> Not everyone will need to be so extreme of course, but avoiding fat,
> heavy protein and alcohol from the night before, taking the pills for
> twentyfour hours before, and maintaining an empty stomach on the trip will
> make a big difference to the average punter.
>
Michael and all other sufferers have my sincere sympathy.
I am glad to say that I myself very seldom suffer from travel sickness
but my son suffers quite badly. He was worse when he was a little kid.
We found that issuing an Arnott's Gingernut biscuit worked very well-
just nibbling the edges seemed to nip travelsickness in the bud.
Crystallized ginger in small pieces can also be almost miraculous. If
you dislike
ginger as a flavour, you can buy it in capsules from healthfood shops.
Being wet, cold, miserable, bored and frightened can make one
susceptible to
seasickness. Moral: wear warm gear and waterproofs. Landlubbers never
realise how horribly cold you can be on a boat.
I have been given anti-travel sickness tablets on occasion but they
usually make me pass out, so I prefer to tell myself firmly that I wont
need them anyway, and then stay in fresh air as much as possible. I find
ginger biscuit adequate as a rule (I enjoy them in any case).
When we were kids crossing between Sorrento/Portsea and Queenscliffe on
a converted fishingboat, we soon learnt that it was best to avoid the
cabin, which contained the engine. It was always full of diesel fumes
and the kind of parent which asks its offspring "Are you sure you dont
feel sick yet?" while the boat is still tied up to the pier! Of course
such kids were sick as soon as the ferry met any chop at all. Out in the
cockpit we were completely unaffected, if sometimes rather wet - and I
could see muttonbirds and gannets.
I certainly agree that alcohol, fat and protein are best avoided
pre-trip. Likewise fizzy drinks of any kind. It is very important not
to get dehydrated, so increased water consumption is a good idea.
Hope this helps.
Anthea Fleming in Melbourne
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