Vaccinations
There are all kinds of nasty diseases in the third world, and you can minimize your risk by getting appropriate vaccinations before you leave. With occasional exceptions (e.g. yellow fever in parts of Africa and South America), vaccinations are not required in order to get into a country, but they are critically important for your health.
It can be intimidating to read about all the various diseases that may be prevalent wherever you’re going, and indeed there is genuine risk that you could get something very dangerous. However, if you get the appropriate vaccinations, take malaria pills as appropriate, watch what you eat, and try to avoid mosquito bites, then you’ll greatly reduce the risk. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve traipsed around the third world for years and have never had anything more serious than an upset stomach…but I’m also very careful.
Recommended vaccinations vary by country, so check the CDC website and/or talk with your local health department to figure out what vaccinations you need for your trip. Note that you can also consult with your doctor about what shots to get, but I’ve found that most doctors in the US know very little about travel vaccinations, and that the CDC and the local health department are much better sources of information.
Some vaccinations require multiple injections over a period of weeks, so before buying any tickets make sure you understand how long it will take you to get all your shots.
Once you have understood how long is required to take care of the long-leadtime items, it will be time to book your flight!
