Random tips that may be helpful (or interesting)
1. Make sure your passport has at least 6 months until it expires
We found this out 5 days before leaving while registering with the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office. Thankfully, Kevin happened to stumble upon this rather important information and we avoided the disappointment of not being allowed to enter Thailand. (Aislinn's passport was set to expire January 2012)
2. You will need your child's long form birth certificate to apply for/renew her passport
Wallet size birth certificates will no longer be accepted. This was supposed to be implemented on Dec. 1, 2011 but when I went to pick up Aislinn's passport I heard the attendant tell another woman that the Canadian government decided to delay the implementation of the guideline, but with no specified date in mind, so bring it just in case.
3. Ladies (and mothers with young daughters) you may want to invest in a "Go Girl"
I purchased mine at Novack's in London; I don't know if I'll use the damn thing, but I feel happy knowing I have it "just in case". You just NEVER know. There's nothing worse than splashing your ankles or hitting your clothes. I'm prepared to use the squat toilets, but when we're out in the jungle trekking around I'm thinking this could come in handy. (I'll let you know at the end of the trip what conclusion I really came to.)
*Post travel update: As it turned out, I did not use my "Go Girl" the entire trip. Me and my girls adjusted quickly to using the squat toilets. But I have to admit, it offered a sense of security knowing I had it as an option. I do intend to bring it on our annual back country camping trips.
4. Keep jet lag at bay with Melatonin.
I got this little tip from Allison Menegoni. Apparently, we're to take some just before we go to sleep once we arrive in Bangkok. Then it will work it's magic and reset our circadian rhythm while we're sleeping and we'll wake up feeling refreshed. It's also safe for children (with consultation of your doctor) and can be purchased at your local drug store.
5. Check in with your local travel medical clinic
For Thailand specifically, it was highly recommended that we get vaccinations for hepatitis A and thyphoid fever*. The travel clinic doctor also suggested Dukoral for traveler's diarrhea, but it was completely optional. Since our benefits covered it**, we bought some but myself and my girls never took any. (I have this "thing" about pumping too much "stuff" into our system. Diarrhea is temporary and something we can live with... typhoid fever, not so much) Kevin tends to have a sensitive stomach, so he opted to take it. Time will tell if it was necessary or not. As a precaution, we did end up getting a prescription of antibiotics (Ciproflaxin) from our family doctor we can use if we do get the runs and it will be cleared up right away. We also brought some Pepto Bismol– I think our butts are covered.
* Out of everyone in our family, I was the only one who had a reaction to the typhoid fever vaccination. Within an hour later I thought I was going to DIE! I started out feeling really tired. Then came the chills. Then the full body aches and finally I was curled up in a fetal position wishing it was over. 3 hours later it was, but I still felt really weak and dizzy. Even when I woke up the next day, I still didn't feel 100%. Just thought you should know.
** Our visit to the travel clinic cost us $700+ All of it was covered by Kevin's work benefits.
*** Post travel update: Kevin and I both ended up with traveller's diarrhea... so much for the Dukoral. I'm not sure if it was the Ciproflaxin or just nature running it's course, but after popping the antibiotic we were better within 24 hrs. I would highly recommend asking your family doctor for a prescription to take with you "just in case". Another alternative I didn't get to try because we were on a remote island was eating their yogurt. I've had a couple of friends recommend this remedy.
6. Bring a power outlet adapter "just in case".
Power outlets are 250v, which will cause a problem for hair dryers, electric razors, etc. We found this out when Kevin he turned on his electric razor and it sounded like it was trying to chop up a marble and then began to smell like burning rubber. Luckily, he had a switch he could switch to accommodate a higher voltage and the problem was solved.
7. Squat toilets aren't that bad after all... just be sure to carry travel size packets of facial tissue.
Squatting to pee really isn't that bad, although there is a tendency to splash your ankles. There is usually a pot with water and a bowl beside the toilet and/or a spray nozzle and hose. The former is used to "flush" the toilet (and can also be used to dowse your ankles at the same time, over the toilet) and the latter is used to clean yourself if you did a #2.
To flush, you just toss a scoop of water into the bowl until the water is no longer yellow. If it's a #2, you have to put a little force behind your toss and make sure the bowl is as full as possible. I'm still a little puzzled at the spray thing because there's nothing to dry off with (unless of course, you have some tissue on hand)
Toilet paper is not commonly used by Thais. Places like the airport and malls will have toilet paper, but other than that, it's really hit or miss. Following the wise advice of Allison, who I've mentioned earlier, I stocked up on travel size facial tissue packets from the Dollar store before we left. They definitely came in handy on many occasions. But take note: DO NOT FLUSH TISSUE DOWN THE TOILET. In most bathrooms there is a trash bucket to throw the tissue in. If not, have a ziploc bag on hand to put the used tissue in and dispose of it in the waste basket at your hotel room.
Lastly, if the pot of water is low, be courteous and fill it up before you leave. There will be a faucet by the pot to do so.
8. Travel size soap sheets are the greatest invention!
I bought mine at Novack's, but I've seen them in well known chain retail stores as well. These little babies are perfect for cleaning hands and clothes. They're biodegradable and in my opinion they are better than hand sanitizer because you get the actual dirt of your hands as well. We used them to launder our own clothes in the bathroom at our hotel and they worked like a charm.
We found this out 5 days before leaving while registering with the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office. Thankfully, Kevin happened to stumble upon this rather important information and we avoided the disappointment of not being allowed to enter Thailand. (Aislinn's passport was set to expire January 2012)
2. You will need your child's long form birth certificate to apply for/renew her passport
Wallet size birth certificates will no longer be accepted. This was supposed to be implemented on Dec. 1, 2011 but when I went to pick up Aislinn's passport I heard the attendant tell another woman that the Canadian government decided to delay the implementation of the guideline, but with no specified date in mind, so bring it just in case.
3. Ladies (and mothers with young daughters) you may want to invest in a "Go Girl"
I purchased mine at Novack's in London; I don't know if I'll use the damn thing, but I feel happy knowing I have it "just in case". You just NEVER know. There's nothing worse than splashing your ankles or hitting your clothes. I'm prepared to use the squat toilets, but when we're out in the jungle trekking around I'm thinking this could come in handy. (I'll let you know at the end of the trip what conclusion I really came to.)
*Post travel update: As it turned out, I did not use my "Go Girl" the entire trip. Me and my girls adjusted quickly to using the squat toilets. But I have to admit, it offered a sense of security knowing I had it as an option. I do intend to bring it on our annual back country camping trips.
4. Keep jet lag at bay with Melatonin.
I got this little tip from Allison Menegoni. Apparently, we're to take some just before we go to sleep once we arrive in Bangkok. Then it will work it's magic and reset our circadian rhythm while we're sleeping and we'll wake up feeling refreshed. It's also safe for children (with consultation of your doctor) and can be purchased at your local drug store.
5. Check in with your local travel medical clinic
For Thailand specifically, it was highly recommended that we get vaccinations for hepatitis A and thyphoid fever*. The travel clinic doctor also suggested Dukoral for traveler's diarrhea, but it was completely optional. Since our benefits covered it**, we bought some but myself and my girls never took any. (I have this "thing" about pumping too much "stuff" into our system. Diarrhea is temporary and something we can live with... typhoid fever, not so much) Kevin tends to have a sensitive stomach, so he opted to take it. Time will tell if it was necessary or not. As a precaution, we did end up getting a prescription of antibiotics (Ciproflaxin) from our family doctor we can use if we do get the runs and it will be cleared up right away. We also brought some Pepto Bismol– I think our butts are covered.
* Out of everyone in our family, I was the only one who had a reaction to the typhoid fever vaccination. Within an hour later I thought I was going to DIE! I started out feeling really tired. Then came the chills. Then the full body aches and finally I was curled up in a fetal position wishing it was over. 3 hours later it was, but I still felt really weak and dizzy. Even when I woke up the next day, I still didn't feel 100%. Just thought you should know.
** Our visit to the travel clinic cost us $700+ All of it was covered by Kevin's work benefits.
*** Post travel update: Kevin and I both ended up with traveller's diarrhea... so much for the Dukoral. I'm not sure if it was the Ciproflaxin or just nature running it's course, but after popping the antibiotic we were better within 24 hrs. I would highly recommend asking your family doctor for a prescription to take with you "just in case". Another alternative I didn't get to try because we were on a remote island was eating their yogurt. I've had a couple of friends recommend this remedy.
6. Bring a power outlet adapter "just in case".
Power outlets are 250v, which will cause a problem for hair dryers, electric razors, etc. We found this out when Kevin he turned on his electric razor and it sounded like it was trying to chop up a marble and then began to smell like burning rubber. Luckily, he had a switch he could switch to accommodate a higher voltage and the problem was solved.
7. Squat toilets aren't that bad after all... just be sure to carry travel size packets of facial tissue.
Squatting to pee really isn't that bad, although there is a tendency to splash your ankles. There is usually a pot with water and a bowl beside the toilet and/or a spray nozzle and hose. The former is used to "flush" the toilet (and can also be used to dowse your ankles at the same time, over the toilet) and the latter is used to clean yourself if you did a #2.
To flush, you just toss a scoop of water into the bowl until the water is no longer yellow. If it's a #2, you have to put a little force behind your toss and make sure the bowl is as full as possible. I'm still a little puzzled at the spray thing because there's nothing to dry off with (unless of course, you have some tissue on hand)
Toilet paper is not commonly used by Thais. Places like the airport and malls will have toilet paper, but other than that, it's really hit or miss. Following the wise advice of Allison, who I've mentioned earlier, I stocked up on travel size facial tissue packets from the Dollar store before we left. They definitely came in handy on many occasions. But take note: DO NOT FLUSH TISSUE DOWN THE TOILET. In most bathrooms there is a trash bucket to throw the tissue in. If not, have a ziploc bag on hand to put the used tissue in and dispose of it in the waste basket at your hotel room.
Lastly, if the pot of water is low, be courteous and fill it up before you leave. There will be a faucet by the pot to do so.
8. Travel size soap sheets are the greatest invention!
I bought mine at Novack's, but I've seen them in well known chain retail stores as well. These little babies are perfect for cleaning hands and clothes. They're biodegradable and in my opinion they are better than hand sanitizer because you get the actual dirt of your hands as well. We used them to launder our own clothes in the bathroom at our hotel and they worked like a charm.