Headspin Hospital Visit

Just been to hospital in Toulouse for my new Yellow Fever shot and have been warned by the doctor there ... she told me that the Chikungunya virus is now in Senegal and they are advising travellers to take all precautions against mosquitoes. The leaflet that they've given me says that I should keep an eye out for fever and make immediate contact with any description of medical help. Chikungunya virus info from Wikipedia.

I've not heard of it in W.Africa before, it was prevalent earlier this year in La Renunion ... it seemed to me in Toulouse that this was quite a new thing that they'd heard about. I've subsequently heard that 5 French tourists from Bordeaux arrived home from Senegal with it earlier this month!

Been given another Lariam prescription - it's never done anything to me but give me longer sleeping hours, so I'll be safe there; catch up on a few I've missed this year! However I was really sad to learn that the doctor I met had lost a member of her family (in Guinea) almost a year today to malaria, that's the second person I know (of) who's died this year from malaria without taking any type of precautions. An amazing Polish woman Kinga sadly also died on 9th June this year www. kingafreespirit.pl she has an amazing website of her trips.

Personally I feel that when you're off on trips like this you should be asked for a passport, ticket & malarial medication - we have to produce our Yellow Fever certificates crossing borders so why not malaria??

Learnt another 'old wives tale' today about keeping mosquitoes away - my neighbour was waiting for me and overheard two people talking about 'savon d'alep' which I found in a nearby pharmacy it also apparently acts as a shampoo; an ideal travelling soap bar!