How to overcome air sickness and travel anxiety !

Since I was around 9 years old, I suddenly became air sick whenever I traveled on planes. My air sickness used to be very severe as a child, especially since the age of two I have had to travel to and from Hong Kong every year as well as other countries, I had no choice. Therefore it was on average two long haul flights consisting of 12 to 14 hours, and two short haul flights every year.

In recently years opportunities in life have resulted me in becoming quite a world traveller with on average having to take 4 to 6 long haul flights. For someone like me who suffers from air sickness and travel anxiety, how do I fly ?

How to control air sickness ?

Firstly, I use the word control rather than stop, because the more you tell yourself "Don't throw up!" Ironic but you are more likely to than not. Secondly be prepared, if I do feel the need to be sick I ALWAYS have multiple sick bags and tissues next to me. Never stop yourself throwing up because this will extend the time you suffer. Honestly, the pressure in your stomach feels so much better once you relive it. I'm so discreet when I throw up, even my friends sitting next to me didn't realise!
Thirdly, Sleep! Sleeping is a major benefit, since it relaxes you and allows your body to regain energy.

A medicine that I have used for two years and I would highly recommend is called Promethazine HCL tablets. It is not used to treat travel sickness but rather hay fever, but it causes drowsiness. I have taken this medicine for four international flights and I have to say, I have never travelled so well in my life! During Christmas 2015, I was scheduled at the last minute to fly from London to Hong Kong. A few days before the flight I was thinking about more serious medication to make the flight more bearable for myself. Therefore I went to my GP and explained my situation, she prescribed me this tablet and it WORKS WONDERS! Honestly,  I have travelled more often in recent years is because I have finally found my holy grail! I previously read how other people deal with this sickness and many recommended this tablet.

How to overcome travel anxiety?

Due to the fact I have thrown up countless times, it has caused me to have a lot of anxiety and fear when I'm on the plane. Im not scared of flying, I love heights and the view of the world below. Its just  the thought I have to trapped in the same place for 12 hours. I used to fly economy on Cathay Pacific, and hated it since Cathay Pacific plane's have a very distinct smell that makes me what to throw up. Three years ago, since British Airways brought out the A380 premium Economy or world traveller plus as they call it, I religiously travel on this plane. There is no smell, I get more room to be comfortable; which is vital if you get anxious because you don't want to feel confined.

To answer the question of how I overcame this anxiety, firstly BREATHE! Sounds funny but take a deep breath for three seconds and hold for three seconds. Then breathe out for three seconds. Repeat until you feel normal again. Whenever I feel anxious especially the weeks leading up to the flight or even in the airport, once I kept practising this it instantly calmed me now. Secondly, learn how to control your air sickness. Purely by being prepared with a good amount of sickbags ( they provide this on the plane if you need it) and lots of tissues. I currently have a huge stack on them ready for whenever I need to fly long haul flights. Thirdly, is having a good meal before you fly. Feeling full but not over full will calm your mind.

A product I discovered that helped me sleep, is a rose eye mask that warms your eyes for 10 minutes and can be used as an ordinary eye mask afterwards. Its a Japanese brand called Meg rhythm and comes in four different scents.  I managed to fall asleep before take off and wake up when it was one hour prior to landing, therefore a good 12 hours of sleep. I didn't feel sick and anxious on that flight. My parents were so shocked when they came to pick me up since I'm normally sick on flights, I look quite tired and exhausted when I step off. After using this it didn't seem like I was on a plane for 14 hours.

Hope this posts helps other who are dealing with the same condition as me! 

Summer Life update !

I'm currently back in London, after just coming back from a nine day trip to Switzerland with family. Overall summer 2016 has been the best summer I have had to far, purely because I have finally pushed myself in taking a new life adventure and I have definitely accomplished far more than I would ever have dreamed of.

Back in June, my two closest friends and I went on a girls trip to Sunny Malta! First time ever going abroad with friends, therefore prior to this trip I think all three of us were quite worried we would argue or there was going to be a lot of drama. Surprisingly, none of this happened and we had the most amazing trip that we all deserved. We split the day in half, so in the morning we would lounge in the sun or do water sports when the temperature was quite warm but not roasting hot. After lunch we would go out into town and do some sightseeing. This was the perfect balance since back in August 2015 ( Yes we planned this trip for a long time), we wanted to go on a beach holiday rather than a city break since all three of us live in London and city life becomes generic after a while. Despite some of my other friends have told me to never go on holiday with close friends because living together can cause arguments and friction, but after this trip I definitely feel the three of use have become so much closer; as well as understand each other more.

Fast forward to 15th July, where my real life adventure started. I was scheduled to fly to Hong Kong from Heathrow T5 Airport, most crucially BY MYSELF for the very first time! Some people might be reading this and thinking "it not a big deal some kids fly by themselves to go to study abroad at a much younger age". True ! but I get airsickness and anxiety when I travel on planes. This is something I have had to endure and overcome since I was 9 years old. Its only these two years that my anxiety has improved because I have learnt how to control it and how to calm myself down. I might do a blog post on how I control my anxiety but at 19, Im still learning how to overcome this myself.

I pass through immigration at Heathrow T5, and yes I did cry a bit, but overall the flight was relatively smooth and even though I did throw up 5 times, it was a good flight. I stayed in Hong Kong for 4 days before taking a train to Guangzhou. The real reason I flew to Asia.

Guangzhou Camp !

Yes, the main point of this trip half way around the world was to attend a Study abroad camp in Guangzhou, China. Guangzhou is very near Hong Kong and the train ride is only two hours. Despite all my family lives in HK, my dad booked a hotel for me to stay in for 4 days and three nights. It was so much fun staying in a hotel by myself but yes it did get quiet at night, but luckily by friends and family in England and HK are only a WhatsApp away to keep me company. One surprising thing that happened to me in which I have never experienced before was homesickness. The night before I was suppose to take a train to Guangzhou. I got really homesick and was VERY worried about what to expect at camp. Purely because this is my first camp and first time away from home for a few weeks by myself half way around the world. At 4am HK time, I called home and cried for two hours on the phone to my parents. I never get homesick, even at university I never really missed home. The reason I got so upset was because when I arrived in HK, my skin started breaking out REALLY BADLY as in my face was FULL of acne. My skin looked red and was painful to touch. Also, I was really worried about whether or not I would make friends. If I didn't enjoy it do I have enough money in my bank account to buy a ticket back to London etc. All these thoughts including jet lag and lack of sleep caused me to overthink. Which is something I do quite often especially at night, Overthink !

Looking back at it now, I feel so silly because camp was the BEST TWO WEEKS I have ever had. I met a group of friends from around the wold, Canadians, Italians, Americans, Morocco, Medians and Brits. From the first day, we all got to know each really well and made memories that I will cherish eternally. Honestly, the coolest and most down to earth people that you will ever meet ! Every night all of us ( around 20+ people), would sit in one for the bigger rooms and bond. With the lack of wifi and connection with the outside world, since every thing in China is blocked!

The Truth or dare game kept us entertained, our dare games were lethal and truth questions were shocking! I could write forever about our memories and banter but a real highlight in which I have to mention is something along the lines of camp romance. It is what the name implies, meeting someone at camp but only have a thing during camp. It feels brutal once camp ends but thats life, I know because I am experiencing the aftermath right now. Within the England team I met a guy called Y ( not going to disclose his real name), We were friends during the first half of camp but I didn't really know him very well. My first impression of him was literally " wow this guy is blunt", resting bitch face if he didn't smile and generally quite a cold,serious person, definitely not someone you want to get in a heated debate with. Soon he opened up and he was really a relaxed, funny person, a complete opposite to my first impression. During camp, there were three odd days in which the camp took us to Guangzhou and Shenzhen for sightseeing. It wasn't until the second day of the trips in which we became more close since we sat next to each other at the back of the coach.

The second day of trips was to Shenzhen, a two hour coach ride from our university. Since it was 8am in the morning we were all relatively tired. So Y asked me if he could sleep on my shoulder, obviously I said yes but the funny thing was Y is nearly 6 foot tall and I'm 5ft4. Yes height difference! My shoulder was not tall enough for him to be comfortable therefore we switched and I put my head on his shoulder. The next part of the story is something I find really sweet, which is he felt my leg and it was cold so he got his jumper and put on me. After a heartbreaking incident with someone at Uni last term, I felt really warm :) So then we both got really close and snuggled at the backseat of the coach. I did not want this moment to end. Generally at night the whole group would hang out and have fun sometimes in room 202 and my room as well room 206. The events that happened at night are only between me and Y to know, therefore I won't write about them. Despite this, Y will always be the most gentlemen and sweetest guy I know. Our relationship is just 'having good feelings towards each other, and not boyfriend/girlfriend'. I will admit if Y and I were the same age, yes I would date him. Apart from age, reality also stops us being together because of the people at home in England. We both agreed this relationship would only last in camp. The 4 nights we spent together and the last night of camp are nights I will always remember ....! So fast forward to the last morning of camp, in which is the saddest part to this story. We all stayed for majority of the night to say goodbye to people leaving very early in the morning. When it was my turn to go at 9am, I nearly cried for two reasons, I don't want to leave the amazing people I met and secondly it was the last time I would see Y. I just remember that morning after the group hug in the lobby I could not stop looking at Y, even in the car as it drove away from the building Y was standing outside with everyone else waving goodbye to me, and I ....kept looking in his direction from the back window. Even though everyone is on social media, but talking online to different to spending time with someone in person. Therefore it was a harsh moment to bare, but its also a fact you have a face. Even though we don't live far from each other, but the distance is still far itself.

Currently my life seems like the Charlie Puth ft Selena Gomez song - we don't talk anymore ! Typing it in a post is my way of confessing my feelings but I would never tell Y in person, purely because I don't want this is affect our friendship and I'm worried he will step back.

Aside from this soppy romance, all of us have each other on Facebook, snapchat etc. derpy photos of us have been posted everywhere on Facebook. Our photo dump group page is what I look at whenever I'm in a sad/bad mood because the photos are too funny for life! It also brings back good memories.

I took a train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong on August 3rd, Y was also supposed to go to Hong Kong for a few days but got cancelled last min due to family:( Could have showed him around my hometown that I love so much. The same night I took a plane from Hong Kong back to London Heathrow T5. Then only stayed in London for less than 48hrs before I flew to Switzerland with my family.

Overall, a every busy summer! Do I still think about Y, Yes! But time will fade everything and with University starting again soon I will meet more amazing people and start a new chapter in my life.

Typing this post because Im trying to avoid this summer project I have to do for first year!