| Mulling over a trip to the exotic delights of South | | | | recommend you have before travelling anywhere. |
| East Asia? Good on you, it is a vibrant and fascinating | | | | 1) Diphtheria/Tetanus. These ailments are devastating |
| location. Just take a few simple precautions and you | | | | and can strike anywhere, even at home. The solution |
| will love it all! | | | | is as easy as a shot, followed by boosters every |
| South East Asia sits in what is referred to as the hot | | | | five years or so. |
| tropics. This means that whatever time of the year | | | | 2) Cholera. See your doctor to get an easy |
| you visit, count on a tropical climate of hot | | | | vaccination against this disease. |
| temperatures, high humidity and sometimes torrential | | | | 3) Typhoid. A two shot program will protect you |
| rain. | | | | here. |
| What accompanies this climate is invariably the | | | | 4) Hepatitis A. An initial shot, followed by a follow up |
| presence of some tropical bugs and viruses that you | | | | one year later will protect you for life. |
| may not be familiar with. I am not saying that you | | | | The other issue that I want to discuss are those |
| should recoil in horror and select another destination, | | | | mosquito born illnesses. In South East Asia the two |
| in fact far from it. What is helpful is the old saying of, | | | | ailments that you need to be aware of, are malaria |
| forewarned is forearmed. | | | | and dengue fever. There are pre emptive |
| Firstly I would like to discuss one fundamental issue, | | | | medications for these, but just as important, there |
| and that is about water. In South East Asia, water is | | | | are easy and sensible strategies that you can adopt |
| abundant, reflecting the fact of their location in the | | | | whilst in the region. |
| tropics. This water is fine for cooking, (as it is boiled), | | | | 1) At dawn and dusk, be aware of mosquito activity |
| washing and laundering your clothes. However in | | | | around you. |
| most cases is it unwise to drink this water as some | | | | 2) Use a barrier cream containing the active |
| gastric bugs may result. Please do not let this put you | | | | ingredient DEET. |
| off, as the solution is really quite straightforward. | | | | 3) Wear light clothing and avoid still, swampy areas. |
| Bottled water is everywhere in South East Asia and | | | | 4) Carry a mosquito net, and use it for sleeping if |
| it is also very inexpensive. As an example, a liter of | | | | other protectants such as spray or screens are not |
| pure drinking water in Cambodia is around 25c US. | | | | available. |
| The other pre trip basics that I would suggest you | | | | Do not let any of this information deter you from |
| tick off before you depart are the vaccinations and | | | | visiting this part of the world. You will love it and |
| preventative medications. Here are the vaccinations I | | | | hanker to return! |