Just a test to make sure we can blog on our iPhones whilst offline 😉
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Orphans
WE ARE RAISING MONEY FOR ORPHANS
WordPress testing!
As a forerunner I’m having a quick test to see what posting via my iPhone is like! Apparently it supports pictures?
And videos..all taken on my iPhone 🙂
Second Rabies Vaccination
Just been to the Sussex Travel Clinic for my second rabies vaccination! Feeling a bit poop but it had to be done!
Apparently I need to go back in 2 more weeks for my 3rd and final rabies vaccination and my 2nd and final tick encephalitis vaccination!
This will have totaled £250 worth of vaccinations and 7 injections specifically for this trip!!
Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
Woohooo. The invincible VISA Machine have successfully conquered the Mongolian embassy, the Russian embassy and the Kazakhstan embassy and got my passport and VISAs back to me 48 hours before I fly out to Boston, USA!!! Those guys are fantastic and totally took all the hassle out of what could have been a very scary and lengthy process! Now I just hope the other 2 get their applications sorted else it will be a pretty lonely journey!!!
Tick Encephalitis And Rabies Vaccination Level 1
Tick Encephalitis Distribution
Rabies treatment is completely insane if you’re not vaccinated, usually requiring a blood transfer from someone that has previously been vaccinated, which if not screened properly carries a risk of Hep C and HIV, so it’s worth getting done. Tick Encephalitis is really easy to catch but not very fatal, however mucking around just isn’t worth it especially as not having vaccinations can often invalid medical / travel insurance!
Other Competitors – Team I C Gradual Progress
My friend just pointed me towards some other friends of his that are running the rally, Team I C Gradual Progress! 3 canoeists from Imperial College London, Ant, Rory and Rachel!
We wish the best of luck to them and hope to grab a pint with them at the finishing line!
One Does Not Simply Drive To Mongolia
I’ve just found the scrap piece of paper from 2 months ago with our proposed route on it! I’ll attach a photo of it later, in all it’s glory, for the sake of history, but here it is in all it’s glorious verbatim, typos include!
- Vienna
- Prague
- Budapest
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Bosnia
- Montenegro
- Albania
- Macedonia
- Bulgaria
- Turkey
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Kazakhstan
- Russia
- Mongolia
Our planned route has changed since then, I think we’re skipping Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, but hey, who knows what will happen on the day!!!
Doctors And Vaccinations
What a week! I made a doctors appointment for Wednesday to sort out all the exciting vaccinations required for the trip! In my left arm I had a Tetnus jab (not very painful) and in my right arm I had a MMR jab (very painful). Fortunately I’d already had Twinrix a while ago and my vaccinations against Hep A and Hep B are in date! All done on the NHS so thankfully free!
We’re entering Mongolia during the peak time for Tick Encephalitis which is a swelling of the brain and doesn’t sound good at all. We will be camping during this time as well so basically we’re at maximum risk of it! The NHS don’t do this vaccine (but recommend it) so I’ve got to nip off to a private clinic within the next week or so and pay up about £60!
A Rabies vaccine was considered, but apparently at the end of the day it just means if you get bitten or infected you have to have a few less shots, so not usually worth it!
The southern coast of Turkey is a high risk Malaria area but the north coast, near the Dead Sea, isn’t and is more likely to be the road we take, so no Malaria vaccination has been given either!
Also as part of the EU I’ve applied for a new European Health Insurance Card as mine expired in August when we might still be there. Even though I have private health care from work and the recommended travel insurance the EHIC will let me get state health care in any EU country for either free or a discount, and it’s free to apply for so a no brainer!!
And The First VISA Applications Are In The Post
Mongolian VISA
After a wet and wild trip to Boots, where far too many photo options were presented and 6 hours of application form filling in, Rus has finally posted his VISA applications off to The VISA Machine! Hopefully his passport will be back in hand by June 1st when he has a slight detour to the USA ..