Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It is important to get the best health advice before
you travel - prevention is always better than cure.
The Centre for Disease Control (see p.36) is worth
consulting on each of the countries you wish to visit.
About ten weeks before you travel, vaccinations
can be arranged with your doctor or a specialized
tropical diseases clinic. Bring your vaccination record
when you travel. If you are taking any prescription
drugs, your doctor can prescribe enough for the time
you are away, and you should also take a list with
you and a covering letter in case of emergencies.
Good medical insurance (see p.40) is essential.
It is important to declare any pre-existing conditions,
and also to ensure that you have su cient cover for
all the extra activities you may undertake (particularly
diving, extreme sports and hiking at high altitudes).
A common a iction is heat stroke , for which you
should seek immediate treatment. Avoid dehydration
by drinking bottled water and staying off alcohol,
and stay out of the sun at the heat of the day (midday
until around 4pm).
Pharmacies abound in every town but bringing
a basic first-aid kit is sensible. Essentials in remote
areas include insect repellent, bandages, painkillers,
anti-diarrhoeal tablets and antiseptic cream.
ACCOMMODATION
ALTERNATIVES
Useful websites that provide alternatives to
standard hotel and hostel accommodation:
Craigslist W craigslist.org
CouchSurfing W couchsurfing.org
Vacation Rentals by Owner W vrbo.com
Airbnb W airbnb.com
Youth hostels
Youth hostels are not always the most viable
option in South America, but in the more expensive
southern countries like Argentina and Chile, they are
a more attractive choice: competition means that
many have great facilities and offer extras, from free
internet to party nights. Prices average US$10-15 per
night and most are open all year, although some only
open in January and February for the South American
summer. If you are planning on using hostels exten-
sively, consider getting an o cial HI card , which will
quickly pay for itself in discounted rates.
HOSTELLING ORGANIZATIONS
Argentina Hostelling International Argentina/Red Argentina de
Alojamiento para Jóvenes (RAAJ) T 011 4511 8723, W hostels.org.ar.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay Che Lagarto
W chelagarto.com. Argentine chain that now also has hostels in
other countries.
Brazil Federação Brasileira dos Albergues de Juventude (FBAJ)
T 21 2531 1085, W hostel.org.br.
Chile Asociación Chilena de Albergues Turísticos Juveniles T 02 577
1200, W hostelling.cl.
Peru Asociación Peruana de Albergues Turísticos Juveniles, Av Casimiro
Ulloa 328, Miraflores, Lima T 01 446 5488, W limahostell.com.pe.
South America Hostelling International W hihostels.com.
Membership cards and worldwide hostel booking.
Bites and stings
The general advice is to use an insect repellent
containing at least 35 percent DEET, especially in rural
areas or where malaria is endemic, and to wear light
clothes that cover as much of your body as possible.
It is wise to use a mosquito net or a mosquito coil
containing permethrin at night, especially in the
cheaper hotels.
Venomous spiders and snakes exist throughout
the continent and bites from these, while rare, merit
seeking medical advice as soon as possible. Most
responsible tour companies carry antivenin, but in
the absence of this, prompt medical attention is the
only answer. A photo or description of the offending
species may be useful, but never attempt to catch or
kill it as this can provoke further bites, and don't listen
to so-called local knowledge involving tourniquets,
sucking venom or anything else - go to hospital.
If travelling to remote areas, consider a rabies
vaccination - this will not make you immune to
infection, but will buy you time to seek medical
treatment after exposure. The majority of reported
cases are from contact with dogs, and licks and
scratches can be as dangerous as being bitten. If
this happens, wash the area thoroughly with soap
and water and disinfect it with alcohol or iodine
solution. Always seek medical advice.
Health
The potential health risks in South
America read like a textbook of tropical
diseases and the possibilities could easily
deter nervous travellers before they even
set out. But if you prepare for your trip
carefully and take sensible precautions
while travelling, you will probably face
nothing worse than a mild case of “Monte-
zuma's revenge” (traveller's diarrhoea) as
your system gets used to foreign germs
and unhygienic conditions.
 
 
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