Some hotels have figured out that when people travel, they sometimes get sick. And when you don’t feel well enough to head down to the corner store for some over-the-counter medications, well they’ve got you. And while we wait for drone delivery or some guy on a bike peddling though traffic with some Imodium to come to our rescue, we’re captive to the hotel’s choices and prices.

Any number of ailments befall us when we hit the road. And only we know we what we’re susceptible to and what works for us and what doesn’t.

I recently traveled out of state and stayed in a national chain. The room was

 fine but as I passed through the lobby I spied this kiosk. While they had a couple of brands I usually take, they lacked any real diversity in product and there were as many things I don’t ever use as do.

But the real issue is price. This is price gouging at its finest. They know if you’re coming to the lobby for Pepto you’re going to pay more just so you don’t have to go to the store. And if its raining or cold, it’s more likely you’re not going anywhere. It wouldn’t surprise me if during the crummy weather season they didn’t raise prices even more.

For example, this 1 oz. bottle of Purell is priced about double from a popular online store. But if you want it (and need it) you’re going to pay for it. And if you have a headache or crapping your shorts, there’s not anything you won’t pay to feel better. They know it, and they know you know it.

But what if there was another way? Hmmmm…let me think. You know what makes you feel better. And you know where you’re going and what season it is. Cold and flu in NYC? Allergies in Texas? Summer in Phoenix? Or windy and rainy in Portland? What if you leaned on the Boy Scout motto and prepared your very own customized pack ahead of time with only the medications and sundries you prefer. And what if it was stored in a convenient take-anywhere, water resistant, TSA-compliant, capable of floating pack so you could easily put it in your carry-on and take it on the plane or anywhere else. All your items for your trip from Aleve to Kleenex to ponchos to Emergen-C. Yeah, what if.