Wait...What?..Rabies?

I'm in final preparations for a trip involving a safari in Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls adventures and South African cities of interest - its been almost a year in the planning and booking. Now with a few weeks before departure -it's time to start getting ready for departure. Don't worry, this post has nothing to do with packing (its been covered relentlessly in thousands of other blog entries) we are going to focus on travel medications.  Approximately 5 years ago, I went to Thailand.  I detailed in this blog about having to receive 8 inoculations and a variety of oral medications.  Some of those inoculations are still protecting me today and some need boosters.  A month ago...I went to my regular doctor to review what was needed for this trip. The list included yellow fever, malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, tetanus and RABIES!!  I also requested a prescription for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin.

Wait...did I just write rabies?  I pride myself on reading the fine print. After all, if I didn't read the fine print I'd hardly be able to travel the world for practically nothing, so how did I miss this? From my inoculation list I was still covered for yellow fever, all the hepatitis (A,B &C) and tetanus.  Typhoid was borderline so I chose to have it prescribed as an oral medication (I hate shots).  Malaria is also oral.  As for the rabies - I declined.  That involves a series of painful shots I just didn't want to endure.  I was also confused as to why it was needed.  Apparently, because of monkeys.

Monkeys are everywhere in Victory Falls and very bothersome.  If a monkey bites me I'm gonna wish I had those rabies shots!  If I do get bit then not only will I have to endure my worst nightmare (shots),  I'll have to have them administered in a third world country - more worry!!!  So after the initial oh how cute you look Mr. Monkey, I'll be over it and outta there real quick.  Advisories are posted not to have food in your bag or food scented items like lipgloss as they will attack your bag.  Don't think I haven't thought about an old hunters trick to disguise human scent; dousing oneself in deer urine (I found it in my dads hunting bag) to keep monkeys at bay.  Note to self: check if monkeys like deer meat first.