Thanks to all who left Joshua tips! I need to call my doctor's office today and talk about a few prescriptions, and toss some things in the Joshua pile! You guys are great!
Category 2: Mom & Dad
What I've thought of:
Packing a few clothing items in our carry ons, just in case
Wearing our passports & money in a secure location
Taking cameras in the carry ons
Light, cool clothing for Haiti
Are airplanes cool or warm?
Medicine for tummy troubles
Water bottles for the Culligan water
Snacks
Insect repellant
Sunblock
Tylenol/Ibuprofen
Garlic Pills? (our passport health person told us that we did NOT need to take malaria meds for our short trip and where we are going. I'm a bit leary, so Megan H. said something about garlic pills...any comments?)
What are plugins like in Haiti?
We're taking the IPOD. Would like to figure out a way to charge it. I may possibly be able to charge it on their computer at the guest house.
I believe our agency will supply us with an international cell phone while we are there, and we're supposed to purchase minutes once we get there.
So, I'm off to the AA website to see what the checking regulations are. Somehow need to take some diet Dr. Peppers....
Any more suggestions or needs that I'm missing?
6 comments:
Garlic pills have always helped me to not get bitten except for one time right after the barrage of hurricanes they had & the mosquitoes were everywhere.
I pack Pepsi Max in the plastic bottles in my carry on luggage :o)
I am so excited for you as the date draws closer!!!
From my personal experience, I always burn up in airplanes. They leave the doors open for boarding & then everyone files in - so between sitting close together, the outside heat,& the body heat, it takes a while for it to cool down. Also, I'm guessing you'll be a bit nervous? So, that will probably keep your body heat elevated too. I would dress light & maybe take a small jacket if you're concerned about getting cold. Happy flying for the first time! I love it :)
Yup, I've had good luck with garlic pills, too. Only needed mosquito spray on the trip when I did NOT take them. (Start taking them a week before you leave!) I've been four times and never once got a malaria shot. I was more scared of getting sick from the shot itself after seeing so other people have bad reactions. Of course, I got sick on every trip to Haiti anyway, but never from mosquitoes! :)
If you can get by with DP in your carryons that is the only way to go, but I'd check with AA first. I thought ALL carryon liquids had to fit in a quart-sized ziplock bag, but I could be wrong.
My advice would be to NOT try packing soda in your checked luggage. I have had several bags ripped, inspected & otherwise damaged on my flights to Haiti. I mean really damaged- as in cans of tuna busted open and leaking & double A batteries that were bent! BENT, I tell ya!
Just FYI you can buy soft drinks there, but I'm not sure they have any diet stuff... Maybe you could try those Crystal Light travel packets?
I usually like a light shawl or sweater on a plane, but I am a wimpy southerner who thinks anything below 75 degrees is cold. You can ask for a blanket on the plane, but they sometimes run out of them. Usually airplanes aren't particularly hot or cold, but the air is kinda stale.
OH, and DON'T be a doofus like I was and brush your teeth with the water from the faucet your first night there! What a mistake that was!
Hopped over from the Salzwedels. Traveling is such an exciting time. Our son came home in Jan 09 and our daughter is still in process.
They do have diet soda but usually it is more expensive. And only diet coke/pepsi no dr. pepper. Outlets are the same as US, Malaria meds only help to reduce the symptoms of malaria not prevent you from getting it which is worth knowing as that might affect your thoughts on the malaria meds. I am kind of doubting your US cell phone will work in Haiti, but I may be wrong on that. If it doesn't, you can purchase a cell phone for like $25 from a stand right before you exit the airport. Digicell brand, I believe. They speak English and will program it with prepaid minutes. We always have taken some RID lice cream to treat ourselves with before we came home as a guard against scabies which are skin lice. We also used it on our little boy when we were coming home. A magna doodle was a great travel toy for our little guy. He couldn't loose the parts and it could be erased and reused over and over again. We also always take a large water bottle so we can have a refillable container for drinking water. I really like to wear a long skirt when I fly. If it's hot, I can hike it up while I'm sitting but if I'm cold it covers my legs. I usually try to do layers on the top like a lightjacket or shrug and then a t shirt. I always take mini med kit like you have put together. You might want to incldue some band aids. Also, I would make sure to take some gallon size ziplock bags. They are great for holding poopy stinky diapers so you don't have to smell them all night/all day long. And great for putting dirty clothes in if you have a major poop accident in a public place.
Some US phones will work in other parts of the world. Your carrier should be able to tell you if yours is such a phone and enable international roaming for your account if available.
As said above, electrical outlets are the same in Haiti. Power in Haiti isn't 100% reliable, but the guest house has backup power. Plug-in power adapters for iPods aren't too expensive, and might be better than relying on the Guest House computer (which is tucked away in Dr. B's office).
Maybe consider taking Airborne before your flights? I did for my recent trip to Haiti – ended up feeling much better than when I flew a year earlier. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I'm sold in any case.
There's a small Western Union market not too far from the guest house where you should be able to buy soda. Let your driver know on your way into the guest house and it shouldn't be much of a side trip. Not sure if they stock diet Dr. Pepper on a regular basis. Hopefully there will be someone there who speaks English.
Each seat on the plane will have it's own little air valve above it. It doesn't help a lot, but it will give you some cool air once the plane gets up there.
Have fun on the plane – I hope you scored a window seat!
Amanda,
The plug-ins were the same as they are here and our cell phones did work. We had the phone from the agency but we had a plug that didn't fit the outlet. Also pack extremely light for your embassy appt. it is very crowded and it was hard to get around with baby and diaper bag.
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