Saturday, February 14, 2015

Preparing for Bali

When I first started travelling overseas, way back when, it was mandatory to have shots eg. smallpox, cholera, typhoid etc.
It was necessary to carry a 'little yellow book' to prove to border authorities in certain countries your shots were up to date.
But as world health improved this practice became pretty much obsolete except for a few cases eg. yellow fever.
But it was always suggested that when visiting off the beaten path places in developing countries it was best to be protected.
I visited Asian countries a lot for many decades but as it was mostly their capital cities I didn't bother much about keeping shots up to date.
Plus I really HATE needles.















We are travelling to Bali in June for the daughter's wedding.
She is well versed at what goes down there and insisted (in cohorts with the co driver) I get the necessary suggested shots.
Reading the travel advice is enough to put you off getting on the plane but nearly one million Australian tourists visit Bali every year, the vast majority without too much trauma.
So I am in the process of getting tetanus, hepatitis A and B and typhoid vaccines. Seeing the tetanus shot comes in combo with whooping cough and diphtheria I am getting those two as a bonus.
Apparently there is an oral vaccine for cholera. Whoopee!
I know, working in a farm environment, I should have had a tetanus booster every 10 years but that just didn't happen.
I must admit that the process so far has been pretty much painless (if you don't look) and know I have been a wuss.
Now who mentioned malaria and dengue fever?

2 comments:

KrisR said...

"wuss" MAY be an understatement. Just sayin'.....

grapegrower said...

You may very well say that but I cannot comment apart from mentioning that the Bali fabric purchase budget has just been substantially cut.