimbursed! π I personally love how easy it is to connect with them and ask all of my questions and get answered quickly. (Literally me just now asking about my doctor's appointment tomorrow and hearing back within a couple of minutes). Their customer service is great! They speak to you like an actual human π β Here's the travel insurance that I use... Happy almost-New Year! I'm closing out my 3 weeks in Vietnam, so let's talk about more fun things from travel (ya know, the highlight reel people typically post about on Instagram) After teaching English in Quy Nhon, I spent time in Hanoi getting to know the capital. The best ways for me to describe Hanoi:β β¨ Almost too many coffee shops, street food options, and spas β¨ And yet you'll find harmonious walking spaces around beautiful lakes. β After Hanoi, I traveled to Sa Pa IN STYLE! β VISITING SA PA I was up in the mountainous village area of Sa Pa for about a week, trekked to some local villages, found some cute food spots (where I became a regular), and sadly still spent plenty of time just resting to get rid of my illness. Bummer.... OH! And I found out, through bad fortune, that apparently in a cold enough place like Sa Pa that apparently hostels and budget stays do not have HEAT (!!!) It set back my recovery a bit, but then I "splurged" on some warmer hotels (splurged as in $30 a day....I'm still in SE Asia). β I did 3 days of trekking, but my favorite was the hike from Sa Pa to the Ta Van village. Many might hire a guide to do this trekking, but it was very easy to follow along on Google maps and walk by myself. I sifted through the clouds, trekked downwards, crossed a cool bridge, had plenty of uphills, and passed along winding roads along the rice field countryside. The Ta Van village in particular is clearly the most charming and I'd even fantasize about a week-long writing retreat here for myself. I woke up here on Christmas Day and was surprised to have the sunniest day of my week!!! πβοΈ (It's very cloudy/foggy/misty in Sa Pa during December) I balanced some trekking with a couple solid rest days and then I made a deal with myself... I had my eyes on a particular 2 day/1 night trek to climb the mountain in Sa Pa called Fansipan with the iconic nickname: "The Roof of Indochina" Fansipan is a part of the Himalayan mountain range and its peak stands at 3,147.3 meters (10,326 feet) above sea level. It's the highest peak in the region of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (the broader Indochina region). β The deal I made with myself: Rest 2 days, do the full day of hiking to base camp, summit at sunrise, but take the cable car back down (as opposed to hiking the rest of the day). This was a glorious hike! It was not as challenging as my overnight volcano hike in Guatemala, but even with being a little under the weather, it was incredibly manageable. I would have loved to hike back, but the cable car through the clouds was also a dazzling experience. β
β β β OK! Next up.... One day left in Hanoi as I transition out of Vietnam. I start with a 7am doctors appointment to hopefully shake this cold once and for all!! I'll be picking up some tailor made clothes (2 dresses and a skirt). YAYYYY π Instead of collecting shot glasses, I try and pick out more meaningful, fun, and (expensive) gifts for myself. Vietnam is known for their silk so I did some research and found the lovely @threesisterssilkβ I buy dinner for $1 so I can splurge moderately (it's still at least half the price as if I bought it in Europe). I'm also getting a traditional Vietnamese massage (recommended by a friend I made on my hike who has been living in Hanoi for 8 years). β β
β Starting my Bali for my yoga instructor training!! π§ββοΈ (It was an excuse to try out the "countdown" feature on my newsletter haha) β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨ New Year's Day I land in Bali and on January 2nd, I start ALL the yoga! βThis training will be pretty intensive! I actually created a GoFundMe page for this training, so if you're interested in sponsoring me, I'd greatly appreciate it! β
β Teaching group fitness has been a HUGE passion of mine since I started over 8+ years ago with Les Mills Bodypump. It was so fun for me that, originally, I was horrible at submitting my payroll on time simply because....I forgot I got paid! I just love what I do! β β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨β¨ You're hear more in a couple weeks about "from Bali to Bangkok" and how the yoga instructor training is coming along! Next blog post....How to Stay Fit in Hanoiβ Even though I was here for a short while (a total of 5 days) and I was a bit sick for most of the time, I still was able to see lots of potential for how to stay active. I often look for hostels with a rooftop for easy proximity to a workout space. I was able to squeeze in a couple short workouts in the mornings before venturing out into the busy (chaotic) city on Hanoi. Though I would have loved to personally be a bit more active, it was very fulfilling keeping my eyes peeled for various opportunities that I'd encourage travelers of which to take advantage. I kept notes while I traveled around and this new blog post just flowed out of me. I actually wrote all of the content in one day! (Photo editing takes a bit longer than I'd like haha). Shoutout to the incredible coffee shops in Vietnam (they litter the streets - you need to see it to believe it!) These are two of my favorites if you're ever in Hanoi: Leva Coffee (The Balcony) and Bluebirds Nest π΅π
Inspired by this list of 20 CHEAPEST places for travel, here are some fun fitness adventures in a few countries where I've personally traveled:
β β Travel doesn't need to break the bank or be so expensive it feels like a luxury. Whether your destination is a cheaper place to visit or you intentionally travel in the off season, there are countless ways to strategize to save money. Speaking of which... Want FREE accommodation? Want to immerse yourself in the local culture? Want to make a environmental impact? β These are just some of the attention-grabbing questions that might peak your interest in a work exchange! A work exchange is: You volunteering some of your time and in exchange you get free accommodation. (This sidesteps needing a working visa where you'd earn money for your work, but then spend money on paying for lodging). β β Here are the 5 Worldpackers experiences I've completed so far:
β Next up.... #6 in Bangkok on January 24th! I'll be teaching an hour of yoga each morning and getting to stay there for FREE plus getting a free breakfast (which is allegedly amazing based on reviews). β Always on my mind: More money for more travel! It's often worth a little homework for those savings πΈ If you've found this travel fitness content helpful, please consider some (or all!) of the following:
Please note that I never make referrals unless I truly believe this product or service is actually helpful π If you use my affiliate links included in the email, it is at no additional cost to YOU, but it does benefit me. It's a small "thank you" and continuous motivation for me to keep sharing this helpful content. Always know you can ask me questions since I'm a continued resource to you at all times. Thank you again so much for your support!! Feel free to always respond back to this email with any thoughts and questions you might have or content you'd love to see in the future. Happy travels and healthy living, Heidiβ β |