I don’t get sick very often, which I largely attribute to how much I fly, since I think it has strengthened my immune system. However, over the weekend I caught a cold, and I haven’t quite been able to shake it yet. On one hand I suspect it has to do with the new climate I’m adjusting to and general time of year, though I’m also starting to think it’s cyclical, since I was sick the exact same dates last year during my trip to the UAE on Etihad Airways (yeah, I’m a bit of a conspiracy theorist, I guess).

Anyway, the issue is that I’m supposed to fly to Asia tomorrow for the (long) weekend, and it’s turning into a real nail biter. I really don’t want to cancel since I’m traveling with a friend and supposed to meet a few people along the way, though at the same time there aren’t many things more miserable than flying while sick.

I’m definitely in the final stages of the cold. I started with a sore throat and that was gone by Sunday.

Monday and Tuesday looked like this:

And today looks more like this:

Uncertainty sucks, though I figure I’ll pack my bags and see how I feel tomorrow morning. What would you do if you were in the final stages of a cold? Stay home or go?

Posted on November 7th, 2012 by lucky
Filed under: Travel | 38 Comments »

  1. November 7th, 2012 at 1:16 pm

    Carsten Varming said,

    You cold is over. Go

  2. November 7th, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    Mariana said,

    try to rest and sleep and go!

  3. November 7th, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    BrewerSEA said,

    Honestly from reading this and talking to Alex last night I would lean toward not going. You aren’t even getting Thai new F anyway, right?

  4. November 7th, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    Craig said,

    Stay home! I am sure u have a dozen Asian trips coming up

  5. November 7th, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    LR said,

    I wish I could use some adjectives to describe your atitude, but I fear being moderated. It’s a cold. Nothing more. Pack your bags, take a Nyquil and man-up. Have fun!

  6. November 7th, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Craig said,

    @brewersea Who is Alex, or is Ben saving that for a separate blog post?!?!

  7. November 7th, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    romsdeals said,

    Lucky, have you been to Taipei? That’s my hometown. You should go if you haven’t! I am waiting for EVA air to join Star Alliance so I can use miles for it.

  8. November 7th, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    mrs. hobo13 said,

    I flew to Seoul at the end of a cold. My voice was completely gone – I was croaking. And I was still eating the cough drops like they were my life line. The fabulous flight attendants in Asiana business kept me well supplied with chamomile tea all the way there, and I had a fabulous trip.

    The end of a cold is a good time to get waited on hand and foot. You should totally go.

    …unless you are in coach.

  9. November 7th, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    AmericanMontrealer said,

    Be sure to use nasal decongestant approximately 20 minutes before take-off and at the start of descent for landing. You don’t want to damage your ears from any congestion.

  10. November 7th, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    diddley said,

    My first suggestion would be to not fly all the way to Asia just for a weekend (long or otherwise), even if you can. Whether you’re feeling sick or perfectly healthy.

    Everybody has their own limits on what is and isn’t silly when it comes to travel. For me, a trip to Asia needs to be a minimum of 3 weeks (2 weeks for Europe). Otherwise, it’s no worth going all that way.

  11. November 7th, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Matt said,

    Suck it up.

  12. November 7th, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    DavisCalifJr said,

    Think of the other passengers around you if you go into a coughing spell on the plane. I truly wish folks that are sick or sound like they have whooping cough on planes would stay home. I know it’s not practical sometimes, I sure find it a distraction and pretty darn annoying if I’m trying to sleep on the plane not to mention worrying that I’m going to come down with something. I run as far away as I can when I hear someone coughing as I don’t want to get sick.

    Just my 2 cents. I’d cancel and only fly when you feel well enough to fly. Don’t they have screenings for people with fevers coming to/from Asia this time of year? That might be something to consider also in case you look like you are ill you might get quarantined :)

  13. November 7th, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    BFrankley said,

    I think we need a really graphic close up of those Kleenex to evaluate the color and volume of your snot. Then it’d be easier to give a diagnosis and prognosis. And if you need an immune system boost, try a product called Athletic Greens. It works wonders.

  14. November 7th, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    Chris S. said,

    Eat more apples.

  15. November 7th, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    jason said,

    First world problems.

  16. November 7th, 2012 at 2:44 pm

    steve said,

    Ya, I’m pretty sure if you were not sick you would have that much used Kleenex next to your bed anyway…

  17. November 7th, 2012 at 2:46 pm

    Alex said,

    @BrewerSEA stop spilling the beans! We changed it anyway lol

  18. November 7th, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    HoKo said,

    Zinc lozenges are a life saver. Although they are much more effective when taken at the beginning of a cold

  19. November 7th, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Lively said,

    LOL@BFrankley

  20. November 7th, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    AAExPlat said,

    Go.

  21. November 7th, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    Craig said,

    @alex are you dating Ben?

  22. November 7th, 2012 at 3:59 pm

    Howie said,

    Lesson learned as someone on the road too much for work: The only time you get on a plane when you’re sick is if you’re going home.

    End of story; anything else you’re putting yourself through misery and likely your traveling companion

  23. November 7th, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Bryce said,

    It should be Lupe Fiasco time, cause The Show Goes On!

  24. November 7th, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    Bryan said,

    GO!!

  25. November 7th, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    M said,

    Any other cold prevention advice from seasoned travelers?

  26. November 7th, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    Euro said,

    Depends on how long the flight is and what you’ll be doing when you get there. Because if going on a plane makes it worse, then I’d say forget it- falling ill while out of town = even worse than when it happens at home.

  27. November 7th, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    RT said,

    Take an Airborne, chug some NyQuil, and sleep for like 10+ hours. Then go. You’ll be fine.

  28. November 7th, 2012 at 6:01 pm

    JBG said,

    You’re past being contagious. Do it. Or as Matt said suck it up!

  29. November 7th, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    Rich said,

    The biggest readon you don’t get sick much is that you are young and do not have kids. I think between 21 and 32 I did not see a doctor for any kind of sickness. Traveling does make you more likely to get sick.

    If you are feeling better go, otherwise rest. Flying while sick sucks and if it gets worse then it would be miserable.

    Goodluck

  30. November 7th, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    sendaiben said,

    Go dude! Although I don’t travel as much as you do… ;)

  31. November 7th, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    Beachfan said,

    Go. Far better to go at the end of the cold then at the beginning. Assuming the reason for going is the destination not the flight.

    I chuckled when I read that you thought flying kept you healthy. Most people think that the plane is one big flying petri dish. I always blame my colds on air travel.

  32. November 7th, 2012 at 10:43 pm

    Craig said,

    Ben is gay!

  33. November 7th, 2012 at 11:47 pm

    Jason74 said,

    I hope @Craig is not turning into the next Frank.
    Had to fly at the beginning of cold this past weekend and will be flying at the end of my cold tomorrow. This weekend was terrible and I hope I didn’t get anyone else sick. Won’t be as bad at the end of the cold. Make sure you take sudafed. Your sinus and ears will thank you.

  34. November 8th, 2012 at 12:12 am

    bschaff1 said,

    Wow, not sure whether or not to travel at the end of a cold, and in C or F at that? I can’t imagine a cold being that debilitating.

    I’ve traveled in a lot worse condition. Once I had a case of the flu about three hours into the flight on ORD-HKG. The FAs offered to see if I could get off in ANC when the plane stopped for fuel. I continued on because January in ANC seems like a worse option than being sick for 10 more hours of flying. I felt horrible, but in the end of the day was fine when I got to HKG and the FAs couldn’t have been any better.

    I’ve ran 20 miles in the middle of a cold and looked horrible, but felt fine when I was done. Just take some medicine and it will seem like you don’t even have a cold.

    I got the flu almost every year until I started working out. Since then I’ve gotten the flu twice in the last 10 years.

  35. November 8th, 2012 at 5:39 am

    ffi said,

    Lucky,
    Think of your readers – anxiously waiting for the next post.
    Cold, pneumonia, SARS – just mere trifle.
    Go! Do your duty.

  36. November 8th, 2012 at 11:32 am

    dmodemd said,

    Vitamin C every day is the best prevention. Zinc during helps but drags it out longer and if you stop too early the cold will rage. No OJ during zinc, it cancels it out. Agree on the decongestant before takeoff and landing but need to allow at least an hour to kick in and drain.

  37. November 8th, 2012 at 8:34 pm

    Mary Beth said,

    My vote is for “GO”. The pictures show your continued improvement. If you can do a saline nasal rinse (look for them in a drugstore in the cold/flu/nasal spreay section), that will clear and dry out your nasal passages. Repeat morning and night until all clear. Hope you feel better!

  38. November 9th, 2012 at 1:26 am

    mike said,

    go but take a zpack with you

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