PRE-DEPARTURE/GEN.
INFO. Southeast Asia Island Adventure
Denver
Academy - Diverse Journeys
Preparing
for your visit to Southeast Asia:
Travelling
abroad can give you a new understanding of life; it can test you on many levels
and also reward you in many ways. In order to get the most from your
experience it always helps to be prepared both mentally and physically for the
journey. This booklet will give you many answers to the questions you
have and give you good tips for travelling safely and with good health.
You
will get the most out of your time here if you come with an open heart and an
open mind.
We
will do our best to ensure your time abroad goes smoothly and gives you lasting
memories that will sustain you for many years.
Vaccinations:
Being
vaccinated is a very personal decision. Some people prefer to be covered
for everything that might happen and others prefer not to have anything more
than is absolutely necessary.
I
strongly recommend you be covered for Tetanus. One injection should cover
you for 10 years. India is not as clean as we are used to and often we
need to remove our shoes in sacred places such as Temples, so we need to take
care in this area.
Hepatitis
A is carried through food and water and there is some risk to come into contact
with this. Vaccination involves 2 injections one month apart. This
would be a sensible vaccination to have before travelling anywhere in Asia.
Hepatitis
B is carried through blood so we are at very low risk of being in contact with
this. Injections are costly and are given over 6 months without any
guarantee of absolute protection. This would not be necessary to
have. Cholera vaccination is no longer totally effective.
Typhoid
vaccination comes in the form of tablets and is taken usually a week before
travelling. It can have very nasty side effects. It is very
unlikely you would come into contact with this on your travels.
Malaria
tablets. Malaria is only common in the depths of the more isolated areas
after the monsoon. Malaria tablets are very difficult for the body to process
and can have some very severe side effects. You will certainly see
mosquitoes and may well be bitten by them, but there is a very low risk of
catching any type of disease.
You
will be given lots of advice about vaccination by Doctors who get lots of
information from WHO about which diseases are present in a country. This
does not mean there is a high risk of catching it unless you spend long periods
of time in rural areas with very poor sanitation. This does not apply to
the places you will be travelling to.
Please
weigh up all the advice and make your own informed decision.
Travel Insurance:
Travel
insurance is included in the price.
All
our vehicles are properly licensed tourist vehicles with complete insurance
cover.
Useful Things to
Pack:
Most
hotels have an efficient and cheap in house laundry service so you don’t need
to bring many sets of clothing. 3 lightweight shirts, some people find
even tee shirts a bit warm. Long sleeves are useful to guard against mosquitoes
in the evenings and light colors assist in keeping them away. 2 or 3 pairs of
light weight trousers or skirts.
Ladies,
please bear in mind when choosing your trip clothing that India is a very
modest country and the women cover up. Please avoid low cut or sleeveless
tops, shorts and see through material. It is good to blend is as much as
possible with the locals and dressing appropriately helps us do that.
You
will be able to purchase Punjabi suits, which the local ladies wear, at various
places along the way. If you are visiting ashrams or temples you need to
cover your arms, at least short sleeves, and legs. Men also need to cover
their legs. A pair of socks can be useful for walking on hot floors.
A
jumper / cardigan or jacket for the cooler evening in the hills. When we travel
to Darmshala it will be chilly in the evenings: we need warm weather gear –
pullover and undergarments, a scarf, mittens, and maybe headgear.
If
your particular tour includes visiting a wildlife sanctuary then also keep in
mind that dark colors such as green, brown and black are the best to wear when
out walking looking for animals.
Comfortable
walking shoes for the wildlife sanctuary. Slips on sandals are useful for
the days when you visit temples where footwear is removed.
A
basic first aid kit. This often ends up being the heaviest thing in your
bag and people tend to be very over supplied. You need some antiseptic
cream or spray, mosquito repellent, pain killers and Band-Aids. You can
purchase most medical requirements easily over the counter.
“Wet
Ones” / moist towelettes are very handy for washing your hands before eating as
we come into contact with unfamiliar bacteria along the way. Ladies,
tampons are difficult to find in India (pads are common but tampons are not).
A
torch / flashlight and alarm clock.
An
inflatable pillow can be useful for longer portions of the journey – general
bedding, including a small pillow is provided on train journeys.
Earplugs
for lights sleepers - as street noise tends to go on and on into the wee small
hours.
Plenty
of film and camera batteries. You will certainly find many excellent
photo opportunities every day. Standard film can be found in most places.
Having a digital camera seems to have obviated this need.
Toilet
paper is supplied in all hotels but it is useful to have some in your bag also
- specially if you are caught unawares.
Sunscreen
is difficult to find.
A
journal for noting your varied experiences.
Travelers
have found Essential Oils have assisted them on long journeys:
Ginger
oil for nausea, Lemon oil for clearing the head in big cities and heavy
traffic.
A
10 oz plastic bottle of Eucalyptus clothes-washing liquid will be most useful
for those times you wish to do your own washing and rinsing. At least it will
be good for the early days of your journey.
Please
keep your luggage to a minimum especially if your tour includes train
trips. You will find many wonderful things to buy along the way so leave
room for them when you start out!
A
small daypack is handy to carry your camera, water bottle and daily needs.
Clothes:
Bring
as little as you can. Clothes, should you need them, are cheap and readily
available in India wherever you are. There will be time throughout the journey
to make purchases, and once you’re at Shantivanam ashram you can have local
cottons made into what you need by local tailors. Ladies, remember to provide
for your special personal needs.
Money:
Changing
money can be a very time consuming task and not always easy to do as the
banking hours are 10am-2pm Mon-Fri and 10-12 on Sat. Most hotels can
change money and in some towns there are private moneychangers with longer
hours.
You
can also access ATM machines using a Visa Card, these are now available in
small and large cities. They’re everywhere! ICICI Bank, HDFC and IDBI bank are
linked to the International Visa network.
If
using travelers checks - make sure you bring your Travellers Cheques in USD. Other currencies are difficult to change
when far from the beaten track.
Tipping:
The
chaperones will take care of all tipping.
FYI:
From
the moment you arrive you will see that much of Asia runs on tipping, from the
person who carries your bag, delivers your food or drives your vehicle.
Wages are generally very low and most people in service industries make the
bulk of their living by tips. In restaurants work on 10% and the tip will
be reasonable. There is no set amount as is the case in other
countries. Please don’t over tip!! You may find room boys making a
nuisance of themselves if you over tip on your arrival and they will bring
things such as water, towels and soap one at a time in the hope of being
rewarded each time!! It also corrupts the local monetary system and they
naturally start looking for bigger and bigger tips.
Begging:
Please
do not give pens, sweets, money etc to children who will approach you along the
way. This perpetuates the begging mentality which the countries
themselves are trying to eradicate. The countries we are visiting are
very resourceful where people take care of each other by feeding the poor and
having many welfare programs run through Temples and Churches. If you
have only one pen and 10 children wanting it you will only cause trouble by
giving the single pen. This fascination with pens is a reflection of
their obsession with foreign goods whereas excellent local made pens cost very
little and readily available. If you see someone genuinely in need, feel
free to buy them a cup of tea or some fruit. If they turn it down and ask
for cash they are probably not as genuine as they first appeared and maybe
working in a professional begging ring that just live tourist spots for
extracting money. Yes, there are many needy people everywhere in India
but if you want to give something look for a registered charity along the way.
Personal Security:
Each
student will carry their own neck wallet with a copy of their passport,
emergency phone numbers, contact information as well as cards printed in the
local languages asking for help, information, assistance etc.
DA
chaperones will carry all tickets, passports and any money, cards at parents
request.
Singapore,
Borneo and Bali are generally safe places and you would be extremely unlucky to
have anything stolen. It is wise to take precautions and always be
alert. Small amounts of money can be carried in a “bum bag” or shoulder
purse. This ensures you do not need to
pull out a pile of notes for a small purchase. It is important to not
show the public how much money you are carrying. All hotels rooms have secure
locks and some people prefer to leave their suitcase locked inside the
room. Many top end hotels have room safes also.
For
air and train travel your bag should be securely locked. It is a good
idea to carry a photocopy of your passport, visa and tickets and the serial
numbers of your Traveller’s Cheques (and your travel insurance details) if you
are unlucky enough to loose any of these valuable items it will greatly assist
in replacement.
Taking care of your health on
the road:
Parents
will provide chaperones with all medical information, medications and health
concerns. Chaperones can and will distribute all meds as requested by
parents and doctors.
One
of the main misconceptions people have about visiting Southeast Asia is they
will ingest a terrible bug and “get sick”. This in fact rarely happens if
you follow a few basic guidelines and listen carefully to your body.
Always drink bottled water and clean your teeth in it at least for the first
few days until your system gets used to the local area. Eat fruit you can
peel or wash fruit such as grapes in bottled water. Wash your hands
frequently. We constantly touch things in shops, at the market, children
who greet us enthusiastically or locals who want to shake our hands. We
come into contact with organisms our body is not used to but can adapt to very
quickly. There is no need to become an obsessive hand washer, just be
aware of it! Indians always wash their hands before eating as they
usually eat with their hands. Even if we use cutlery we still handle
bread and other items while eating. Another useful habit the locals use
is clearly differentiating between their “dirty” (left) hand and their “clean”
(right) hand. An aside to that is they only wave or pass things,
especially money with their right hands.
So,
what if you spend an uncomfortable, sleepless night on the toilet? Don’t
panic, it is very unlikely you have a serious bacteria in your gut.
Please do not take “Lomotil” or “Imodium” which slows down the bowel and may
have been given to you by a well meaning Dr. If by chance you have a minor or
major bug you want to in fact expel it, these drugs slow the bowel and thus
retain the nasty things. Drink plenty of bottled water and add
electrolyte powder (e.g. “Gastrolyte” - sugar and salt replacement liquid) if
the diarrhea lasts for a couple of days. Warm black tea with lemon and a
pinch of nutmeg also settles things quickly. Have some plain rice but avoid the
temptation to eat lots even if you are a little hungry. Coconut water is
also an excellent remedy and easy to find fresh along the way.
Please
consider that your gut reflects much of our emotional condition. You may
be experiencing some new and challenging things, which cause us to have an
emotional reaction, or we feel the need to let go of much unwanted, long held
emotional junk. We often do this, it is said, on the toilet! Go
with it and explore the change that in fact you are doing something very useful
and it will settle of its own accord in 24 hours or so. Just keep
drinking.
If
the problem persists for 3 days or more, there may be something to treat
internally. Antibiotics can also be harmful to the gut and should only be
taken if absolutely necessary.
All
our hotels will be able to call a local doctor (who speaks English) if
required. The consultation fee is very small and they are able to prescribe the
right treatment on the spot.
Mosquitoes
are a nuisance but not a danger. You will see a small plug in electrical device
to vaporize mosquito repellent at night in your hotel room. Put it on at
dusk, through till the following morning. Keep the fan going at night, as
the moving air also keeps them at bay. Wear light colored clothing in the
evenings. Apply repellent as the most effective deterrent.
Lemongrass oil is also effective. You can also buy insect repellent “Odomos”
cream locally.
Telephones, Fax and Email:
Parents
will be provided with all contact information including phone numbers of hotels
and tour agencies. Dr. Conlan and chaperones will also have a direct cell
line for parents to call direct in case of an emergency.
Many
hotels also now have internet connections (WiFi) in the room – please check the
connection charges carefully as they can range from one set fee for a day to
100 Rs per hour or more.
Visiting Temples, Ashrams and Sacred
Places:
You
will notice many different forms of respect shown when people visit a Temple or
sacred place. They will cover their arms and legs, and remove their
shoes. We should do like wise. They will also remain silent.
In Buddhist and Hindu shrines it is offensive to sit with your feet pointed at
the Buddha, the Deity or towards other people, especially the soles of your
feet, as they are considered unclean.
Please
dress modestly on the days you visit temples or shrines, uncovered upper arms
and legs can cause offense. Observe how the locals dress and follow their
example.
You
will notice that in Ashrams it is common for men and women to sit
separately. It is important for us to follow dress codes and behavioral
codes when we are visiting such places.
Often
we are requested to be silent. Sometimes we find this difficult to do as
there are many things we wish to comment on or point out to someone, please be
restrained and discuss whatever is required afterwards.
By
maintaining silence we also become aware of the power of silence, this has been
taught by many sages. Even a brief experience can be very powerful.
Local Guides:
We
pre book licensed guides in all the main monuments and historical places
that we take you. Should you go off on your own to other sites, you can also
find a guide directly but we cannot always guarantee their level of knowledge
or language ability.
Food:
You
can find a wide range of food in this part of the world, from Multi cuisine in
the hotels to all types of local dishes in the smaller restaurants along the
way. If you would like to sample some of the dishes of the area you are
visiting, ask your driver and they will select a good restaurant for you.
Shopping:
It
is expected in this part of the world that you will bargain. Many of us
find that difficult to do as we feel even the highest prices are quite
reasonable compared to prices at home. Please be aware the shopkeepers
will know immediately how many days you have been here and how much they can
get out of you. Research carefully and bargain hard, you can overspend
unnecessarily in the first few days until you get used to what the going rate
is for the things you wish to buy.
There
is free time in your tour program to go off with your chaperones exploring into
markets and bazaars, wonderful places to visit even if you are not
buying. Asia's selection of jewelry, silk and other fabrics, bronze
statues, silk paintings and other exquisite gifts is very wide. Sometimes
you will go into large emporium where the prices are particularly high, the
quality of these goods can also be higher too so look carefully. Just
seeing beautiful carpets and saris and how they are made is as much of an
experience as anything else you may do that day.
Please
check very carefully if the shopkeeper offers to pack and send what you have
bought, assuring you all shipping fees are included in the price you paid. Many
people have found that they needed to pay the shipping charges and taxes when
the goods arrived in their country. It is always safer and easier to carry the
goods and even pay excess baggage if you need to.
When you leave:
Leaving
Southeast Asia can cause a curious mix of emotions. On one hand you may
be longing for order and quiet, some particular food you haven’t been able to
get here and yet you really don’t want to leave. This feeling is
common. Southeast Asia has strange way of getting under your skin even
though you weren’t expecting it.
Your
experiences will stay with you for a long time and your understanding of theme
will grow deeper probably as time passes. Your time abroad is very
difficult to explain to family and friends when you get home. Your
experiences are intensely personal and many aspects of this part of the world
defy verbal description.
You
may find it more difficult than you imagine settling back into your normal life
back home. Your perspectives and priorities may have been challenged and
changed. Go easy on yourself and don’t make any radical decisions, you
are in a process of integration that could take some time. Stay close to
the fire that burns in the cave of your heart that has been fanned by the
spiritual winds of Asia. This is the deep power of this part of the world,
underneath the dust and the chaos you will have been touched by this power that
invades all aspects of life here and it has now touched yours. It will
continue to show itself to you if you take time to listen.
I
trust your journey will have brought more depth and understanding to your life
and allowed you to see more clearly your own divine purpose.
Ramsey
Brookhart,
(303)
947-2295
Sarah
Hall
shall@denveracademy.org
802 355-6262
shall@denveracademy.org
802 355-6262
Meath
Conlan, PhD
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