I Ended Up in a Hospital... And Travel Just Changed.

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here…

And today I’m writing to you from a hotel in Niš, Serbia right on the border to Bulgaria.

This wasn’t exactly part of the plan.

I actually ended up staying here three extra nights… not because I wanted to explore more, but because I landed in the hospital.

Long story short, I’ve been dealing with strong migraines since I was a kid. They usually get triggered by things like stress, lack of sleep, but also substances and things like cigarettes which of course don’t consume anymore.

But Back when I was 18–19, I smoked for a short time… but I quit pretty quickly, because during that period my headaches got so bad that I just felt completely awful all the time.
Looking back… probably one of the better decisions I made early on 😅

But this time… it felt very different.

That night, things escalated way beyond what I’ve experienced before. High fever (well above 100°F ), intense pain and I had no choice but to go to the hospital here in Serbia.

At first, the doctors assumed it might be one of my typical migraines.
But because it was unusually strong and different from what I described… they started running more serious tests the next day, including checks to rule out things like tumors.

Which, obviously, is not something you want to hear in that moment.

After several tests and three days in the hospital.... with amazing doctors and very understanding staff in generel, they finally diagnosed it as cluster headaches.

Which explains a lot… but still isn’t something you really want to have.

The good thing is: it’s not something that occurs regularly for me.
And most importantly they ruled out anything truly serious.

So yeah… I’m genuinely just grateful right now.

Grateful for the treatment, grateful for the people here and to be honest, just grateful that I can continue my journey.

And in a strange way… moments like this almost make you appreciate everything a bit more.

But at the same time… there’s something else I’ve been noticing recently, something that doesn’t feel quite as positive.

Because over the past few flights and border crossings, especially in the last months, a lot of things have quietly started to change.

And those are the travel changes I want to talk about today.

So… let’s talk about what’s actually changing right now.

Not from headlines but from what I’ve personally noticed over the last weeks of traveling.

Because a lot of these things aren’t being announced loudly…
you just feel them once you’re at the airport.

1. Carry-On & Personal Item rules are getting stricter

This is probably the biggest one — and the one most people underestimate.

Let’s quickly break it down so you actually understand it:

• Personal Item = small bag under the seat
  (backpack, sling, small duffel)

• Carry-On = suitcase in the overhead bin

And here’s where it gets tricky:

👉 Most airlines allow:

• 1 Carry-On (usually 7–10kg)

• 1 Personal Item

👉 Typical size limits:

• Carry-On: around 55 × 40 × 20 cm

• Personal Item: around 40 × 30 × 15 cm

BUT…

These are not “fixed rules worldwide”.

• In Europe (especially budget airlines):
  → often ONLY Personal Item included

• In Asia:
  → stricter weight checks (sometimes even 7kg total)

• In the US:
  → more relaxed… but getting tighter too

And you really start to feel it.

On one of my recent flights, I was traveling with my usual setup:
my Herman Pro backpack + a sling bag with my Nanobag clipped to it.

And for the first time… they seriously questioned it.

They tried to argue that this counts as three items instead of two.

In the end, it worked out — but you can clearly feel:
they’re starting to look much closer now.

👉 Key takeaway:
What used to “slide through” is now being checked — and if it doesn’t fit exactly into their system, you’ll pay for it.

2. You’re slowly paying for things that used to be included

Especially in Europe, this shift is very noticeable.

More and more airlines are moving towards:

• basic tickets = only Personal Item

• Carry-On = extra fee

• Priority Boarding = extra fee

• Even normal things like an socket = extra fee

Which means:
→ the “cheap ticket” is often not that cheap anymore

You’re basically building your flight like a menu:
you only pay for what you use.

Great if you travel light but annoying if you don’t.
and i think it makes "normal" family travel way more expensive !

3. Airport security feels faster… but also stricter

New scanners are a big upgrade.

At many airports now:

• you don’t have to take out liquids

• you don’t have to take out electronics

But at the same time:

• more random checks

• more detailed screening if something looks “off”

So it feels smoother…
but there’s less room for mistakes.

4. The liquids rule still exists (even if it feels like it doesn’t)

This is where many people get confused.

Even though you can often leave everything in your bag now:

• max 100ml per container

• all in one small transparent bag

That rule did NOT change.

It just became less annoying to go through.

5. Powerbanks suddenly became a real topic

This one actually surprised me.

On my flight from Germany to Sofia just about a week ago,
my UGREEN powerbank wasn’t even allowed to stay inside my personal item bag.

They made me take it out and keep it visible.

And depending on the airline, there are even stricter rules now:

• some don’t allow usage during the flight

• some want it stored under the seat only

• never in checked luggage

This is all about safety:
lithium batteries can overheat.

👉 So the rule now is simple:
keep it close, keep it visible.

6. “Visible behavior” inside the plane matters more

This connects directly to the powerbank situation.

Airlines are shifting towards:
→ everything happening in plain sight

Charging your phone:

• on your lap ✅

• on the tray table ✅

• inside your bag ❌

It sounds small… but it’s part of a bigger shift:
more control, more safety.

7. Delays are becoming more common

You can really feel this one lately.

Airlines are flying more than ever...especially in summer.

Which means:

• more pressure on aircrafts

• more technical issues

• more delays and cancellations

👉 What I’ve learned:
tight schedules are risky now.

If something is important:
arrive a day earlier.

8. And overall… travel just feels different now

This is probably the biggest shift.

Flying used to feel a bit more like a “premium experience”.

Now?

It honestly feels closer to taking a bus.

Everything is optimized for:

• efficiency

• price

• volume

Which has huge advantages:
→ cheaper travel
→ more connections and even more niche places
→ more accessibility

But also some downsides:
→ more rules
→ more structure
→ less flexibility

So yeah… I really hope this helped you a bit.

And if you’ve noticed other changes while traveling lately —
definitely let me know.

Because from what I’ve seen, a lot of this depends on:

• the country

• the airport

• even the airline staff that day

And the crazy part is… these rules are constantly changing.

So it’s always a good idea to quickly check things before your flight
just to avoid unnecessary stress.

But you know what doesn’t change every few months?

Good travel gear.

The kind of gear you buy once…
and then use for years... sometimes even 10+ years.

And that’s exactly why I put together a video on my 8 favorite Buy-It-For-Life travel essentials.

These are things that have genuinely improved my travels.
not just for one trip, but long-term.

So if you want to see which 8 items made the cut:

→ “My 8 Buy-It-For-Life Travel Essentials That Improved My Life (And My Travels)”

And yeah… now you also know why there wasn’t a video last week.

Being in a hospital in Serbia wasn’t exactly part of the content plan 😅
but I’m really glad everything turned out okay.

As always… Safe travels.
Johannes

P.S. I’ve seen that a lot of you are still watching my review of my favorite packable daypack, the Tortuga.

So if you haven’t seen it yet:

→ “The Best Packable Backpack for 2026? (Tested Over 3 Months)”