Tuesday, September 30, 2008

How Do You Get There?

We will travel by plane of course. But do you need travel documents? Yes, only for Pakistan though. A VISA for Pakistan, for a single entry on personal business is good for 6 months and costs C$100.00. The turnaround was fantastic, all done within 3 days.

There is no special requirement for Thailand, just our passports.

But MEDICAL! Yes, we need shots. Fortunately I already had my Hepatitis A&B vaccine last year before going to Mexico. Good thing because the process is rather long. It is given in 3 doses, the first 2 doses a month apart, the third at 6 months.

Azhar and I both received the Typhoid injection which is good for 3 years.

Cholera and Travellers' Diarrhea Vaccine Now isn't that a nice phrase? Travellers' Diarrhea. I didn't even know you could prevent, I thought it was only react after the fact. Well there is a new oral cholera vaccine available that also may prevent diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. Coli, a common cause of severe diarrhea in travellers. The vaccine is taken in 2 doses at least a week apart. It is a small vile, about 1 teaspoon of clear liquid that is mixed with water and bicarbonate-soda and drunk. Rather a painless procedure.

There is a risk of malaria in rural Thailand and Karachi, Pakistan. We have pills for that which we take daily starting 1 day before entering the risk area, while in the malarious area and for 7 days after.

We will also take bug spray of 30% deet to repel the nasty insects.

1 comment:

Angela Rose Lapierre said...

Beware...I learned in my Parisitology class that the medication that they give you to prevent Malaria makes you feel about as bad as if you actually got malaria...

Other warning - don't stop taking the medication - so many people stop because the preventative stuff makes you feel like crap - then they get a nice little mosquito bite and whammo!! Malaria!

Love you tons :)
Have lots of fun!
xxx
A