Body Boost

Today it is one of that falling-in-love-with-Scotland-all-over-again days.

I was woken up by the goodmorning-bird's chattering. Beautiful spring freshness in the air, splitting-the-sky-sunshine to follow; lots of smiley faces and bouncy happy children. Yes, the summer is on its way!!!(Hey, you need to speak your dreams and keep your chin up...even if it is just for capturing the essence of the moment!!!) I am so convinced about the fact that what comes out of your mouth(your words) totally frames your world – it sets you up for failure or success...you are the author of your life story.. Yes??

For the last year we've been dreaming, secretly hoping, timidly enquiring, exploring options, start to express our dreams through pictures on our dream board, connecting the pictures to the numbers, writing down our fantasy itinerary, sowing seed towards our dream, start expressing our intentions …..well, we have now well and truly hooked our dream and our plan into our budget. IT IS HAPPENING!!!!!! Wheeeeee. I am soo excited!!!

A quick wee update:

• So far we've bought all our major flights (15 different planes) departing from Glasgow to arriving in Cape Town.
• We've booked our overland vehicles for transport in the USA and Hawaii
• We've booked all but 4 out of 41 nights for accommodation in the USA
• We've got accommodation for Hawaii,Vancouver and Dubai sorted
• We've started with the vaccination schedules....

...vaccination schedules....

...this is what I'd like to tell you about today!!

I want to commend our 4 very brave little travellers. Tomorrow we need to go to the Independent Travel Clinic again for our second Rabies shot. (There are 3 in total.) Last week when we were in this new environment with new medical professionals sticking various needles in our arms – I again was just so blessed with the resilience of our children...I was also affirmed in my confidence that we will be fine....that THEY will be fine on our journey.

Ok, many of you are intrigued by all the vaccination we are getting. Let me tell you and also enlightened you about the cost and process involved in actually getting them all....

I was advised by our brilliant Bryan (STA-travel agent) to contact our own GP(general practitioner) first. There I was advised to filled out a Travel Vaccination Form (from the format of the form I drew the conclusion that this was not something that the practice deals with on a daily basis...) I had to pay a £20 handling fee. I paid the same for the children each, but was later informed that the children are exempt form this under the NHS- National Health System (UK) and was reimbursed ...yay!!

The Nurse who is responsible for our vaccinations was taken a bit out of her comfort zone, since we are literally(except for 2hours) circumnavigating the globe!! We will be trekking and visiting local communities,interacting with animals and swimming in al kinds of oceans, rivers and rainy showers....so we pretty much need to protect our bodies form ALL the major parasites!!

We've made the decision that Arno will get all his vaccinations done privately through a Travel Clinic in Aberdeen. He is not registered with a GP up there and for sake of ease we decided that he will just go completely private!! The rest of us will get ours done partly through NHS and partly through the Private travel Clinic in Irvine.

We did some extensive research and explore suggestions of other travellers to get some of the vaccinations done in South East Asia. The prices are almost 10 times cheaper there, but our itinerary is pretty much jam packed, so we've decide to get them all done prior to our departure.

So here is our list of vaccinations:

• Hepatitis A and Typhoid Combo (Adults)

         Hepatitis A and Typhoid -2 separate shots (Children)

• Hepatitis B       Marilie – 3 shots (month 0,1 and 6)

                                 Arno and kids – 3 +1 shot (month 0,1,2 and 12)

                  Different schedules for all of us since I started mine 6 months before departure,   

                  but the other did not start theirs in time...so they are on the accelerated schedule 

                  with an extra shot in a year's time.

• Polio,Tetanus,Diphtheria (Adults)

• Rabies – 3 shots (day0,7 and 28)

• Jap B (Japanese Encephalitis) – 2 shots (day 0 and 28)

• MMR – was advised for the adults to get this vaccination, children was given theirs routinely

The only un-vaccinated parasites we will be exposed to are the malaria ones. We are still seeking wisdom regarding what to do. Will update you once we've made a decision. Dengue Fever has no know prevention, but cover up and use insect repellant in GREAT quantities.

We will not be travelling to Yellow Fever areas and our travel health experts do not think that we need to vaccinate against Cholera.

So what are the costs involved:

£20 GP-Travel Vacs Service (Adult)

• Heb A and Typhoid
• Heb B
• MMR
• Polio,Dip,Tet

Travel Clinic (Our nearest option was at the Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine)

• Jab B 2x£70
• Rabies 3x£47

Arno's nearest Travel Clinic was the Abermed Group in Aberdeen.

So, we are almost halfway with all the shots. Everybody gets a sticker to add to the growing collection on the front cover of our 'Vacs Passports'. Even I feel a sense of achievement; of character building ...when I stick my star onto my 'VP'.

.....one star closer to D-day!!!

This is an example of what a dream/vision board looks like