Health
Precaution is the best guard...
Staying healthy on trips abroad has pretty much to do with your pre-travel preparations and with your way of conduct in the respective country. Although the possible health risks of a motorcycle-tour in Asia may seem awesome, the actual problems are usually not bigger than a stomach upset. The main sicknesses - Dysentery and Hepatitis A - affect the intestines. They can be prevented by medicines, vaccination and simply by careful selection of food and drinks. So far, the worst illness on our tours was diarrhoea...
Food
A proverb goes: "If you can´t peel it, boil it, cook it - forget it!" If you stick to that - that is, no already peeled fruits and only fresh, hot meals - you're pretty much on the safe side. Stay away from salads! There is always the question: ""What about the water they used to clean it with?"...
Water
To be on the safe side, stay clear of tap water. We are always carrying enough bottled mineral water on our tours. Even enough to rinse your mouth after brushing teeth.
Vaccination
Although there are no vaccinations mandatory for India, Nepal or China, some should be seriously considered.
Basic Immunisation: recommended for all tours!
All travellers, wherever they go, need to update their Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio!
Tetanus-Diphtheria, Polio, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid
Recommended in certain cases:
Rabies, Meningitis, Jap. Encephalitis.
Malaria-Danger: during the whole year, (especially during the rainy season); risk differs in the various regions.
Malaria precaution: Prevent bites! Prophylaxes according to medical advise.
Malarone, recommended as a Malaria Stand-by is (besides many other medicines) part of our Medical-Kit.
Altitude sickness
Altitude Sickness could be an issue (although so far none of us had serious problems) on our Himalayan-Tour in India and on our tour to Tibet.
Finally...
Consult your physician
- regarding your general physical condition,
- regarding recommended vaccinations,
- when putting together your travel medicine box.