Keeping Track of Pills When Travelling

Pill Preparation - Ordering

Order enough pills to last throughout your trip. 

Include any regular pills. Plus aspirin or paracetamol. 

Pill Labels

Make sure the pills are labelled so you know which pills they are, and to show to Customs officers. Be aware that some medication may be banned or require authorization.

What do I and you need to note

when packing pills? I remember these rules. 

Pill Packing

1 Whatever will go wrong will do so. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

2 A place for everything and everything in its place. 

3 Make a checklist and check the checklist.

4 Be Prepared.

5 A stitch in time saves nine. 

Better to pack pills, enough pills, rather than hope to buy at your destination. In Thailand five members of my family wasted an hour, walking to three different drug stores at our destination to buy me more Thyroxine pills. 

COUNTING DAILY PILLS

1 The number of days and pills. 

2 Spare pills.

3 Prescription.

3 The temperature of pill storage. Cool box. 

4 Record of which pill was taken each day. 

5 Liquids for taking pills. Water bottle. Cup.

Pill crusher - for a long trip to a second home.

Pack pills to go into hospital. You might be kept all night in A & E (accident and emergency).

For the return journey, I always take an extra pill. Firstly, on long flights back from Singapore to the UK,  You arrive the morning after the last day of your holiday.

Travelling in the other direction, UK to Singapore, and on to Australia or New Zealand you tend to forget that you are arriving a day later. You need your next day's pill in your pocket to take before breakfast. (My thyroxine instructions say take half an hour before eating.)

6 24 HOUR Pill Records.

Address of chemist and their opening hours. Weekend, evening and national holiday hours.

 My regular chemist in London, and nationwide Boots, sells pill dispensers with compartments for each day of the week.

This month, in July 2025, I found a wonderful new system. For calcium and vitamin D tablets, which I should have used every day after I stopped taking pills osteoporosis for post menopause.

I have had verious strategies. 

1 Counting Travel Days And Pills

One is to count out the number of pills you need for your trip.

Pill Storage - Choices

 Keep the morning pill for the day of travel in your handbag, or jacket pocket. That is so that you don't rush off to the airport leaving the day's pill behind in the fridge. 

Note down where the pills are. You don't want to be searching through four pockets, two inside your jacket, two outside, plus your wasitcoat poickets, your two dress pockets,  your handbag's three pockets, Your wheelie bag's outer and inside pockets, and your tote bag's inside and outside pockets. Then remembering that your husband has all the family's pills together.

Pills in fridges

Have you left pills behind in the fridge at home? In the hotel bedroom fridge? In the hotel reception or kitchen's fridge?

Pills in Pockets Of Vehicles 

 The back of the airline seat? The glove box of your own car left at the airport? The hire car glove box?

 The bag with the take away food, which the family are about to throw in a nearby bin?

Remembering to take pills - Reminders

You can add take pill to your to do list in the front cover of your travel diary, or each day in your diary. Or send yourself a reminder in wahtsapp every night for your monring pill. Or set an alarm on your phone, and label the alarm, Take Pill.

Packing Medicines - Travel Tooth Problems Tackled - with Antibiotics, Prescriptions, Mouthwash, Photos

I pack assorted medicines to go on holiday. The first thing is an elastoplast in my handbag for counteracting the effects rubbing shoes, or dealing with minor cuts. 

Elastoplast

Nowadays you can buy a spray-on Elastoplast. That is a kind of antiseptic. 

Tooth Repair Kit

You can also buy an emergency tooth repair kit. In case you lose a filling. But this requires a steady hand to apply to the right place. 

I told my friends about this. One weekend they phoned me and asked if they could have my kit, which they would replace on Monday when the shops opened.

Tooth Trouble Tale

This year, 2025, I had a stabbing pain in a tooth with a filling for a few seconds after I used a toothpick after eating. 

I went to the dentist. He took an x-ray. Fortunately, not an immediate disaster. Unless it got worse, and I had non-stop pain lasting more than an hour.

No, I didn't want my tooth extracted. And a crown. Which only lasts ten years. 

More expense, now. And in the future. 

A whole caboodle.  Bed rest for recovery, when I have outings and holidays planned. A breif period with no tooth, before the crown arrives, looking unsightly.

And I have fragile bones, osteoporosis. And a head injury from a car accident. I could end up with a broken jaw. Migraines.

And the pain! I bad memories of being in bed in agony for days after the extraction of my wisdom teeth.

Let's look on the bright side. From my visit to the dentist, I learned several useful things.

Who Can Prescribe Anti-biotics?

In the UK a denstist can prescribe antibiotics for a problem such as a small tooth abscess. No need for me to go to the doctor for the antibiotics. I was relieved there was no need for me to have a tooth extracted there and then.

A dentist can prescribe antibiotics for you to take when you have an ongoing tooth problem and you are about to travel to a remote place.

Pharmacy Information

In England we call the pharmacy a chemist (shop). In America they refer to a drug store.

When I got to the chemist's, the pharmacy, with my prescription, I asked the size of the pills. Large pills would need a lot of water to swallow. Was there an alternative size of pill? Could I chew the pill or crush it? 

The assistant, the pharmacist's wife, looked at the antibiotic pill packet to find out if the pill had a coating, which she said was to stop it being an irritant to your stomach lining. Really? If so, don't crush it.

Liquid Medicine

She said there was an alternative liquid medicine. I had aleady decided to avoid liquid when travelling, because they are not allowed on planes if the bottle of liquid is to large. Could be a nuisance. But faced with large pills, I was having second thoughts, about a course I might start before I left for my travels. So, I wanted to discuss the options,.

But she could not change my prescription from the pills to the liquid. I would have to go back to the dentist. And other patients have said that liquid tastes  horrible.

Mouthwash

To create an emergency mouthwash, use salt in water. So said my dentist. Not new information for me. But I had forgotten it. Great reminder.

When travelling, you can take with you salt. Sometimes you find tiny packets of salt at fast food places.

So, salt is easier. What about prescriptions?

Photograph Of Prescriptions 

I photograph all my prescriptions. Then if I lose the medicine in lost luggage, misrouted luggage, or a stolen handbag, or forgotten jacket, I have a record online for a pharmacist at my destination. 

If security says I can't import pills, I will have proof that they are a prescribed medicine for my own use, and not for resale. Nor are they some forbidden, unknown drug.

Who Can Prescribe Antibiotics?

Afterwards I was talking to other people about my experiences. My family told me that in the UK psychiatrists can prescribe medicines because they have had medical training. But psychologists cannot. 

Who Is A Medical Doctor?

Confusingly, in the UK the word doctor almost always means a medical professional. However, over in Germany other professions such as engineers, who have a doctorate, a PhD, are called Doctor. 

I am now armed with a whole lot of things for packing on my next trip. I just need a list!

Last things to pack and do before travelling? From windows to waterfalls

Allow a week or month for purchases to arrive, such as climbing clothes and boots, or a new suitcase. Check airline seat and order meal. Start or finish your language course.

SELLING UP?
Ebay and Amazon - for last minute purchases. Some places offer 24 hour delivery or express same day delivery for a premium.

Your old kit may be out of date. Selling off - use Gumtree.

SUITCASE
Check suitcases. Handles which won't push back in, missing wheels, or just needs a wash?
New tag for new destination. String or ribbon to identify bag.
Strap, in case locks fail.
Locks and keys.
You can buy a cover to protect your suitcase against scratches, prevent tampering, and identify your luggage from a distance. Covers are good for hard suitcases but might cover outside pockets on soft suitcases.

PACKING
List what you pack so that you can check when re-packing. I once came back with only one of a pair of slippers. Another time the baby's essential teddy was under the duvet in the cot.

My top ten list - write your own list on your phone and fridge door.

MEDICATION
Take your pills and pack your pills. Photograph prescrition in case you need a repear prescription or are challenged about your pills or lqiquids at customs. Note pills left behind and expiry date.

Keep all liquids separate.
If eating at airport, check the airport restaurants on line to save time and not miss out.

PRICES
Note prices of perfumes and wines at local supermarket and destination airport before buying at home airport.

Check currency exchange rates at airports of bothe coutnries and outside airports in both countries. Allow time for: to change currency and go to airport lounge and toilets and hunt for trolleys and check in queue (Americans say line up).

KEYS & PASSWORDS
Note or remember passwords.
Take keys and travel passes.
Leave behind duplicate keys and travel passes.

NUMBERS
Note your frequent flyer numbers.
Note your passport number.

WASHING
Vaccuum floors. Wash bedding and pillowcases.

FOOD & DRINK
Take water for your journey. Ideally use a small container which can be emptied to save litter and clutter.
Empty food bins and clear from fridge perishable items.

Check weather at destination. Take an umbrella and packable sunhat.

SPECTACLES
Wear a glasses chain so you can attack your spectacles when asleep on a flight or dozing whilst waiting. Note your prescription in your diary so that if your spectacles break you don't need to pay for an eye test. If you know your prescription you can order glasses on line.

Emergency - forgot or broke glasses? Many supermarkets sell glasses. If you have different eyes these will not work long term and would give you headaches. However to quickly read a map, or a restaurant menu, the cheapest off the rack glasses will get yu through, even if you have to shut one eye. you could also borrow somebody else's glasses.

We did this once at a wedding when my husband forgot his reading lgasses. He had not planned on reading any books and forgot about trying to read a restaurant menu in dim lighting. 

READING MATERIAL OR GAMES OR MUSIC
Take education or entertainment material for journeys and delays. Novel. Novel you are writing. Music. Language course for destination.

STATIONERY
Take a new notebook, and diary. Map of destination. Print alphabet or word list.

GOODBYES & HELLOS
Say goodbye to friends or colleagues and leave contact details.
Remind destination family, friends and colleagues that you are arriving.

Confirm flight check in and seat. (Meals must be booked 24 hours early.)

GOODBYES
Allow time to say goodbye to neighbours. You may wish to give them spare keys, plants to water, or pets.

Leave instructions as to which relatives or gardeners or wind cleaners are likely to visit and who should be let in and who should be prevented from entering or reported.

If you have a burglar alarm, ensure somebody nearby can turn it off.

GIFTS
Find out what your relatives want brought back from a holiday destination. You might want their size in clothes or shoes. Would they prefer clothes, stationery, ornaments or only practical items, food or drink, alcohol, no alcohol, cigarettes, no cigarettes, something with their name on, a joke item or item with a joke on it, or nothing?

ORDER CABS
Order cab at departure point.
Order cab at arrival.

COUNT BAGS
Count your suitcases, bags, umbrellas, cameras, and coats, duty free and magazines and newspapers and food bags.

KEEP EVERYTHING ATTACHED
Have several systems. Write down the number of items and/or photograph them.
This also helps when reporting a loss.

Never put anything down.

I lost a silver ring on a washbasin. Always put jewellery in your bag or around your neck on a chain with a secure fastener, not a ribbons with a knot which could slip, nor a t bar which could come undone.

Wallets and keys and bags placed on top of a car foor as you unlock the door are asking to be left bhind. A bag behind the car boot, before you drive off - or drive over it.

We did that. My husband reversed out of a driveway in London over my travel bag and brolly. He said it was my fault and I said it was his fault. Never put anything down behind a car unless you are hiding from terrorists.

PACKING LIGHT FOR A SHORT TRIP?
Pack light. Cito o-ordinate clothes. Vary with scarves and jewllery. Wear heaviest shoes. Choose reversible dress and jackets. convertisble trousers which shorten p into a tab. Check all buttons are secure. Sew down zip ends so zip pull does not pull off. Have ribbons to tie or elastic to secure hats from blowing away.
Reversible scarf.
Pack clothes which was out overnight.
Remember night dress and swimsuit and swimhat.
Take sewing kit.

TIME TO AIRPORT
Allow extra time. In Singapore after dark you can see the lights on the multi-storey atrium waterfall at Jewel shopping mall.

Photo by Matteo Morando in Wikipedia article on Jewel.

Changi Airport also has a Butterfly Garden on two levels.

Useful Websites
Several youtube videos show you how to pack light, even for a long trip.
To sell items
Gumtree is in the UK, Australia, South Africa and Singapore.
https://www.gumtree.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumtree
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/08/packing-for-trek-what-weight.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please bookmark and share links to yuur favourite posts.