Our first gap year travel included backpacking in Central and South America between 2009 and 2010. We had no clue how to prepare for long-term travel or what to pack for a gap year. Now, our travel style is geared towards vacations or working holidays. Preparing for the two is completely different as you can imagine, but what’s unexpected is how quickly we forget or struggle to pack light.

Packing for a Gap Year / RTW Trip

Aracely carrying her luggage on our RTW trip

Packing for a Vacation

Since Aracely and I have returned to the United States and settled in Miami, our trips and adventures have shortened.  We take vacations, preferably more adventurous ones, but they are still vacations, or holidays for those in Europe.  One might think, we take our big backpacks out of the garage and start packing them with as little as possible, just as we did for Latin America.  That’s not the case.  We grab our roller luggage, doing our best to avoid checking bags, but the selection of clothes we pack is much greater.

Enjoying a vacation in Napa Valley, California

I am sure there are still many people that pack light for all their vacations, but it’s difficult to stay so disciplined.  When you have the options of many different clothes and shoes sitting in your closet, we tend to grab them all.  It’s tough to think, “I won’t need that.”  It’s easier to think, “I might need that,” and therefore, you pack it.

Shopping for a Vacation

Do you go shopping before a vacation or holiday?  I think most of us do.  It’s habit.  We always feel like we need to purchase some new or more appropriate clothes for a destination.  Since, I am planning on visiting the Galapagos Islands and doing lots of snorkeling, I figured I needed a surfers shirt.  It’s a tight spandex shirt to protect me from the sun, while I am snorkeling.  I went and bought one.  We also wanted to get all biodegradable and natural cleaning products to use while on our Galapagos tour.  I imagine most of the water we use for showering and brushing our teeth on the islands ends up in the ocean, so we wanted to go green.  Add sun hats and sunglasses.  They are absolutely necessary for visiting the Galapagos right?  We needed to get us some of those.  A few hundred dollars later and we are prepared for our vacation.

New purchases for our Galapagos Vacation

This is quite the contrast if we had visited the Galapagos Islands during our backpacking journey in 2010.  We wouldn’t have purchased much, and if we needed something, it would have been a cheap local item that we could pass off to someone else when we were finished using it.  I do feel a bit guilty, knowing that I have succumb to the consumerism based economy of the USA, but hey, at least I am helping the economy, right?

We do remember the lessons learned during our gap year, and still make every effort to make positive decisions when traveling to foreign destinations.  Galapagos is a delicate environment, and we will do our best to keep it safe, while giving back to the local community.

2 Backpackers - Packing for Gap Year Travel vs Vacation 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Aracely turns the big 30 on March 12 and as usual with any milestone in her life, she wants to go travel, or at least create more adventure vacations memories.  We have a week to escape, and no plans at this point.

Aracely relaxing during her hike of Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

What type of travel?

It doesn’t seem like she has narrowed it down very well. Aracely wants a little bit of everything, which includes, urban city, the country, hiking, nature, culture, history and good food. In terms of cost, we are interested in mid-level accommodations. That means, not hostels or motels, but not 5-star luxury resorts. We have nothing against 5-star luxury resorts, as long as we can afford it.

Where to Travel?

Relaxing on a warm beach is nice, but so are the canyons in Utah. She has researched a stop-over in Vegas for the city life and then on to Hawaii for adventure, nature and relaxation. A luxury resort in Utah’s desert looks awesome, but a bit out of our price range. Australia seems to offer it all, beaches, city and the outback, but it’s a very expensive and long flight.

Also, take note, Aracely doesn’t like spending a lot of time traveling in a car or bus, which eliminates a road trip.

Give us your ideas!

So there you have it. An extremely vague list of wants for her 30th Birthday vacation. What ideas do you have for Aracely?

UPDATE: Aracely doesn’t like cold weather.

2 Backpackers - Aracely turns 30 – Where should she travel? 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Whether you have recently completed your A-Levels and feel its time to broaden your horizons with some inter-continental travel, or you are a more mature backpacker who has thrown off the shackles of your nine-to-five lifestyle to take a mid-life gap year – it always pays to be fully prepared for the journey you are about to undertake. Follow these travel planning top tips to ensure that you have all essentials covered before you even think about picking out the perfect swim suit or the most spacious backpack.

Medical Cover and Insurance

Filling in forms and being sensible is often the last thing that is likely to be on your mind before you set off on what is likely to be the most exciting and inspiring trip of a lifetime, but it is vital to make sure that you have covered all the bases when it comes to insurance and medical cover. Firstly ensure that you have the correct type of travel insurance, which can vary dependent on the location of your trip and what you are planning to do whilst you are there.

Medical travel insurance can ensure that your expenses are covered if you fall ill or injure yourself in a country that does not provide free medical treatment.

Travel Finances

Keeping a track on your money both before and during your trip is another essential that without proper planning can go very wrong – very quickly. Attempting to plan how much money you will need for an extended backpacking trip is difficult even for the seasoned traveller, so try to ensure that you have saved more than you think you will need.

When carrying money it is best to carry it either as traveller’s cheques or use a credit card, which if stolen means you will not be left penniless in a country hundreds of miles from home. Another top tip is to leave some money at home with a trusted friend or relative, who can then send you this money via international money transfer as and when you need it.

Immunisations

When planning your trip, make sure that you arrange to have the correct vaccinations that are necessary for each destination. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website is the best place to look for the specific vaccinations for individual countries. Immunisations and vaccinations are essential for the backpacker as there are many diseases that are not widespread in the UK, such as malaria, dengue fever and rabies that are far more common in other areas of the world – so do not be tempted to run the risk of not getting your jabs, as the outcome could be extremely painful and unfortunate.

Visas

Once you have picked out the countries you are intending to visit it is important to research what sort of visa you will need when visiting. These visa requirements may be significantly different depending on the country, so be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to arrange them before you leave, as you may need to visit the countries embassy here in the UK to apply. Overstaying the time allotted to you by your visa can be a very serious offence in some countries, so make sure you have fully understood the limitations and restrictions of your visa before travelling.

2 Backpackers - First Time Backpacker Essentials 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Scott and Christy, a couple of surfers from Ordinary Traveler share some finance travel tips.

We have been paying off student loans for a few years (or shall I say my other half has been paying off expensive loans from helicopter pilot school and college) and we have decided not to put off traveling until those loans are paid off. I know countless other people are in the same boat.

They want to travel, but feel it’s not possible because they are still paying off debt. I want to share how we plan to make this dream a reality without having to wait until we are old and gray.

Planning to travel for an extended period of time while being tied to a $500 or more per month loan payment can be scary, but I want everybody to know that it’s not impossible.

I’m not going to lie, it takes a little more planning and discipline than if you were to wait until you are debt free.

Saving Money is Top Priority

First things first. We made sure our savings accounts were extremely cushioned before we made the decision to set a date for our big adventure. Even though we are paying off debt, we made it a priority to also set aside a certain amount of money every month towards our savings goals.

Now, this is where the tough part comes in. Since we make modest incomes in San Diego (where it is also expensive to live), we have to limit the things we spend our money on. Basically we;

Live like we are poor, even though we are not.

We don’t go out to dinner, shows, or bar hopping all that often. We definitely let loose occasionally because you have to give yourself a break every once in a while, but for the most part we cook at home and try to stick to free or cheap forms of entertainment.

For some people this may seem difficult at first, but trust me, you get used to the lifestyle and after a while it feels really good not to blow your money on hefty booze tabs or $100 meals.

Stop Spending Money

Resisting the Urge to Buy

In addition to finding cheap entertainment, we also make it a point to avoid buying all the latest gadgets. Keeping up with the Joneses can eat up your money real quick.

We don’t replace items unless they are falling apart.

Scott’s car has over 200,000 miles and counting, but no car payments.  When we do have to make a purchase we usually buy used items.

Second Hand

You can save a lot of money by purchasing something that is a few months old. This is especially true for electronics and furniture. I once bought a brand new couch and TV that totaled about $5,000. When I needed to sell them less than a year later, I was only able to get about $700 for both! That was the first and last time I bought new furniture.  This gives you an idea of how we were able to save a good chunk of money.

Money Saving Tips

If you want more money saving ideas, we have written an entire post on this topic.

In order to feel comfortable quitting our jobs, we decided to have at least one years worth of loan payments set aside in addition to our traveling budget.

Remember, you also need to be disciplined enough not to dip into the money you have set aside for loan payments while traveling.

If possible, pay a little extra toward your loan while you still have a job. That way your due date will be extended and you can skip a payment or two while traveling, if necessary.

Limiting Monthly Expenses While Traveling

While you are on the road, subletting your apartment or renting out your home furnished will save on storage costs. We love our apartment because is a great deal for the area we live considering we are two blocks from the beach. Our apartment is in high demand and we don’t want to give up such a good place until we know we are ready to move away from San Diego for good.

If you don’t want to keep your place and you have a friend or relative who will store a few of your things, then you are way ahead of the game.

Since you already have loan payments to make, you will want to keep your other monthly expenses to a minimum while you are traveling and storage costs can get expensive.

Working While Traveling

If you find a city or town that you really enjoy while traveling, you may want to look into finding a little work and lay down some roots for a few months. It’s a lot cheaper to find a monthly rental and explore a place for a while than to constantly be on the go. This will also cut down on your transportation expenses.

You can stretch your budget a lot longer by practicing the art of slow travel.

There is also the possibility of finding online work while traveling. Think about what you are good at and if you could offer your services or consulting.

These are just a few examples of how to make traveling with debt a possibility. Most importantly, make sure you have enough money saved before you take off on your trip and don’t wait until all of your money is spent before you look for ways to replenish your savings.

Keep an open mind and remember that long-term travel is possible if you are willing to make sacrifices.

2 Backpackers - How to Travel Long-Term & Pay Off Debt 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Packing and Selling Stuff

Preparing to travel, regardless of travel style, can be a stressful task.  We weren’t able to sleep; awake until 3:00am thinking about all that remained to be done on our travel plan for our backpacking trip.

When you live in the United States, traveling to another country typically means you have a long trip overseas.  It means you have to research passport and visa requirements, book flights, and ensure things at home are taken care of.

Travel Plan

Don’t expect your travel plan to be perfect, it’s impossible for long term travel.  This is a journey that will be filled with the unknown; new cultures, language barriers and obscure villages.  For me, it is was about letting go of control.  “I am unable to prevent the inevitable stress we will experience.”  Being able to control yourself when in a situation that is out of your control is a skill you will attempt develop.

What is involved in preparing to backpack around the world?

That is the question we asked ourselves repeatedly, never really getting an answer.  The fear of not accomplishing everything before we departed kept us awake at night.  I would wake Aracely up and say, “I can’t sleep.  There is just so much trip planning left to do.  Look, our room appears as if we haven’t accomplished a thing.  All of our clothes are still in our closets and we haven’t sold any furniture yet.  We don’t even have plane tickets!”  It seems funny today, now that we have more experience planning for long term travel.

Backpacking Around the World To-Do List

1. Sell Your Stuff on Ebay
2. Create a Budget
3. Purchase Backpacking Gear
4. Purchase Camping / Hiking Gear if appropriate
5. Purchase Camera Equipment
6. Purchase iTouch
7. Create a Skype Account
8. Tell Your Families
9. Notify Employers
10. Check Passports
11. Notify Landlord / Sell or Rent House
12. Create a Twitter Account (cool travelers on there)
13. Create a Facebook Account (global address book)
14. Create a Couchsurfing Account
15. Are Going to Play Fantasy Leagues on the Road?
16. Create a Rough Itinerary
17. Check Visa Requirements for Each Country
18. Choose a Departure Date
19. Get Required Immunizations
20. Put Remaining Stuff in Storage (don’t store old photos in hot attic). Look for self storage units in your neighborhood; many are climate-controlled.
21. Purchase Travelers Insurance
22. Change Auto Insurance
23. Open Travel Friendly Checking Account
24. Open Travel Friendly Credit Card Account
25. Change Address or Set Up Mail Storage
26. Cancel Cell Phones or Consider Global Phone Plan
27. Practice Packing
28. Break in Boots or Shoes
29. Set Up First Aid Kit
30. Purchase Lonely Planet Guides (if needed)

• Travel Immunizations
• RTW Trip Budgeting for Central America
• Choosing the Right Backpack
• Leaving Our Home
• How We Paid for a Year of Travel
• Lack of a Travel Itinerary

Solitude in the woods

This is why preparing for our around the world trip became overwhelming.  It is a big travel plan with a lot of tasks to complete, especially while you are still working your normal job and trying to visit with friends and family on the weekends.  Most of the tasks revolve around long term travel.  You will notice that when you plan for a short vacation, most of the research surrounds where you will be traveling to, lodging and sight seeing.  This list has very few of those items.  This is the challenging, uncontrollable part of the journey.  It is the unknown.  You don’t exactly know where you will be staying week to week.  You won’t know many of the places you will be traveling to yet.  Plane tickets will be purchased as needed.  You will need to trust in the kindness of foreign peoples.   All these unknowns are what make long term travel so exciting, and at the same time overwhelming.

2 Backpackers - Preparing to Travel To-Do List 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Working at the Beach in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

Perhaps you are expecting me to reveal a secret formula or quick way to make money that gives you the means to travel round the world for a year.  I’m sorry, we do not have one.

You might also enjoy reading… Can Blogging Pay for My Travels?

It’s similar to asking a trainer or nutritionist what’s the best way to loose weight and their response is always, “eat healthy and exercise,” uh, what a bummer.  Who wants to do that!  We never want to do the work we just want to bask in the results.

Budget Travel Secrets

Now, I’m definitely not an expert on financial planning or round the world trip planning for that matter.  But, I am going to share with you the personal details of how Jason and I were able to pay for the $15,000 USD each for our year of travel in Latin America.  Unfortunately, my answer for how we saved money is probably worse than eating healthy and exercising.  It’s financial responsibility.  Gasp!

Aracely’s Financial History

Currency We Have Collected During Our Trip

I am from a single parent home and have worked since the age of 14.  My mother has never had the means to save much money and always lived from paycheck to paycheck.  That meant I had to work for what I wanted.  I rushed through college because I knew I had to hurry up and help my mother and younger brother financially.  I paid for it all with financial aid, scholarships, grants and working up to three jobs at one time.  Oh, and I never had any credit card debt, ever.

After college I was hired by Mercedes-Benz where I worked for a little less than 5 years.  With my salary, I paid for my own apartment, car, bills and helped my mother.  This meant I too lived paycheck to paycheck during that time.  Then in 2007, at the age of 25, I landed a job with a Fortune 500 Company.  The move gave me a much needed 50% salary increase.   When this happened, I did not purchase a new car or get a bigger apartment as most Americans have the habit of doing.  In fact, I reduced my spending by getting rid of my leased vehicle, since I  could now take The Path (NJ-NY public train system) to work everyday.  This enabled me to save a lot of money over 1.5 years.

5,000 Chilean Pesos

When we decided to travel for an entire year we began to run the numbers and calculated that we needed $15,000 USD each.  This does not include any of our gear expense.  In my case, I also had to make sure there was enough money to continue to help my mother during the time we were traveling.  That was an additional $6,000 dollars for the year.  Upon our return, I wanted to make sure that I had enough savings left to feel financially safe for emergencies.

Once I knew all of the above was feasible, from only 1.5 years of savings, I gave my boss my resignation notice.

Jason’s Financial History

1 Guatemalan Quetzal

This is probably the only time I will consider my age an advantage.  I had never planned on long term travel before, therefor I have never saved money for it.  But, I have been working since 1997 and was able to begin saving money after I paid off my debt in 2003.  My debt was the result of owning a high maintenance car and some small graduate school loans.  From 2003 to 2009 I had saved enough money for a down payment on a home, my highest priority at the time.  I own a vehicle that is paid off and have no existing debt.  It was the perfect time to move forward on a home considering the housing market had tanked.

5 Argentinan Pesos

Unexpectedly to both us, we suddenly made a decision to travel long term.  The good thing was, I had the money.  The bad thing was, I would be spending the down payment of a house.  We look back now with no regrets.  I don’t see us buying a house anytime soon, it would hinder our traveling significantly and eliminate many freedoms we have today.

I didn’t necessarily save or budget for this trip, I saved for the sake of saving.  I saved for a house, financial freedom, an active social life and fun vacations.  Saving includes eliminating credit card debt.  If you are saving money, but at the same time increasing your credit card debt or taking out loans for cars, you aren’t saving.  It’s a concept that the United States struggles with, including our government.  Debt takes away your freedoms.

I quite my job and am now traveling and running a travel blog on my many years of savings.

Travel Budget Review

10 Bolivian Bolivianos

We rationed our travel budget at $1,333 USD each per month for a total of $2,666, of which $1,000 was allocated towards adventure and the rest for day-to-day living expenses.  The actual expenses varied from month to month and country to country.  After 11 months of budget travel we had already exceeded the $30,000 mark  by $1,500 dollars.  At this point we had not purchased our tickets home and had one more month of backpacking expenses left.  We both agree that we could have stayed within our original budget if we didn’t have friends visiting from home.  That’s not to say we didn’t want our friends visiting.

When friends visit us, it’s a vacation for them.  They have 2 weeks to see and do as much as possible.  That usually means flying places and eating at fancy restaurants.  If we eliminate the flights and fancy restaurants we ate at during our friends’ visits we would have made our budget.  During our last month in Quito, Ecuador, we ate in all the time, saving money.  It wasn’t enough to break even, but it helped.

Travel Budget Advice

There you have it.  I’m sorry again for not being able to provide a secret formula.  The only secret is financial responsibility.  Even though we already had the money  saved before we decided to do long term travel, I think the same behaviors apply regardless of what you are saving for.  You must have discipline and patience.  These characteristics are important for more than just saving money.

2 Backpackers - How We Paid For A Year Of Travel 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

iXpenseIt iPhone Application

One of the most important concerns regarding long-term travel is finances.  There are many questions that bombard our minds, make us nervous, and lead us to shy away from the idea of traveling for longer than a week.

Can I afford it?  How much will it cost?  How long can I travel on a set amount? What will my financial situation be when I get back? And so on.  The answers to these questions can be different for everyone.

Creating a Travel Budget

All of us have a different approach to how we handle our finances.  Some of us balance our bank accounts on a weekly basis and others only once a year during tax season.  Likewise, all of us have a different approach to travel.  Each of us has a different level of comfort and specific needs. We also have varying tastes and tolerances of foods, and different interests in activities.  How much we spend during our travels depends largely on where we go, what activities we do and our choices of food and lodging.  Six months is Nicaragua will cost about three times less than six months in Brazil.  A nature walk or visiting a museum is four times cheaper than river rafting. Of course street food is the cheapest, tastiest (depending on who you ask) and least healthy meal on the road.

To help you get and idea of how much you will need during your travels, we have created a table to illustrate how much we spent daily during our travels in Central America.  Keep in mind these are expenses for two people.  If you’re a single traveler divide each number by two for your daily budget.

Budget Example for a Couple

Lodging Budget

Lodging (along with food) is where you will spend or save most of your money.  Jason and I usually opt for a private room since for two people it works out almost the same.  You can pay $9 per dorm bed each ($18) or $20 for a private room.  There were a couple of instances where we splurged a bit and stayed at a nicer place and we also spent a few nights in dorms.

Food Budget

It’s beneficial to stay at hostels with kitchens so you can cook your own meal or eat street food which is usually very cheap and offers you a closer glimpse of the culture.  Our daily food budget is calculated using the following formula: total dollars spent on food divided by the number of days in a country.

Transportation Budget

Traveling on local buses is the cheapest way to go.  See our post Touring Central America on Chicken Buses.

Adventure / Activities Budget

This category includes any activities we do while we travel.  Jason and I love outdoor adventures and trying new things.   These are calculated using a formula similar as food.

Laundry Expenses

Don’t forget to budget for laundry because the dollars do add up, When you’re on the road getting clean clothes is like Christmas. Make sure you treat yourself to a clean load of laundry occasionally; everyone else will appreciate it too.  These figures are based on the average cost for doing 1 load of laundry.  Rates are usually by kilo.

Personal Expenses

This includes all personal items like shampoo, toothpaste, soap, toilette paper, pain killers etc.  The dollar amount show is the average purchase amount to replenish our personal items.

Travel Credit Cards / Debit Cards

As we’ve all learned, credit cards are not created equal.  Do your research on which ones have the best rates.  Here is a list of what is in our wallet and why.

1. Debit Card: Charles Schwabb, they refund ATM fees
2. Foreign Currency Credit Card: CapitalOne, there is no penalty for exchange rates
3. US Dollar Credit Card: Citibank MasterCard, they provide points for both dollars spent and miles flown

Budgeting Tool / System

Make sure you have a system to keep track of your budget.  If you carry a computer, purchase budget financial software or use an MS Excel spreadsheet.  If not, have a notebook dedicated to your budget, graph paper notebooks work best for budgeting.  Our personal system is probably way too detailed for most backpackers.  We have a daily budget and record every single minuscule expense, even down to paying $ .25 for using the public bathrooms or buying a pack of gum.  We use the iXpenseIt application on our iTouch for financial tracking.  Make sure you use a system that works for you.

My general advice to you is to have a financial plan.  Then, make sure you stick to your plan.  And some words of wisdom, leave yourself a little wiggle room and most importantly always have an emergency reserve, you will need it and use it.

2 Backpackers - RTW Trip Budgeting for Central America 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

After we tell people that we are going to travel around the world the first question they usually ask is, “Where are you going?”  I struggled with this question in the beginning.  After stumbling for not having a definitive answer I would say, “Latin America and Southeast Asia.”  Well, that leads to additional questions for specifics from those that are truly interested.  We don’t have those specific answers, and initially I used the excuse that we were just beginning to travel plan.  But, with only 4 weeks until we left for our first long-term backpacking trip, I still had very little to add to my travel plan.

Make a List of Countries to Travel

It’s suggested that you first list all the countries you may consider visiting.  You will need that list to research the following:

• Country specific entrance and length of stay requirements

• Costs associated with each country (lodging and food, entrance and departure fees)

• Recommended immunizations/vaccinations and prescriptions

• Transportation options (flight, train or bus)

• Weather and environment (what to pack)

Depending on the type of person you are, you may choose to do a more detailed search relating to each country.

Round the World Flight?

Aracely and I did not purchase a round-the-world flight ticket, we did not have any reservations or tours booked, and we did not decide on the exact countries we had planned to visit.  This is how we choose to travel.  Honestly, it’s a challenge for me, but not so much for Aracely.  Part of this journey is learning to let go; live in a way that is completely different from the way we currently live our lives.

Before, we spent a significant time travel planning and organizing because we only had a weeks’ worth of vacation from our jobs.  And often those vacations are meant for rest and recuperation from your job.  When traveling long-term, you aren’t escaping the stress any longer.  Now, there is no need to crunch everything possible into a week, plan extensively or recuperate.  You can do what you want, when you want, on your own terms for as long as you want.  It’s exhilarating just to say those words.

Travel Budget

Central and South America and Southeast Asia were chosen because they are cheap and offer adventure.  If we visited Western Europe we would blow our budget and the length of our journey would have been shortened.  Instead we decided to travel on a budget for an extended period of time while passing on Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

Letting Go; Travel Freely

We wrote down places we wanted to visit and things we wanted to see, but not much more.  We created a spreadsheet with each country we may or may not planned to visit and what in that country we would want to see.  The lack of commitment allowed us to be flexible enough to spontaneously join other travelers for a trek or road trip.  The experience is more than just seeing new environments; it’s about meeting people from varying cultures and countries, it’s about full immersion, but most importantly, its about being free.

2 Backpackers - Lack of a Travel Plan 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.

Aracely receiving her vaccinations

After the decision to drop everything and go travel was made, we had to write The List.  It began as a high level to do list which has grown organically into a massively detailed inventory of what we need to take care of before leaving it all behind for the adventure of a lifetime.  If you ask me, the list is on steroids; it has grown exponentially.  One of the sections of said list (yes, it has sections), is medical related tasks.

In the medical section we list things such as: purchasing travel insurance, getting physical exams, dental checkup and my absolute favorite, immunizations—I hate needles.  I’m that girl, the one that not only turns away when getting blood drawn, but also closes her eyes, tightly.  Yeah, that’s me.

Anyway, both Jason and I made appointments with our general practitioners to get some questions answered about the medical risks of long term travel in foreign countries; they both recommended consulting a travel specialist.  Luckily, we found a great one locally in Hoboken; Dr. Messihi certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases.

During our first consultation with Dr. Messihi he interviewed us about where we were planning to visit and for how long.  We really didn’t (and still don’t) have a set itinerary but through us telling him the general regions we were planning to travel (Central & South American and Southeast Asia) he was able to suggest several immunizations.  This list was right for us, make sure you consult a doctor to find out what is right for you.

Yellow Fever

An acute viral disease transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes

Polio

An acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route

Tetanus

Infection generally occurs through wound contamination and often involves a cut or deep puncture wound

Typhoid Fever

Common worldwide, it is transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with feces from an infected person

Hepatitis A & B

A – An acute infectious disease of the liver, which is most commonly transmitted by the fecal-oral route via contaminated food or drinking water

B – Transmission results from exposure to infectious blood or body fluids containing blood

Japanese Encephalitis

A disease transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes.  Domestic pigs and wild birds are reservoirs of the virus

Adult Vaccination Center - Dr. Messihi

This list made me cringe.  Several hours after getting the shots (in both arms) the area started to become sore and mildly swell.  This is common and it may last for several days. The soreness made it difficult for me to lift my arms and I could barely wash my hair.

He also advised us to bring Malaria pills (prophylaxis) based on our intentions to spend some time in the jungle.  Apparently, there are different types of Malaria and therefore we need different types of prescriptions.  Dr. Messihi assigned some homework for us.  We were to visit the CDC website and look up each country we are considering visiting to identify what kind of Malaria prescriptions the doctor should prescribe us.  As noted in the comment section, the best medicine for Malaria is prevention.  Limit your skin’s exposure by covering up and use insect repellent that contains DEET.  No pill offers complete protection and all contain side effects.  Again, seek a physician for proper advice and always be aware of Malaria symptoms.  We are also bringing Cipro (Ciprofloxacin), in case for when, ahem, we get travelers’ diarrhea. Sound like over kill?  Maybe it is, but honestly, I’d rather be safe than sorry, even if it does mean I have to have tons of vaccinations and prescriptions.

A word of advice

Be sure to begin this process a couple months before your trip.  Some of the immunizations require second and third dosages weeks apart.  Also, be sure to shop around for prices and definitely take advantage of your health insurance, if you have one.  A few of the immunizations listed above were covered by our employer health insurance which can save you a couple hundred dollars.

2 Backpackers - Travel Immunizations 2 Backpackers - Travel around the world sharing budget travel tips, travel photos and adventure travel videos.