Travel health reminder for Brits in search of a holiday Royal Wedding free

March 17 2011 , Written by thediversetraveller Published on #8weekstogo, #health advice, #holiday, #Recommendations & Rants (tips, links and reviews), #Royal Wedding, #travel, #travel advice, #travel health, #travel tips, #travelling

According to The Telegraph online, 1.5 million people will be watching as much as they can of the Royal Wedding live, in London, come April 29.

Up to four billion others worldwide will be watching the hour long service on TV.

I say more grease to their elbows, they'll need it to get a good view, as I plan to join thousands (1,2,3) of other Brits, for the great Easter / Royal Wedding escape.

While I thank Wills and Kate for the extra bank holiday, I hope to be recreating the Italian scenes from Eat, Pray, Love (the book definately not the film); and I am not alone in the desire to leave all mention of Royal Weddings behind, as the desire for warmer climes this Easter means many of us will be travelling to destinations such as Tenerife, Morocco, Portugal Mexico and Kenya (1,2).

With seven weeks left to go to the big day, whether you take that to mean the Royal wedding or the the start of your holiday, you've probably not given your travel health a thought?

I don't blame you, with your mind on splashing out on the summer fashions, clearing out last holiday's suitcases and doing a better job that the chancellor in streaching your limited funds, perhaps dark thought of potential health issues is way at the back of your mind.

Well, I don't mean to be a party-pooper, but I'm going to get serious for a moment, you don't have to go to distant lands to fall pray to a disease, for example don't think if you'll staying in an all-inclusive or luxury resort you won't get ill. Well hopefully you won't and most people do come home illness and injury free, but did you know ...

" ... Something as simple as slipping at the side of the pool, or sipping a cocktail could ruin your holiday by putting you at risk of an infectious disease. " Source: www.8weekstogo.co.uk

Fortunately, you don't have to go far to get inital general travel advice, as help is at hand curtesy of the 8 Weeks To Go campaign. The campaign reminds us to research our destinations not just for the best places to eat out, but also for any prevalent or likely diseases such as malaria, well before we leave home.

Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth, a spokesperson for the 8 Weeks To Go travel health awareness campaign, developed and funded by GlaxoSmithKline Travel Health, says:

"Four in ten Brits are unsure about when they should seek travel health advice before any trip (4), so now is a good time to remind them that it is best to start at least six to eight weeks before travel.

‘Both long and short haul travellers need to know that it’s not just the far away destinations that have health challenges - even resorts just a short flight away from the UK have different health risks. My advice to anyone planning to travel outside the UK is to book an appointment now with your GP surgery, travel health clinic or pharmacy to find out the facts. After all a holiday is a time to relax and explore. No-one wants to spend days in bed and miss out on the fun."

If like me you have less than eight weeks until your holiday, don't panic. Still check out the 8weekstogo website, then as soon as you decide where you are going, seek advice from your GP regarding preventative measures. And if you are heading to Europe, don't forget your free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

We've all heard the old adage, 'it's better to be safe that sorry', well it is! I hop you'll come back home Iwith tales of sun, sea and culture, rather than the miserable story of how you spent your entire holiday in a hospital bed watching on TV, you guessed it, the Royal Wedding.

Some Royal wedding get-away ideas:

Wishing you happy, safe and a Royal Wedding free holiday.

Article references

1. Hotels.com // press release, 20 January 2011

2. ’lastminute sees ‘massive’ travel spike around royal wedding,’ travel weekly.co.uk, 1 February 2011. Available at http://bit.ly/eLu9Rq

3. ‘Thomas Cook Customers to Travel during Royal Wedding,’ Car rentals.co.uk, 10 February 2011. Available at http://news.carrentals.

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