As many of my friends know, I like to research. It sounds harmless enough, researching is handy to make sure you know exactly what you’re talking about, or eating, or seeing, or getting into etc. The trouble comes when you research excessively to the point you think the stuff is rubbish and write your own account… I’m just a tad like that, not that far gone yet.
It wasn’t always like this, but the 6 years in tertiary education rewired my brain in it’s quest for knowledge (and I suspect a touch of PD too). Prior to this I was quite content with the answer of “Just Because”.
Anyway, this is my round-about excuse for my lack of updates as of late. I keep getting lost in my Pre-Travel Research for Cambodia and Thailand.
After you decide on a destination (which takes some research in itself), there’s a whole list of things to look into for each location (less countries = less research):
- Accommodation – location, hotel vs hostel, reviews
- Activities – type (leisure or extreme), location, cost, reviews
- Dates – availability
- Government Warnings – smartraveller
- Insurance – budget vs comprehensive
- Itineraries – self plan vs tour
- Payment Options – Cash, Credit, Direct, Deposit, T/T
- Registration - smartraveller
- Safety Precautions – reviews, smartraveller
- Sites to See – wikitravel, Canby (Cambodia)
- Vaccinations - Chikungunya fever, Dengue fever, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis, Cholera, AIDS/HIV, Giardia, Salmonella, Typhoid…
To be quite honest I haven’t looked up much for Phuket because it seems to be well travelled. Siem Reap on the other hand has lots for me to look into… And now that it’s near my departure date, I’ve found myself some extra things to organise.
Cambodia itself has an extremely harsh history, and even now it is still struggling to form solid foundations for their most basic of needs.
I stumbled across the Angkor Hospital for Children, established by a NGO called Friends Without a Border, either through a review site or travel log… As a health professional, Angkor Hospital for Children really hits close to home because I know first hand how ignorance to the most basic preventive measures (washing hands, brushing teeth! etc) can affect someone’s life.
Anyhow, I’ve somehow turned my planned trip to see the Angkor ruins into a more meaningful experience. It’s a bit last minute but I’ve scrounged up some toothbrushes, toothpaste and my clinics old instruments for donation.
Now let’s just hope I get everything done on time with no hiccups!
