How to survive practicalities
Today it is more than one month when I was told I won a trip to Africa. I can clearly remember that few seconds of childish happiness which were replaced by giant worries. What to do now? I am not a great traveller and all my holidays I spend travelling across Europe by a car. My longest flight was business trip from Prague to Budapest or Milan. And I step out the plane absolutely exhausted and always said to myself that next time I need to have a drink before the journey :o)
Also the vaccination was a big issue for me as I got the last one as I was 3 years old kid. But suddenly again a child inside came back calling ‘you will see the real Africa in one month’. So I started to look forward. When I talked later to Adela who is going with me, I realized that all the people have the same worries and it is surely important part of the whole trip. So we start to make jokes, imagine what can happen to us and also started to learn Amhar language. At least ‘salam’ I can remember to say hello to my new African friends.
What made the journey at the beginning more adventure was the fact that we did not know the exact date of our flight and also the place we are going to. But of course we got this information in advance enough to start Google all the photos and information. At the very last moment I also found out that my passport is not valid any more but I manage it in time as well.
At the beginning of February I passed my first round of injections to prevent hepatitis and typhus. What a glorious future! I was so afraid that I will collapse directly at the doctor’s place as I hate injections! But everything went quite good. Doctor was really friendly lady who recommend me to have just hepatitis A and add to vaccination list also meningitis. At the end I was happy that antimalarica are not necessary as prophylaxis but just as cure. To avoid all the bad feelings I went directly to bed. It hurt a bit in the shoulders where the drug was injected but otherwise I felt just little bit tired. Two weeks later I got vaccination on yellow fever and meningitis.
Hopefuly this prevention will be enough to enjoy my stay in Africa.
