I have made a few vague plans so far, which I will update as & when…

As far as a packing list goes, I have been researching the stuff I will need, and the general consensus is the longer you go away, the less you take with you.

I have been using lists from the fantastic source that is the world-wide-web, the best packing list I have come across is from this site.

Of the items I will have to specially purchase so far I have:

• Money Wallet

• Travel Towel

• Backpack

• MP3 Player/USB Flash Key

• Rough Guide to Central America

• Rough Guide to South America

• Lonely Planet Mexico

• Silk Sleep Sheet

• Rain Jacket

As you can see, I am well on the way!

I have to have injections. There are no two ways about it. I think the list includes:

• Yellow Fever - Had it! £65

• Rabies

• Hepatitus B - Had it!

• Tetanus - Had it!

• Diptheria - Had it!

• Polio - Had it!

• Hepatitus A - Had it!

• Typhoid - Had it!

(If you know of any more, please please do me a favour; email me and let me know so I don’t go into affected areas with only my charming wit for protection. It would be most appreciated!)

Malaria is an obvious concern, and it is not something I have looked at yet, but I will don’t y’all worry! I think its a course of tablets. Not really sure where the malaria areas are though.

I have decided to go with doxycycline for my anti-malarial, I thought that the side effects from Larium were both too common and too severe, and I was told that the other kinds of anti-malarial available were not going to offer enough in the way of protection in the Amazon region. The side effects of doxycycline have been reported to be a sensitivity to the sun and faster burning time, but only a small amount of people suffer this. I’m hoping I’m one of the majority!

Another stupid little thing I am troubled about is contact lenses. I am basically blind without glasses or contacts, but I am not sure of the availability of buying contacts in Central/South America. Again, if anyone out there has ever had experience buying contacts in these places drop me a line. I’m going to take about 90 pairs of contacts with me which will hopefully last me a fair while at any rate.

I have insurance for the trip, which I got through Round the World Insurance, part of the Travel Nation group. It cost £239 for 12 months cover. I haven’t really worried too much about personal belongings cover, I just went for medical cover. I just hope I don’t need to make any kind of claim, and when I come home it will have been £239 wasted!

Yep. I appreciate that the world is a dangerous place, but I am not too worried about world safety, or political climate as there is nothing I can do about it. I just plan to look after myself, try not to put myself in too many bad situations and hope that it will be enough.