Blocked Ears Abroad: My Story, and How I Make Travel Health a Priority

How It Happened

There are moments when travel isn’t glamorous. It’s not the sunsets, the street food, or the passport stamps. Sometimes, it’s sitting on a cramped flight, head pressed against a cold window, feeling a slow panic rise as your ears refuse to pop and the world goes muffled.

I was somewhere over the Indian Ocean, halfway to a country I’d never seen, when it started. The pressure built, a dull ache behind my jaw. I did everything: swallowed, yawned, chewed gum, pinched my nose and blew. Nothing. The cabin noise faded to a distant hum. My own heartbeat sounded louder than the engines.

By the time we landed, I was desperate for relief. The airport was a blur of announcements I couldn’t understand. I fumbled through customs, nodding and smiling, pretending I could hear. The world felt underwater, voices warped, footsteps echoing in my skull. I missed directions from a taxi driver, ended up lost in a city that should have felt electric. Instead, I felt isolated, trapped in my own head.

That night, lying in a hostel bunk, I realized how quickly something small can unravel your plans. I’d traveled for years, prided myself on resilience, but this was different. I couldn’t connect with people, couldn’t focus on anything but the pressure in my ears. It was a kind of loneliness I’d never known.

I tried every trick, hot showers, steam, stretching my jaw until it ached. Nothing worked. I skipped a walking tour I’d been looking forward to for weeks. I sat in a café, watching the city move around me, feeling invisible. Travel is supposed to be about breaking out of your comfort zone, but I’d found a new kind of discomfort I couldn’t shake.

What I Learned

Since then, travel health isn’t an afterthought. I build it into my packing list, right alongside cameras and chargers. I bring proper earplugs for flights (the kind I wish I’d had that day), a simple health kit, hydration tablets, and nasal spray. I keep it all in a pouch from my own travel shop, a little ritual that makes me feel ready for anything.

But the biggest shift was mental. I stopped pretending I was invincible. I started listening to my body, paying attention to the small signals before they become big problems. I talk about this on my YouTube channel now, not because it’s glamorous, but because it’s real. Travel isn’t always about chasing the extraordinary; sometimes, it’s about surviving the ordinary challenges that nobody warns you about.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck, ears blocked, plans derailed, feeling alone in a crowd, you’re not the only one. These moments are part of the journey, too. They teach you to slow down, to ask for help, to prepare better next time.

Don’t wait for a crisis to get serious about your health on the road. Check out resources like Wax In Wax Out before your next trip. Pack for the problems you don’t expect. And if you’ve got your own story of travel gone sideways, I hope you’ll share it below. The best lessons come from the journeys that don’t go as planned.

Travel Resources I Actually Use:

• Ear care tips: Wax In Wax Out (Earwax Removal Specialist)

• My favourite earplugs and health kit: https://amzn.to/44S7Xyv

• My personal travel pouch: https://amzn.to/3MqA1ms

• Stories like this, unfiltered: https://youtu.be/IhYex3PMweI

Travel isn’t just about the places you go, it’s about what happens to you along the way. Sometimes, it’s the little setbacks that stick with you long after the trip is over. Blocked ears taught me that vulnerability is part of the adventure, and that real growth happens when you face discomfort head-on.

Next time you pack your bags, remember: the best stories aren’t always the ones you plan for. Take care of yourself, prepare for the unexpected, and don’t be afraid to talk about the messy moments. They’re what make the journey yours.

Let’s make travel a little more honest, and a lot less lonely.

HAPPY TRAVELS