As I begin to recover from a bout with the ‘Martian Death Flu‘ and return to normal posting duties, I was piqued by a discussion on Milepoint started by wayferapp in which travelers discuss the best items in their carry-on.

In particular, no doubt influenced by my own recent and extensive experiments with over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, I found PhoenixDown’s contribution to the discussion particularly useful:

Advil and allergy meds. It was a terrible realization that some countries just don’t belive in the stuff and don’t carry it

Reminds me of a another thread I highlighted several months ago in which travelers discuss health scares they have faced when on the road: Take Two of These and We’ll Cut It Off in the Morning.

Back to the thread of the day, the true hero in my opinion is timfrost, who not only packs for himself but for fellow passengers who might be in need/distress:

I also never leave home without my epi-pen – usually two. If it doesn’t save my life it could save someone else’s.

Of course, not all of the carry-on items listed by those posting in the thread are health related. And so, if you aren’t crawling out of a used-Kleenex nest for the first time in a week you might find some of the other suggestions more useful.

Read the thread in its entirety: The best item in your carry-on?