Let it begin!

As the hours count down and we scurry to pull things together; it’s interesting to reflect a bit on everything that has occurred to bring us 2 hours before our initial flight around the world. We are about to leave our home, all of our friends and family to explore unknown worlds, make new friends, eat strange/bizarre foods, and truly develop an appreciation of the world we live in.

Our trip started out as a mere dream to travel and experience the world we live in. I hope our stories and pictures inspire our readers to travel and explore the intricacies of the world. Our vision to backpack the world evolved from our initial idea to sail around the world (inspired by Out of Bounds and a couple beers). We love the ocean and the thought of waking up every morning to a sunrise over the horizon seemed absolutely amazing until Jenny quickly brought it to my attention that we would die!! Perhaps, later in life once we actually buy a sailboat and learn to sail…small little details that are required…we could sail across the oceans. :-P

We have been planning this trip off and on over the past three years; however, it wasn’t until this time last year that we actually decided to go for it. With the approval of a temporary leave of absence and some determination we were off. Although we had to change our lifestyle a bit to save money, it really wasn’t too bad. Sure, there were though times when all we wanted was a “Yee-roe” from our local Greek restaurant or to go on a movie binge and see all of the new releases, but all we had to do was think about this moment. All of the work that went into planning this trip is paying off right now as we pack our bags for our 6am flight.

This truly will be an exciting nine months! Our next post will be from Berlin, Germany where the story actually begins.

Moving Day!!!

Thanks to everyone that helped us move Saturday, don't know where all that stuff came from, we swear!!!

Nothing like trying to squeeze all of your possessions as a married couple into a 5' x 15' storage unit, but we did it with some high quality engineering education, years of tetris practice, and the screw it just through it over there technique.

For those who could not be there we have provided a picture for your viewing pleasure. And this wasn't everything either! We were the spitting image of the Clampetts driving down I-95, just needed grandma on her rocker.

Malaria

“Each year 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, and over one million people die, most of them young children in Africa south of the Sahara.” – CDC

(CDC Malaria Risk Map)

What is Malaria?

Malaria is the name of the disease transmitted by parasites living in only female Anopheles mosquito saliva. There are four identified protozoan parasites that can transmit the disease to humans, with a fifth parasite recently discovered in Borneo that originally effected monkeys. Once infected, the parasite travels to the liver where it hides and multiples. As time progresses the parasite circulates and burrows into the red blood cells where it continues to grow for weeks to months. Eventually the cell ruptures and reproduced parasites spread throughout the blood stream. The infected cells become sticky and adhere to the blood vessel walls, escaping death by spleen. It is difficult for you immune system to fight because the parasite hides in your liver and blood cells

History of Malaria:

Symptoms of malaria have been documented for 4,000 years.

Malaria is derived from old Italian word that translates to "Bad Air."

The first effective malaria treatment, Quinine, was originally used by the Quechua Indians of Peru in the form of cinchona tree bark to fight against fevers. It was later brought to Europe in the early 17th century as medication for the disease.

In WWII, approximately 60,000 US troops died in Africa and South Pacific because quinine was unavailable. The Axis powers had cut off the majority of Quinine supplying countries, like the Philippines.

The Center for Disease Control found its beginnings as the wartime Malaria Control agency. In 1951 malaria was eradicated from the US and the agency began a global campaign to eradicate the disease. It has been an ongoing process as mosquitoes build resistance to insecticides, parasites become resistant to drugs, and political issues prevent cooperation.

April 25 is World Malaria Day, which commemorates the date in 2000 when 44 African leaders committed to cutting malaria deaths in half by 2010.


Malaria Medication and Prevention:

There are several different medications you can take as a prophylaxis for malaria and you should talk to your physician or travel health agency like Passport Health to decide which one is best. There are several different factors to consider such as duration abroad, season, location of travel, and price. You can also check a countries malaria recommendations through the CDC.

We decided on Lariam (mefloquine) as it is advised for longer travels and you take it weekly instead of daily like Malarone or Doxycyline. Malarone was too pricey and Doxycycline can cause skin sensitivity to sunlight. As scuba divers we were initially concerned about taking Lariam since the side effects may mimic decompression illness, but after looking at our new route we found we wouldn't be taking it while diving. There is no proof of the drugs effects on SCUBA divers, but since it can potentially cause neurological side-effects it's better to play it safe if you will be diving.

For the low down on other popular anti-malaria tablets check with the CDC. It is recommended that you get your medication before you leave or in countries that properly regulate their pharmaceuticals. There has been an increase in fake anti-malaria pills in Southeast Asia and Africa.

A wise maxim states the best way to prevent malaia is to not get biten in the first place. So wear protective clothing, wear bug spray with DEET, and avoid being outside at dawn or dusk as this is when the Anopheles are out and about. There are several other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes like dengue, west nile, japanese encephalitis and yellow fever so don't rely solely on pills.


Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment:

So if your like me you WILL donate blood to mosquitoes and it's a good idea to know what the symptoms are. Symptoms can begin 7 - 14 days after infection and include fever, chills, headache, sweats, nausea/vomiting, body aches, and general malaise. These are pretty nonspecific and very similar to the cold and flu.

There are several anti-malarial drugs and several factors will determine how you will be treated. If caught early the disease can be effectively treated. If left untreated the disease can worsen to anemia, kidney failure, seizures, coma, and death. Currently there is no vaccine, as the parasite has a very complicated life cycle, but researchers are trying to get one in production.

Dolla, Dolla Bills Yo....and Sense!

Financial planning is always the unsexy part of planning, yet necessary for such a trip. Below we've listed some of the money tips we found along the way that will, fingers crossed, keep us in the green.






Pre-tripping:

Banking & Credit Cards:
It is best to find a high interest savings account, such as ING Direct or Citibank; however, these are harder to find these days. Our 5% interest rate last year dwindled to a mere 1.5%, which is still far better than the 0.25% at other banks. These accounts won't make you rich, but an extra $500 isn't something to neglect.

Another simple way to earn extra cash is to get a credit card with cash back rewards. American Express and Chase offer numerous cards that give 1% cash back on all purchases and up to 5% on gas and groceries.

Plane Tickets:
We found that the best time to search for cheap plane tickets was on Wednesday from midnight to 1 a.m. in the time zone of the airline's head quarters (strange I know, but hey it works). For example, its best to search American Airlines (based in Fort Worth, Texas (CST)) from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. for all of you east coasters. It's because airlines release their reserved, but unbooked, lower fare reservations during this time. The best website we found (as a starting point) was http://www.farecompare.com. This site combines a bunch of travel websites such as Orbtiz, Travelocity, etc. with other direct airlines such as Air Berlin and Jet Star. The only drawback to this site is that it doesn't support Multi-city flight searches. :-(

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are the cheapest days to fly, with Wednesday having the biggest discount. These days are the least expensive because business travelers/vacationers fly on the other days. If flying on holidays, it is generally cheaper to fly on that day as well.

Living cheap:
It wasn't easy, but definitely worth it. Every time we wanted to eat out we thought about the cooler things we could do with the money overseas. We started eating at home (with the rare occasional outing), renting from the $1 DVD box instead of going to the movies, keeping our heat and A/C to a minimum and not making purchases unless it was for the trip. Have to admit that the last couple weeks we did quite the opposite and it was well deserved.


While Abroad:

ATM CARDS:
"Find banks with low transaction fees abroad. I opened an account with Capital One because it didn't charge conversion fees for most foreign ATM withdrawals." -- Brook Silva-Braga, director, "A Map for Saturday," a travel documentaryexchange money at banks not airports

ATM fees could run you several hundred to a thousand dollars if you are not careful. Getting money abroad is a problem that can easily go overlooked until you are on the road. It is best to shop around at a few different banks such as Bank of America, Chase, CitiBank, and your local credit unions. The key charges you should look into are (1) what are the fixed rate transaction fees and (2) what is the currency conversion fee (usually a percentage of the transaction).


Discount Cards:
There are several discount cards out there for students, youths under 26, and everyone else that offer reduced rates on accommodation, transportation, and attraction admissions. We decided to get the ISE (International Student Exchange) youth card. It's $25 for a year and offers discounts all over the world. You can also get insurance, airline bankruptcy protection, and SIM/calling cards. We will definitely get our money's worth, but wouldn't recommend it for shorter trips.
Other cards we looked at were IYTC (International Youth Travel Card) and HI (Hosteling International).

Online Coupons:
We found several discounts for Avis, Budget, Hotels.com, and many more by searching travel coupons. We actually saved a lot of money by doing this, just make sure you know where the discount code comes from. For example, don't use a discount code only for Avis employess for you car rental!

We also found cheap car rentals in Europe by booking through the UK Avis website instead of the USA's.

Country Quirks and Scams

Its always a good idea to know a little about a country before you go. Soooo here are some interesting oddities and important details on some we will visit:

Zambia:

Recently some Americans have been charged with drug trafficking offenses, had their passports confiscated, and been jailed for carrying Benadryl and other OTC drugs with diphenhydramine. The Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission considers this drug a controlled substance. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine used to treat allergic reactions, that can produce sedative effects and if too much is taken can also cause hallucinations. Needless to say we will leave the Benadryl in Zimbabwe!

A scam that some have experienced in Zambia involves fake "fees" required by a Zambian official. It is recommended that the traveler ask for an official Government of Zambia receipt, which will often led to the fines disappearing.

Japan:

It is illegal to bring inhalers and allergy/sinus OTC medications that include stimulants like pseudoephedrine and codeine. Some of these drugs like Actifed, Sudafed, and Vicks inhalers can contain pseudoephedrine. Pseuoephedrine is a decongestant that can be broken down and mixed into methamphetamine. So if packing a decongestant look for one that contains phenylephrine instead of pseudoephedrine, like Sudafed PE.

Thailand:

Common sense would say don't buy cheap jewels from random sketchy taxi driver, but then again not everyone has sense. The Thai Authority of Thailand receives over 1,000 complaints a year from foreigners who have been "cheated" on gem purchases and lost a lot of money.

South Africa:

OR Tambo (Joburg) and Cape Town International airports has developed a "baggage pilferage problem." This occurrence is more commonly seen with smaller airlines or with travelers changing flights. It is recommended to use TSA locks and airport plastic wrapping when flying through either airport.

If driving a car in South Africa one should use caution at traffic lights, particularly at night in urban settings like Johannesburg. It is recommended to leave room between your car and the vehicle in front so you can maneuver around if a third car pulls in close behind you. This is a common way hijackers do jobs.
If you do not feel safe at a red traffic light, you may drive through it (illegally) after carefully checking for other vehicles with the right of way. If you receive a fine due to a traffic camera you can sometimes have it waived by writing a letter to the traffic department or court explaining that you crossed safely and on purpose, due to security reasons.

Cambodia:

On October 15th, 2008 gunfire was exchanged between the border of Cambodia and Thailand near Preah Vihear temple. Since this dispute has yet to be resolved, the U.S. Embassy recommends citizens to find a different route of travel.

India:

With the chaotic traffic patterns in India, it is a miracle that anyone makes it to their destination. With this being said, the U.S. Embassy states, "If a driver hits a pedestrian or cow, the vehicle and its occupants are at risk of being attacked by passersby. Such attacks pose significant risk of injury or death to the vehicle's occupants... It can thus be unsafe to remain at the scene of an accident and drivers may instead wish to seek out the nearest police station."

A scam preformed all over India, but most prominent around Dehli airport starts with your taxi driver stating he does not know where your destination is, that its full, or has been moved. The driver continues to offer another place or travel agent who can help. It is recommended to use the government-run "prepaid taxis" as the prices are set and the drivers are licensed. If taking a "pre-paid" taxi hold onto your travel voucher until you arrive at your destination, as they require this voucher for payment with their office.


Here are the 10 most popular scams from around the world.