As I spend another day sick at a hostel, I contemplate how often I’ve gotten sick so far in just 2.5 months. A lot more than at home. First there was an episode of a stomach bug I believe I got from swallowing river water – it took ten days of eating a bland diet and not getting any better before I went to a pharmacy, got antibiotics and then it cleared up rather quickly. A couple of weeks later a small bruise I had got infected – to the point that I was sick in bed with fever, fatigue and listlessness before I noticed pus dripping down my leg the following morning. I ended up going to a nearby clinic and going on another round of antibiotics. A side effect was a sore throat, reflux and head pressure which abated as soon as I stopped the antibiotics.
A couple of weeks later I started getting symptoms of a colitis flare up- something I’ve been fortunate not to experience for years. It’s very possible it was caused by the antibiotics I’ve been on. I ended up needing to fly to Thailand sooner than planned to get the medication needed as Laos didn’t have it. And now here I am with minor cold symptoms and a still queasy stomach laying low in a hostel in South Korea. With every health setback I wonder if it’s too much on my body; if I should possibly head to a different part of the world where I seem to have less stomach issues, or if I should just call it quits on this 6 month dream adventure, or head back to the US to travel there. But another part of me wants to soldier on, and push through the hard parts – because every time there’s a setback whether emotional or physical and I pushed through – there were amazing things in store. Exhilarating experiences, the excitement of seeing new places, meeting wonderful strangers who sometimes become friends. All to say, travel continues to bestow many gifts.
There’s also something empowering knowing I’ve been able to rely on myself through the ups and downs. I’m fortunate to have family and friends who are there for support and help from afar. So is travel worth it, even with all the highs and lows? For now the answer remains a solid yes.
