Travel Buzz

Well, it wasn't that bad. Apparently I am a well vaccinated individual, according to the Nurse at the Travel clinic. Thank goodness for that! All of the different vaccinations I have received for various trips over the years have prepared me well for my upcoming trip to the DR, apparently! The only actual vaccination I needed today (in the needle-stick form) was a tetanus booster. It was over before I knew it, and it was actually the Tdap version of the vaccine, which will protect any adorable little babies I come into contact with from Pertussis (whooping cough)...at least for 5 years. I did weasel my way into an oral version of the typhoid vaccine, which will last me 5 years instead of 2, so I'm pretty happy about that as well.

After my stop at the travel clinic, I headed to Target to fill my prescription for Cipro (helps with extreme traveller's diarrhea, I'm praying this is a 'just in case' prescription only) and Choroquine (preventative against malaria). I also indulged myself in my first Starbucks drink since...I honestly can't remember when. I used to habitually 'reward' myself with Starbucks for a variety of reasons, like getting up on a Monday...or making it to Friday through a hellish week. Or simply because I made it to Starbucks...you get the gist! This time, the reward was for getting a shot and not passing out. There's still hope for me yet!

I think it would be really interesting to werk in the travel industry some days. Sitting in the Travel Clinic, it struck me that there is an entire industry that caters to travelers. The nurse had steri-pens, $15 bottles of bug spray, and a whole line of 'just in case' travel products for sale on her desk. Thankfully, she didn't push any of them on me.

I just find it amazing the extreme lengths we can go to to prepare for a trip to a place where other people live, every, single, day. I wonder if they would find it amusing to know I have received four types of prescription medications and 2 over the counter meds, and a book about travel diseases,  just to spend seven fairly sheltered days in their country. I am thankful for the medical care I receive, and the insurance to cover it, but this is just for a seven day trip. How do the people who LIVE there protect themselves against their environment? Can they? I guess I'll find out.

Another reason I think it would be interesting to werk in the travel industry is that it's kind of exciting. People traveling to exotic places for a myriad of reasons would just be intriguing. But I am also the kind of person who LOVES the buzz of the airport. One time, the TSA agent at security actually told me to stop smiling because the airport is not a happy place and I was beginning to look suspicious. He was serious. It made me stop smiling, at least until I got past him.

However, the people at the Travel Clinic and the pharmacy were all fairly interested in my destination, my travel plans, and the purpose for the trip. It made a routine trip to the pharmacy a lot more personal, because there was actually something more interesting to talk about than side affects for sinus infection meds. Plus it gave me an excuse to share about the organization I werk for, and that is ALWAYS fun to do.

Next on the trip prep list: long skirt and comfy light weight pants. I hear Old Navy calling my name...