March 9, 2012

Mosquito Bite Prevention 101: How to avoid getting eaten alive on your next trip

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Tips, Travel, Travel Adventures, Adventure

How to prevent mosquito bites when travelling

Nothing can ruin a vacation more than huge, itchy welts all over your body.

I learned the hard way that I react differently to mosquito bites outside of North America when I woke up one morning in Thailand and my eye was swollen shut.

A mosquito had spent the night sucking the blood out of my cheek while I was sleeping.

After the initial shock, of not being able to see out of my left eye wore off, I realized that the entire left side of my body was also itchy and looked down to find even more bites that were quickly swelling to epic proportions.

To make the situation even worse, my travel buddy, who had been sleeping next to me all night, was completely bite free.

From that moment on, I decided that mosquito spray was going to have to be my best friend.

Pack mosquito spray (a lot of it)

I know that they are better for the environment and your health, but in my experience, the all-natural or organic bug sprays do not work on the swarms of mosquitos that come from humid, hot climates.

If you react like I do to foreign mosquitos, stick to sprays that contain DEET. I know, I know, it’s a chemical that can cause side effects if you are exposed to it over the long term, but it’s either that or get eaten alive and potentially contract a fatal disease from one of your swollen bites. In other words, pick your poison.

The strategy I use is to wear a milder spray (like one of the nicely scented, child-friendly ones) during the day, and then switch to a more intense, deep-woods style spray at night. The heat of the day tends to keep most mosquitos in hiding (though they will still find you when you head to the shade), but they come out in full force once the sun goes down.

So, other than itchy bites, what are you trying to avoid by using all this bug spray?

There are a few serious diseases that you can get from mosquitos when traveling in tropical and sub-tropical environments:

Malaria: there is no cure or shot for this guy, but you can take pills to prevent it
Dengue Fever: no cure, no shot, no pills
Japanese Encephalitis: there is a vaccination for this one and if you are going somewhere where it is present, get it. This nasty disease can lead to brain damage and death.
Yellow Fever: vaccine available and some countries won’t even let you in unless you've had it
Zika: no vaccine and the long-term side effects are still being investigated

Don't forget your mosquito net!

Other than wearing mosquito spray (I wore it 24 hours a day when in Southeast Asia), I suggest carrying a mosquito net with you. Many hotels will already have them installed in your room, but it’s better not to risk it. Nets are light, don’t take up much room and are easy to set up. Bring some duct tape and a screw in hook as options to hang it up yourself.

Pack your own coils and candles

If you are planning on sitting out on decks or balconies at night, it’s also worth packing some mosquito coils or small citronella candles to burn to help keep the bugs at bay.

Antihistamines are your friends

If you do end up getting bitten, an antihistamine will help with the swelling and itching. When I was in Thailand, one of the pharmacists there gave me Tiger Balm to put on the bites which cooled them off and took away some of the irritation as well.

Try taking vitamin B12

Mosquitos find people using their strong sense of smell, and it has been speculated that eating bananas or taking vitamin B12 will make your blood smell bad and keep them away. There is no scientific evidence to support this, BUT after I started taking B12 daily (this was recommended to me by a Chinese herbalist), any bites that I got didn’t swell or itch.

Know where risk zones are and where help is available

Lastly, check with your local Traveler’s Health Clinic for updates on risk zones, and know where international clinics are located in the countries that you are headed to so you can find help quickly if you need it.

The CDC has great information about prevention, diseases, and where mosquitos carrying different viruses are located.

Buying Contraception While Travelling: Don't Get Caught With (the locals thinking you always have) Your Pants Down

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Tips, Travel

Tips for buying birth control while travelling

Having lived most of my life in a country where contraception and sexuality are not taboo topics, I forget sometimes that not all cultures are as comfortable with the subjects.

I came face-to-face with this reality when I ran out of birth control pills while working in South Korea as an English Teacher.

Not familiar with the healthcare system in the country, I approached my friend Kim — a fellow teacher — who had found herself in a similar predicament only a few months earlier. She told me that after doing her own research online, she had learned that prescriptions were not needed to get the pill in South Korea, and so she had just gone to her local pharmacy.

Other than a brief look of disapproval from the pharmacist when she requested it, the whole interaction seemed to go seamlessly — or so she thought.

The next morning, she walked into work and found the place in an uproar.

Her principal pulled her into his office and told her that a mother of one of her students had seen her at the pharmacy the night before. The mother had taken Kim’s "purchase" as a sign of promiscuity, and had stormed into the school earlier that morning and pulled her child out of class, threatening to get other mothers to do the same.

Kim sat there in disbelief as it was explained to her that birth control was not something that modest women in South Korea used and that, though he didn’t judge her, it would be better if she were more discreet when purchasing that "particular item".

Her advice to me was that I avoid buying contraception anywhere near where I worked, unless of course I wanted to be permanently labeled as a sex addict like she had been.

It isn’t just in South Korea where a stigma surrounding contraception exists however, and it isn’t just around the pill. In most places, condoms are no easier to come by.

My advice?

Plan ahead as much as possible, be sensitive to the culture that you are travelling in, and know where International clinics are located in the countries you are planning to visit.

Lastly, be discreet, you will stand out enough just being a foreigner and you don’t want to risk getting caught with (the locals thinking you always have) your pants down!

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February 25, 2012

Travel Tips: Your Guide to Bringing Buddha Statues Home From Thailand

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Tips, Travel, Adventure

The streets of Thailand are full of antique Buddha heads, newly-cast statues, painted canvases, and tiny tokens all featuring a depiction of the Buddha. They spill out of storefronts, are lined up in marketplaces and can be found for the equivalent of pennies all over the country.

Though Buddhas are easy to find, what most travelers don’t know is that it is difficult — and sometimes even illegal — to take them out of the country.

According to the Thai Customs Department, no antiques or objects of art depicting an image of the Buddha (including even newly cast Buddha images for religious or cultural purposes) can be removed from the country without obtaining an export license.

Bringing Buddha statues home from Thailand

Here's what you need to know:

There are licensed vendors that can provide you with the documentation you need to bring your Buddha purchase home legally.
You can't export more than five statues or images of the Buddha at a time.
You cannot export parts of the Buddha, like hands or feet — this is to prevent looting.
If the Buddha image or statue is more than 12 cm you must get permission from the Department of Fine Arts, a department in the Ministry of Culture.
To get documentation from the Department of Fine Arts, your application must include a photocopy of your passport and two front-view photos of the object. The department quotes 3-5 days for the process to be completed, but I would allow at least a week.

If you decide to risk it and get caught with a Buddha at the airport, you will lose it and most likely getting slapped with a hefty fine.

How To Eat Like A Local On Your Next Trip

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Tips, Travel, Travel Adventures

What you eat when you travel can often make or break your trip. If you make a wrong food choice, you risk missing out on the authentic version of a cultural delicacy, spending too much money, or (worst of all) becoming deathly ill.

What's the best way to experience all the culinary delights that a culture has to offer?

Eat like a local!

Don’t Be Afraid of Street Food!

Some of the most mouth-watering flavours that I’ve tasted have come from food purchased from street vendors.

They key is to pick the right vendor.

Pay attention to where locals seem to be lining up, and I will guarantee that the food will be safe and fresh. Steer clear of the stalls that don’t seem to get much traffic, the food there may have been sitting out for too long.

Eating this way is also cheap and fast, which means it won’t cut into your touring time or your budget.

If The Menu is In English, Walk Away

If you are in a country where English is not the first language, a translated menu usually means that you are about to encounter inflated prices and generic food. Stay away.

Shop For Food At A Local Market or Grocery Store

Load a bag full of local delicacies, for a fraction of the price you would pay in a restaurant, and then find a park to people watch in while you eat!

When In Doubt, Ask A Local

Ask the people that work at your hostel or hotel where they like to eat. Instead of giving you tourist friendly options, they will usually direct you somewhere more authentic.

Learn How To Haggle, Barter & Bargain Like a Pro

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Tips, Adventure, Travel

In many countries, items sold by street vendors, in markets, or in small shops do not have set prices and customers are expected to bargain for their purchases.

Aggressive bartering can seem intimidating or even pointless to travelers, especially when what you are negotiating is often the equivalent of pennies in your native currency. Regardless, this cultural interaction is one that is unavoidable, and if you do it right, can be a lot of fun and will earn you respect from the locals.

Be Prepared

The first step to becoming an expert haggler is to arrive at the market prepared. Have an idea of what things are worth in the country that you are visiting (guide books can help you out with this) and create a cheat sheet with numbers written out in the local language so that you can understand what is being said to you. I also recommend carrying a notepad and pen with you so that if the language barrier is too much, you can write your offers down to show the vendors — numbers are a universal language!

Know Your Budget

Before you even set foot near a market, it is very important to have a set budget in mind. Once you get the hang of it, bartering can be quite a high, and it is easy to get caught up in the chaos and spend more than you intended to — usually on things that you don’t need or don’t have room to carry home (trust me, I've been there).

Don’t Start Buying Right Away

Walk around and check out as many vendors as you can in order to get an idea of what you want and what sort of prices things start at. Items will not be tagged so you will have to ask for the price, but do not start bargaining unless you are serious about buying right then and there.

Don't Make The First Move

When you are ready to make a purchase, always let the vendor make the first offer and expect it to be anywhere from double to ten times the price that you should end up paying for it. At this point you can ask if that is really the ‘best price’, which will usually result in a significant drop from the original.

Now, it is your turn to make an offer.

Never start with the price that you actually want to pay but give one significantly lower, this is not an insult; it is all part of the game. Expect whatever offer you make to result in an overly exaggerated reaction from the vendor who will act like you have literally ripped food out of his children’s hands. Wait for the fake crying to stop, and you will get a counter offer. Negotiations will continue like this until a price is agreed upon.

Bartering can be a lot of fun, and to keep it that way, ensure that you stay relaxed, friendly, smile a lot and joke around with the vendor. If they like you and you show that you are playing the game, there is a better change of getting the end price that you want.

Don't Be Afraid To Walk Away

If you find your negotiations are at a standstill, don’t be afraid to walk away. This will often lead to the vendor chasing after you agreeing to your price, but if it doesn’t, hold strong and keep on going. The item you want will probably be around the corner at another stall anyway, and you can always try again.

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February 6, 2012

Reads For The Road: "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?" by Thomas Kohnstamm

by Lindsay Shapka in Book List, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Tips, Adventure

Have you have ever toyed with the idea of being a travel writer? Are you currently a travel writer? Have you ever treated a guidebook like it was the Bible?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, this book was written for you.

“The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight. We end up having sex in a chair and then on one of the tables in the back corner. I pen a note in my Moleskine that I will later recount in the guidebook review, saying that the restaurant ‘is a pleasant surprise…and the table service is friendly.’”

— Thomas Kohnstamm, from his book Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?

In the hilarious Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? Thomas Kohnstamm, a professional travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, gives an honest, no holds barred account of what life as a writing traveler really looks like.

After leaving behind a stable, well-paying (but unadventurous) job, and his girlfriend, Kohnstamm jumps on a plane headed to Brazil where in less than two months, he is expected to experience all that the country has to offer and document it for future visitors.

With a budget that works out to be less than minimum wage and an impossible deadline, Kohnstamm must research all forms of transportation, restaurants, hotels, culture, customs, and language while trying to fit in sleep and scandalous nightlife involving excessive amounts of alcohol.

With time against him, he makes no effort to hide the fact that he will be forced to write reviews for places that he will never actually visit.

By the end of the book, Kohnstamm’s misadventures make it clear that it takes a special breed of person to endure all that comes with being a travel writer.

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February 2, 2012

Travel Tale: Getting Traditional Ink In Thailand

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel Adventures, Travel

Our room was hot, too hot.

The ‘great deal’ we had gotten on our beach hut because it was devoid of air con, fans, or working windows didn’t seem so great anymore.

I opened my eyes to doscover that the world was spinning, my mouth was dry, and my hepatitis free store bought water was on the other side of the room. A bead of sweat ran down my back as I lifted my head and wiped, what felt like half the beach, off the side of my face. The rest of it had somehow made it onto the floor beside my bed.

As my body slowly began to wake up, I realized that the bottom of my right foot felt tight, like I had a piece of tape or something stuck to it. I slowly twisted my leg to take a look, and I found myself staring at a black lotus flower... a permanent black lotus flower.

I was suddenly VERY awake. There was a tattoo on the bottom of my foot.

How drunk was I last night?

Feeling panicked, and ignoring the growing pounding in my head, I jumped up, ran past my water to the bathroom, stripped down and took a quick survey of the rest of my body to make sure there were no other inked surprises. After a few quick spins in front of the mirror, I could confirm that, thankfully, my drunken self had kept the bamboo body art isolated to the foot area. Leaning against the sink, I couldn’t help but smile, I had a feeling that something like this would happen when I made plans to spend a month in Thailand. I knew that the tribal lure of the bamboo ink was going to be too much for me to ignore.

Bamboo tattooing is an ancient technique that is thought to have originated in South East Asia, during the Khmer period, almost 3000 years ago. In Thailand, Buddhist monks first started using these tattoos to ink religious texts on their bodies as a type of protection spell. Today, tattooing is not part of mainstream Thai culture and is still reserved primarily for monks, soldiers and criminals who believe the skin-art will protect them with strength and invisibility.

“The skin is punctured, not torn, so there is no blood that rises to the surface and no scabbing occurs.”

Because of this, and because of how much easier it is to learn to tattoo with a machine, the practice is, sadly, starting to die out. The technique, requiring excellent hand-eye coordination and a lot of patience, involves a small needle attached to the end of a stick of bamboo that is tapped into the skin. The skin is punctured, not torn, so there is no blood that rises to the surface and no scabbing occurs. The lack of blood means that the dye is not pushed out and, if you are using color, will stay vibrant and last longer than tattoos created with a gun. The healing time for these types of tattoos, depending on the size, can take a few days or, in my case, be almost instantaneous. (I am pretty sure that I was barefoot in the sand, doing shots, the minute after mine was completed). I had been warned that this technique was MUCH more painful than tattoos done with a gun, but (luckily?) I must have been way too drunk to feel anything because all I could remember was a slight tickle.

Having used all my morning energy in the panic of potentially finding a Buddha head on my shoulder or a palm tree on my butt, it was all I could do to drag myself out of the bathroom and back to my bed.

My travel buddy groaned in the bed next to me just as I collapsed onto the mattress. She lifted her head, looked at me disoriented and mid stretch asked me to see if she had something stuck to the bottom of her foot.

I turned to take a look, and there, looking back at me were three black, bamboo inked, stars. I laughed, told her that I liked her tattoo and watched as her eyes widened.

At least I wasn’t the only one who made questionable decisions while under the influence.