No. Not tequila or vodka. The other kind.
In August I’m going to Tanzania. Today was my appointment at the travel clinic. I knew that I’d be getting at least two shots. Because I have traveled quite a bit, I’ve had lots of shots. Two years ago when I went to Peru, I had the same travel nurse.
When I got the shots and information about Peru, I swear that she was trying to scare me into not going. You could get this, and this and this… I’m sure she was just being thorough. Since she had seen me before, today she had a different tune. She had figured out that I was a seasoned traveler. I still got 86 pages worth of health information about my destination, but I didn’t get the scare tactics.
Right now, my left arm hurts more than my right. I got the vaccinations for meningitis and typhoid in my left arm and rabies in my right. The rabies thing is kind of new. It makes it so if you get bit, scratched (whatever), you have more time to make it to a large hospital. Plus, it’s questionable whether the facility will have the rabies vaccine and it is very expensive. The rabies vaccine comes in a series of three. I get the second dose next week, along with a polio booster. Two weeks after that, I get the 3rd round. I also got medication for malaria and a round of antibiotics (just in case).
I know that the time is coming soon for my next adventure. But this sure makes if feel like it’s really happening.
July 9, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Maybe you should have a tequila or vodka shot to deal with the pain.
Will you be in Africa when I’m in MN (8/8-8/20)?
July 9, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Yep. I leave before you come and get home after you leave. You’re missing the fair.
I’m dealing with it with a nice tempranillo.
July 10, 2009 at 7:33 pm
When does your school start?
What are you doing in Tanzania?
July 11, 2009 at 8:04 am
Workshop week doesn’t start until Aug 31st. Kids start the day after Labor Day.
The short version: The trip is to visit our companion parish in Irindi, medical facilities and schools in the Iringa area, Ruaha National Park safari and end in Zanzibar.
July 11, 2009 at 10:47 am
Sounds like you still get 12 weeks for summer vacation? Our kids will have been in school 3 weeks when yours return, however, we get 3 weeks at Christmas which may be the difference.
Our church does a number of mission trips throughout the year which sounds similar to what you are doing. Our next group leaves the last week of July for two weeks in Nigeria.