The Travel Bug Meets Chronic Illness: Why I Created Savvy’s travel bug
Hello, World
In a world of thousands of travel blogs, there is an abundant amount of information out there: the most popular destinations to travel this year, travel hacks to save money, what restaurants and bars are touristy, which are worth the hype, and what excursions are worth all the money. As a traveler myself, I have been eating this type of content up since 2018 when I went on my first international trip to South Africa. Since then, my passion and urgency for travel has grown, but so has my chronic health conditions.
I’m Savannah, a full-time Social Media Manager and a part-time Travel & Wellness Content Creator/Blogger based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My full-time job has allowed me the opportunity to travel across the United States multiple times a year. While my travel for business increased, so did my travel for pleasure.
But something changed the way I approach travel over the last few years: my health. I live with endometriosis and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) - two chronic conditions that impact my energy, immunity, and physical well-being on a daily basis. Travel hasn’t stopped being a passion, but it now requires more intention, more planning, and a deeper connection to wellness. That’s why I created this blog - to share what it’s like to navigate the world with a body that doesn’t always cooperate, and to offer support, tips, and honest stories for those who want to travel with their conditions, not in spite of them.
Savannah solo traveling in Lisbon, Portugal, April 2025.
THE JOURNEY TO THIS BLOG
While I’ve been navigating my endometriosis since 2015, I didn’t notice it impact the way I travel until 2023. I was in San Diego for a work trip when my worst nightmare struck: an endometriosis flare. Unable to even get out of my hotel bed, I texted my manager letting her know what was going on and that I would be late to the day. What made this nightmare even worse was my lack of preparation for occasions like this. No pain meds. No heating pad. Just vibes. Bad vibes. After this trip, I approached my travels differently. While half of my suitcase is now filled with conference clothes and toiletries, the other half is now filled with supplements, emergency tools for a flare, a sleep mask, and enough pain meds to last me a month.
This served me well for another year of work travel, up until my second worst nightmare happened: having an endo flare on a work trip in Austin, Texas + getting so ill with an unknown sickness that I had to spend a day in urgent care. After two days of suffering in my hotel room with the most painful body aches that kept me awake all night and in pain all day, I sought out help at a nearby Urgent Care who had the most wonderful medical team. After taking a steroid to help with the pain and all tests coming back negative, I was on my way to finish out the week of my work trip. Four days later, I returned back to Minneapolis, got off the plane, and went straight to the Emergency Room. The pain worsened rapidly. I spent hours waiting for another round of test results coming back, all of which, again, came back negative. A week later, with still no answers, I scheduled a doctor’s appointment to try to get to the bottom of this mystery illness. At this point, I was nearly two weeks into these symptoms with all the tools I used for my endo flares were failing me. Finally, after another week of slowly getting ANOTHER round of test results back, my results were positive and literally off the charts for Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV).
Work trip, January 2023 — one day post endo flare.
I’ve been lucky (I say that sarcastically) to experience an EBV flare-up every time I catch even a mild sickness. With my already weakened immune system, it’s not uncommon for me to come home from a trip feeling worse than when I left. Long plane rides and exposure to unfamiliar germs hit my body like a linebacker tackling a quarterback. (I don’t even watch football, but it feels like the best analogy.)
These moments have left me anxious about future travels — always wondering if an endo or EBV flare will hit during or after a trip. It wasn’t until recently that I realized how many others hold back from travel because of similar health anxieties. But for me, my love for travel outweighs my fear. So I decided to do something about it: create a space for chronically ill travel lovers to access the tools, resources, and routines I’ve uncovered — ones that make traveling more manageable for both my body and my mind.
Traveled to London in 2024 to present at my company's international award ceremony.
WHY I CREATED THIS BLOG
When I look to other travel content for inspiration, I quickly notice what sets me apart: my chronic illnesses. While many of my trips go smoothly, there’s always a chance a flare-up will hit — and I want to be prepared if it does. So much of the travel content out there is fast-paced and hustle-heavy. But I crave something softer. Slower. More intentional.
I’ve wanted to create travel content for a while, but it never felt fully authentic — because I wasn’t showing what traveling with endometriosis and EBV actually looks like: the good, the bad, and everything in between.
This blog is for people like me — those with health limitations that might show up mid-adventure. I’m blending wanderlust with rest, exploration with ease, and healing with movement. I’m here to show that yes, it is possible to travel with chronic illness — it just requires a bit more planning, presence, and care. Whether it’s work, leisure, or solo trips, I’ll be sharing the wins and the setbacks to remind you: “Yes, you can,” even if you’ve been telling yourself “no” for too long.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT HERE
Now that you have a little more background, here’s what you can expect from this space. I’ll be sharing travel guides through the lens of someone living with chronic illnesses, along with tips, tools, and rituals that help make traveling with fatigue or pain feel more manageable. You’ll find honest stories — the joyful highs and the challenging lows — because both deserve to be seen. I’ll also post about pacing, nourishment, and embracing a softer, slower approach to travel. And as I go, I may share thoughtful product reviews or lifestyle finds that genuinely support my journey.
MY FINAL WORDS TO YOU
Whether you’re a passionate traveler, learning how to travel better with your chronic illness, or just a supportive person in my life who decided to check out what the heck I’m up to, I hope you come back. Not for me, but for you. To find a moment of inspiration, or peace that you maybe haven’t been able to find as easily in the online world. And when you come back, I hope you take that inspiration and peace, and bring it with you on your own travels. Whether it be across the oceans or down your block.
I’d love to hear from you! To connect and build community throughout this niche topic: Traveling with chronic illness. What is your favorite wellness product that you can’t travel without? Introduce yourself and let me know what I should be adding to my list.
You know where to find my blogs, but here is where you can find more social media content:
Instagram: @savvys.travel.bug
TikTok: @savannah.spirov
Sending ease and adventure,
Savvy (Savannah)
