Great Lakes - Eastern USA - page 1245

Giardiasis Intestinal infection. Avoid drinking directly from lakes, ponds, streams and
rivers.
Lyme Disease Occurs mostly in the Northeast. Transmitted by deer ticks in late spring
and summer. Perform a tick check after you've been outdoors.
West Nile Virus Mosquito-transmitted in late summer and early fall. Prevent by keeping
covered (wear long sleeves, long pants, hats, and shoes rather than sandals) and apply a
good insect repellent, preferably one containing DEET, to exposed skin and clothing.
Environmental Hazards
Cold exposure This can be a problem, especially in the northern regions. Keep all body
surfaces covered, including the head and neck. Watch out for the 'Umbles' - stumbles,
mumbles, fumbles and grumbles - which are signs of impending hypothermia.
Heat exhaustion Dehydration is the main contributor. Symptoms include feeling weak,
headache, nausea and sweaty skin. Lay the victim flat with their legs raised, apply cool,
wet cloths to the skin, and rehydrate.
Insurance
It's expensive to get sick, crash a car or have things stolen from you in the US. Make sure
to have adequate coverage before arriving. To insure yourself for items that may be stolen
from your car, consult your homeowner's (or renter's) insurance policy or consider invest-
ing in travel insurance.
Worldwide travel insurance is available at the Insurance section of the Lonely Planet
( lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance ) website. You can buy, extend and claim online at any
time - even if you're already on the road.
Internet Access
» Travelers will have few problems staying connected in the tech-savvy USA. This guide
uses an internet icon ( ) when a place has a net-connected computer for public use and
the wi-fi icon ( ) when it offers wireless internet access, whether free or fee-based.
» Big cities have a few internet cafes but in smaller towns, you may have to head to the
public library or a copy center to get online if you're not packing a laptop or other web-ac-
cessible device. Most libraries have public terminals (though they have time limits) and wi-
fi.
» Wi-fi is widely available. Most lodgings have it (in room, with decent speed), as do many
restaurants, bars and coffee shops (such as Starbucks). Some towns even have wi-fi-con-
nected parks and plazas.