Medical

Checklist

The list and comments below refer to the 2003 trip. Even though I consider myself to be in good health and both Australia and New Zealand to be countries where serious illnesses caused by for example polluted water is not a problem it pays to be careful. We were out in the middle of nowhere for much of the time although sleeping was mostly done in small townships. A holiday ruined by blisters, bug bites and a bad stomach is no fun especially considering the distance travelled to get to Australia and NZ.

My medical kit:
Alvedon (Paracetamol)
Ipren (Ibuprofen -avoid taking this at altitude)
Imodium - excellent for stopping temporary diarrhea
Sting/bite/itch cream
Dr. Scholl Moleskin Plus or Band Aid Blister block
- to prevent blisters
As we will be a group of fishermen the following items can be shared within the group
Crepe Bandage
Plasters (Band-Aids)
Wound dressing
Non-fluffy burns dressing
Triangular bandage
All the above, needless to say, are kept in a waterproof bag, clearly marked as a first-aid kit.

Experiences:
No illnesses, no headaches, no cuts or accidents of any kind. Great. I didn’t even fall into a river this time. The worst thing that happened were sand fly bites. One thing in the kit but not mentioned was a small pair of scissors. Perfect for cutting finger nails and trimming my beard. Due to stringent airline regulations make sure that they are either kept in your checked baggage or have rounded points. On a subsequent trip to Tunisia I found that the Alvedon and Ipren were in great demand as I got a terrible cold with an abominable headache. Paper hankies were a must but they can be bought anywhere on NZ so nothing I would take with me.

Modifications 2005:
None.

Modifications 2006:
Same again.

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