The things they don't tell you...

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Ok....so I'm stuck in my boring temp job counting the days until take off or, at least, the days until I finish here and I thought I'd get blogging....who says you have to wait until the travels begin? So, here I sit, pencil behind ear, glasses on the end of my nose, steaming cup coffee in front of me, intense and thoughtful expression on my face, ready to tell you the things that somehow, somewhy, no-one tells you when you say 'woodihoo I'm going travelling!'......

1.) You will need that many vaccinations that you consider running away with the circus where eager young children will beg their parents to take them to see 'The Amazing Human Pin Cushion!' And there are decisions to be made......do I simply go for the obligatory jabs the doctor gives? Hep A, Diptheria, Polio, Thypoid etc. Plus, of course, Yellow Fever 'cos some places require a certificate before they'll let you in. Or do I go all out? Am I likely to visit a Paddi field in Vietnam and get bitten more than once by a mosquito that has previously bitten a pig or a water bird? In which case I ought to get vaccinated against Jap B Encephalitis. Am I likely to have unprotected 'fun' with a man carrying Hep B, or shoot up using some-one elses needle? Blatently not (you can breathe out now Mum and Dad!) so in my naievity I thought...sod that! But...apparently a lot of places in Asia etc don't screen their bloods so what if I have an accident and need a transfusion? Then there's Rabies. Do you take the risk of having to fly somewhere Western if you so much as get scratched by one of the apparently many stray cats in Bangkok, have to have a blood transfusion and 5 jabs? Or do I get 3 jabs now and therefore have to only have a further 2 in any old clinic in the event of being bitten, scratched or ninja kicked by said stray cat? I decided to get Hep B and Rabies (the jabs, not the diseases) and forego the Jab B. I mean...what are the chances?.........

2.) All of the above will cost a fortune!

3.) Malaria tablets....the endless debate....to take or not to take that is the question. And once you decide that it's not worth the stress of having your peace and tranquility on that beautiful Thai beach destroyed by the nervous breakdown that will undoubtedly ensue if a you so much as spot a mosquito on the distant horizon....which to take? There's always someone ready to put you off your lunch with tales of the gut-wrenching reactions to Doxycyclinne but equally there's someone saying it's totally fine and actually, as an antibiotic, will keep the dreaded stomach bugs at bay. Doctors try to push Malarone on you in such a way that leaves you wondering if they're on commission and you endlessly way up the pros and cons, cons and pros until ultimately you have to just make a choice....for me it's Doxy.

4.) You will need 40% minimum deet mosquito spray, mosquito net, first aid kit, water purifying tablets, the kitchen sink etc etc etc etc etc and it all has to fit in a backpack

5.) Banks are eeeeevil and charge to take out your money abroad. All charge different amounts and have differing exchange rates. Check out moneysavingexpert.com ......

6.) Visas are damn expensive!

7.) You will be constantly torn between staying in to save much needed cash and going out in sheer desperation in case all your friends forget you ever existed when you're gone!

8.) Everything will be more expensive than you think it's going to be. What's the expression? 'I keep trying to make ends meet but someone keeps moving the ends'!

9.) It's all totally worth it and I haven't even left yet! :-)

x

p.s. I don't actually wear glasses

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