Malaria, Doxycycline

There are a few types of antibiotics that are currently taken by those entering Malaria stricken areas of the world. One that I was told to stay away from was Larium, so I read up on it to find out as to why it has such a bad reputation.
This is what I found on a number of places on the web: “about 25 percent of those who take Larium do report side effects such as nausea, depression, vivid dreams and insomnia.” excerpt from here.

Well, my doc was stocked up with a different drug, Doxycycline.

from netdoctor, Written by Dr Charlie Easmon, specialist adviser in travel medicine:

(Doxycycline, eg Vibramycin) is considered to be as effective as mefloquine. It is taken daily, starting one to two days before travel and continuing for four weeks after leaving the malarious area.

People who take doxycycline should be aware that it may make their skin very sensitive to the sun and women may be more prone to thrush.

back to me:

another thing this drug does that my doc pointed out was that it’s used to fight acne in some cases. So if your looking for a shot at two birds with one drug, load up on sun block & call YOUR doc.

White Water Rafting

original web page

The complete African travel guide for your Overland Adventure

The ancient Egyptians were certainly not into white water rafting on the River Nile, but at the source of the Nile at Jinja, inhabitants have been floating down the Bujugali Falls for centuries. In the old days, it was fishermen in wooden canoes. Now it is thrill seekers in bright orange inflatable paddle rafts and streamlined kayaks.

Where the Nile spills out of Lake Victoria through the Owen Falls Dam – over which runs the Nairobi-Kampala road – it soon quickens pace and hits a 30-km stretch of world class white water rapids. Most are grade four to five, so you’re in for a turbulent time on a rafting trip.

Bujugali Falls is first up: a one km wall of raging white water, followed by a series of 12 challenging water obstacles, like the legendary ‘Overtime’ – a 4.5 metre waterfall – and ‘The Bad Place’ – supposedly the largest commercial rafting eddy in the world. The idea is to flip, have a washing machine cycle good time in a rapid, before being popped by your life jacket from the depths of the Nile into the frothy sun.

For the real adrenaline junky, get a closer perspective of the Nile on a river board. Surf ten kms of rapids attached to a boogie board. The Nile is also the only river in the world where you can raft under the light of a full moon. Thanks to its popularity, the rafting companies are now offering 5–day kayak courses.

But it’s not all about getting wet. It’s a beautiful stretch of river with abundant bird life and richly green forested banks. There is ample opportunity to drift leisurely in the calm pools between the rapids, and stop for lunch on one of the islands. But if you want to raft the Nile you need to go soon. The Ugandan government has every intention of constructing a hydroelectric dam at Bujugali Falls to provide power for the country. In a few years time the existing rapids will be flooded.

All I’m thinking is… when?

But I still don’t know where exactly along the river we’ll go… I do however, want to get an eye full of those falls they speak of.

Yellow Fever

Written by Dr Charlie Easmon, specialist adviser in travel medicine

What is yellow fever?

Yellow fever is a serious viral infection, transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical regions. It has both an urban cycle and a jungle cycle that relies on monkeys as carriers (’sylvatic cycle’).

In mild cases the symptoms are similar to influenza, but serious cases develop a high temperature and may have a series of after effects, such as internal bleeding, kidney failure and meningitis.

A classic feature of yellow fever is hepatitis, which is the reason for the yellow colouring of the skin (jaundice) and the name of the disease.

Yellow fever can cause sudden epidemics, with a mortality rate of almost 50 per cent. Although a safe, efficient vaccine has been available for the last 60 years, epidemics still occur, constituting a health risk in tropical regions.

The disease is covered by the International Quarantine Regulations, which are taken very seriously by authorities everywhere. Therefore, the vaccine has to be administered by a specially authorised doctor. [...]

Thanks netdoctor. Now, this is the grand burrito when it comes to vaccinations when entering Kenya. Others are officially ‘recommended’ but this is the one vaccination that will get you a seat on the next plane out of the country if your found to have not got vaccinated for. That fact ups the demand for the vaccine, thus to get stuck with the protective juices costs you ¥11,000 (roughly $130 Canadian), the price of the over-charging clinic I was forced to go to because mine didn’t have the vaccine. In fact, the restrictions are so strict that you need a certificate of the dosage with your doctor’s signature to cross the Kenyan border.

Well, as I’ve said before, I’m not good with needles. By the time I got into the chair, I had a slight fever of .4ºC. Yeah, I wasn’t joking. Now I know, for this drug at least, there are guidelines given to doctors for administering the vaccine people with fevers. The leeway given being .4ºC. Lucky, I say.

Various Beliefs

The Maasai’s old culture is a mystery to all, including themselves. Their history is so poorly recorded that even the current Maasai tribes who are famous for keeping their deep roots don’t exactly know just what they are keeping alive.

That being said, I believe that this quirk is what is keeping their culture so alive. The fact that there is no ‘guideline’ or set of cultural ‘rules’ as seen in the Bible or the Koran, full of restrictions that may be long outdated resulting in social, moral, and spiritual beliefs constantly clashing, there is an incredible amount of potential leeway as all decisions are left up to a man who’s decisions are respected by all. This means that if the world around them stirs uneasily, they are completely within their beliefs to alter a certain aspect of their past to better suit their modern position.

Keep in mind, I’m far from an expert on the subject, but that’s the way I see it. I find it comforting that some people in this world place living good lives with the nature around them over following out-dated writings that are so often proven wrong by those who contest them.

*the full breakdown of Maasai culture by the pros

Rafting the Nile

This trip just gets better every day… now we’re scheduled to head out to the African continent a week earlier – I’m guessing around he 7th, but the plane tickets are yet to be booked – to spend some time across the Ugandan border. There we’ll be hitting the currents of the Nile while we raft down the waters that inhabit some of the animals I’ve mentioned before: crocks, hippos, and hopefully much more! With assurances that trusted guides will  be leading us in the boats, I’m tempted to jump on a plane right now.

The fact that I get to expand the trip into two African countries is mind-blowing for me in itself, but the thought of white water rafting past a few of the most feared creatures in Africa is an adventure in itself. This will be the BEST ‘warm-up ‘ to a holiday I think I’ll ever experience, and I want to thank the Willoughby’s ten times over for the chance!

I’ve had a whole day to process all this but I’m still speechless

Video: Maasai tribe song&dance

This is the sort of thing I think we’ll be making… One major difference being my companion’s father spent his early life growing up with some of the Maasai that agreed to host us. Thus I expect to be going just a little bit further with it… after all, we are presenting it on the Great Wall ;D

more about “Video The Maasai Tribe – maasai, afri…“, posted with vodpod

tradition Jump: Maasai song&dance

The Maasai are known to be one of the few societies in the world that still practice their traditional ways, but outside influences are slowly overtaking the old ways and replacing them with new modern methods. Loita are among the remaining part of these Maasai that are still holding their culture without big outside influence. They have the odd shop throughout the Maasailand, but typically a Maasai tribe is self-sufficient and produce everything they need to carry out this traditional life.
Among the traditions that are kept by the Loita is a style of entertainment which consists of a pair of dancers, who’s vocals make up the music portion of the act. The dancing portion calls for the group of two singers to ‘…jump up high in pairs, [while] swinging, [and] pronking in a line.’
Just one of the things I hope to be able to see during my stay with the Maasai. I can only hope that the tribe we’ll be staying with is just as keen on maintaining the traditional ways of the land, and keen also to show off as much of their culture they can dish out… Yes, food included

*quote from kashu_parit’s tweet.

Blood suckers that fly

Honored by being placed atop of my ’scary creatures list’ are the flying vampires, mosquitoes. Geographically speaking, at lower altitudes mosquito populations are usually denser and as you gain in altitude the number of the little buggers flying around your head should steadily decrease. Having said that, my itinerary does include water activities… you know what that means? Low altitudes. And why not throw in the fact that these things breed in pools of water… argh.

the disease carriers themselves

Now, as to why they earned their spot on the list… Mosquitoes are known to carry all kinds of potentially unpleasant diseases such as a couple of the big ones: malaria and yellow fever.

By no means are they the only ‘creatures’ that carry diseases in Africa, but they are among the most populous. In other words, there’s just so many of the darn things. A more deadly concern, you could argue is a puff adder that could kill you in a short span of time, however your far from guaranteed for getting bit by one of those during a two week stay – keep in mind kashu_parit, a local to the area has gone his whole life without getting bit by any kind of snake – whereas I would call it a miracle if you got away without a mosquito bite after just a nights stay in the African wilderness.

Sanke Bite! …now what?

Imagine yourself walking through the Kenyan grasslands… the odd tree, but most all you can see of the vast expanse is the shrub-like growth of green that stretched to the horizon…
That’s when you feel the piercing force of a puff adder’s fangs sink into your calf… no, no, your leg not your dinner walking next to you.
Anyway, what then? Well, here’s the procedure:

First Aid

First Aid
Immobilise and reassure victim, who must lie down and be kept as quiet as possible. Apply pressure bandage immediately, see First-aid procedure; immobilise limb with a splint to reduce spread of venom. Loosen, but do not remove bandage if there is severe swelling. Take victim to hospital as soon as possible.

Well that’s all swell but what happens when you don’t have a partner when it happens? Well, you try to remember what to do and do it your self. Or else…

*Procedure info from: here

a Blackberry’s perfect!

Well, this is my first official post from my new Blackberry Bold. The only way to blog on the go, in my opinion, is with this device and it’s cool to boot!
That’s right, I’m excited and I just want to thank all those at Research In Motin (RIM) for all the support they have given me to this point. I could’t do it without them!