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How to make your trip to Bangkok a successful one

April 3, 2015 by Will Sowards 1 Comment

Bangkok Thailand Skyline

According to Skift, Bangkok is the second most popular global destination behind London. That means more travelers go to Bangkok than Paris, New York, Rome and Tokyo! Over 16 million people travel to Thailand each year, but this can be a difficult trip if you don’t plan in advance. Here are our 10 tips to make your Bangkok trip absolute success!

Don’t fear the food – Thailand is a hotbed for food tourism so don’t be afraid to get out there and try something new. Much Thai cuisine is available from food carts which can be fantastic but also poses a potential health hazard. The Centers for Disease control do not recommend eating street food, but, if you are going to be sure to take extra care; only eat from vendors that are busy with locals and serve food that you can tell is well cooked.

But, watch where you eat! – Not all locations in Thailand are food-friendly zones. The transportation system is a no-food and drink zone. This policy makes for a nice and clean trip but can impede snacking on the go. Be sure to finish whatever you are eating before using public transportation.

Water World – Water is something to be very concerned about in Thailand. You should not drink tap water and should avoid ice cubes as well. Your best bet is to only drink liquids that come from a bottle, like water and soda. Getting sick on your trip will ruin your fun fast, and going to the hospital could turn your trip into a nightmare.

Move like a local – The best ways to get around are the subway and skytrain. Clean, fast, and inexpensive, these modes of transport are by far the safest you’ll run across. That being said, taking a tuk-tuk is a once in a lifetime experience, but, be very careful, as scamming is common.

Beware the scams – You name it, and there is a scam for it. There are a lot of smooth talkers, fake police, fake curators; basically a scam for everything can be found in Thailand. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to do some pre-trip research so you know what is normal and isn’t. For example, the Grand Palace is almost always open. Don’t let some guy in a suit a few blocks away fool you.

Take organized tours – Organized tours can help avoid these types of problems. If you have a reputable guide and are going in a large group, it is going to be harder for you to get scammed. While pickpocketing and other issues can still be problems, being part of a group is one of the safest ways to stay safe and keep you money in your own hands.

Dress to impress – Though Thailand is hot and humid, it still has a fairly conservative culture in terms of dress, especially if you are going to the Grand Palace and Vinamek. Shorts are not allowed. Taking a sarong can help if you feel the need to wear shorts. You will need shoes and shirts with at least short sleeves. Long sleeve shirts must be rolled down. In the rest of the country modest shorts and sandals are generally okay.

Map it out – Planning out your trip with maps and a little bit of Google Earth research can be extremely helpful. Not only will you, hopefully, avoid scams, but this research will give you a good idea of how to navigate through Bangkok’s often confusing streets. Another good tip is to have your hotel write down its name for you, so you can show it to a taxi driver if needed. It is almost guaranteed that you will not be able to pronounce the name, but your taxi driver will know exactly where to go if you show him/her.

Don’t forget your ID – The Thai people can get pretty finicky about IDs. You may be 40, but that doesn’t mean anything to them. Take a photocopy of your passport with you, not the real thing. If you need the copy to prove your age, you have it, but this practice will help you keep your actual passport from being taken.

Don’t be afraid to haggle – This may well be the most fun tip on this list. We are all used to prices being fixed, but for taxies or tuk-tuks you can barter on the price. Just be sure to not pay until you are safely at your destination, and be sure to be kind. Becoming angry isn’t going to help your case, even if someone is trying to fool you. In a game of angry tourist versus Thai citizen, angry tourist always loses.

For any health questions regarding trips to Thailand, or anywhere in the world, feel free to contact Passport Health travel health specialists, and, remember, always travel safe!

Filed Under: General Posts

Doing Good Globally: MSF, The Doctors Who Did Away With Borders

March 30, 2015 by Will Sowards Leave a Comment

MSF Doctor's Day
Photo Courtesy of MSF

Today is National Doctor’s Day, and we would like to recognize those who have made a difference by bringing better health to communities all over the world. One particular group, Médecins Sans Frontières, has impacted the lives of millions throughout the globe and forever changed the face of international public health and humanitarian aid. A key tenet of the organization is that borders are political boundaries, and we must prioritize people’s health and rights above these boundaries.

MSF TimelineImage courtesy of MSF. Click here to view an interactive timeline of MSF’s work and history.

In 1968, a series of protests broke out all over the world in response to social conflicts, and many of these protests were rebellions against military and bureaucratic elites. The Parisian protests in May of that year were some of the most significant in history. Ten million workers and students took to the streets of Paris, France, in an effort to overthrow the government of General Charles de Gaulle. Amid these upheavals, a group of young doctors came together and decided to do something about the worldwide issues of war and famine. They sought out to recreate the concept of emergency aid.

They decided to travel around the world to find and help victims of war and disease. Not only would they reinvent the idea of emergency aid, but they also succeeded in creating a new brand of humanitarianism. This group would later become known as Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: General Posts

The Time is Now: Eradicating Poliovirus in Nigeria

March 23, 2015 by Will Sowards Leave a Comment

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January 24, 2015 marked six months since the last polio case had been reported in Nigeria. The country has been aggressively working toward eliminating polio, and has shown a 92 percent decrease between 2013 and 2014. Polio is a viral disease that if not vaccinated for, can lead to paralysis, difficulty breathing, and in certain cases, death. There are two types of polio that can be contracted from the poliovirus, these include: non-paralytic polio and paralytic polio. In the case of non-paralytic polio, flu-like symptoms are most commonly displayed for a period of around 10 days. Paralytic polio is rare, but can affect the spinal cord, brainstem, or both. Post-polio syndrome includes many disabling symptoms, which can occur at an average of 35 years after the initial poliovirus infection. As of 2015, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan were the only places in the world had not completely eliminated polio.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: General Posts

Is motion sickness genetic?

March 10, 2015 by Will Sowards 3 Comments

Whale Watchers
Whale watching is just one of many activities that can make travelers motion sick.

Motion sickness affects one in every three people. This means that chances are you or someone you know suffers from cold sweats, uneasiness, nausea, and vomiting whenever hitting the road or venturing out at sea. A recent study shows that it’s not just pure luck that determines whether you are going to sail on smoothly by, but rather that some people are genetically predisposed to motion sickness.

“Until now there’s been a poor understanding of the genetics of motion sickness, despite it being a fairly common condition…These findings could help provide clues about the causes of motion sickness and other related conditions, and how to treat them, which is very exciting.”
-Bethann Hromatka, scientist at 23andMe and lead author of the study

The first ever genome-wide study conducted on motion sickness estimates that up to 70 percent of variation in risk for motion sickness is due to genetics. The genetics company behind the study, 23andMe, has published numerous genome-wide association studies; however, this was the first of the company’s research to include association results across a broad set of phenotype, the observable physical characteristics of a person or other species.

Prior research on motion sickness had suggested that the feelings of illness could be hereditary, and the new study confirms this with its finding that several genes may be linked to the nausea associated with movement in a car or on a boat.  In fact, 35 genetic factors can now be tied to motion sickness.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: General Posts

PPH and Project C.U.R.E – What Will Your Journey Be?

March 9, 2015 by Will Sowards 1 Comment

Project CURE

Why do you travel?  Pleasure and business are common reasons to take a trip, but one, perhaps less familiar, type of travel has become increasingly popular.  Mission trips and other types of “PhilanthroTravel” are occurring with increasing frequency as people work to give back while they see the world.  Recently, Passport Health teamed up with Project CURE, the largest provider of donated medical supplies in the world, to deliver lifesaving supplies to a hospital in Panama.

In the videos below, you’ll see interviews and highlights of this trip to Panama that Passport Health was fortunate enough to help with.  During this mission to the Central American country, volunteers delivered a cargo container of medical supplies to a hospital in need to help the local people.

Remember, a key part of any travel to any region is keeping yourself safe and healthy before, during and after your trip.  Let Passport Health be a part of your journey; schedule an appointment at a Passport Health travel clinic before leaving on your trip so that we can help you stay healthy with proper vaccination, medications and health advice.  Taking care of your health is important so that you are best able to help others!

Just one question remains:  What will your journey be?

Filed Under: General Posts

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