Health And Safety

Pin-cushion

Our arms felt like pin-cushions after we had all the vaccinations recommended by World Health Organization at our local travel clinic: Typhoid, Twinrix, and 2 times Japanese encephalitis. Luckily a couple of the vaccinations we had before going to Peru a couple of years ago were still valid. The vaccinations have to be done 8 weeks in advance as some of them have to be done twice. It is important to bring proof of vaccinations as some countries won't allow you entry without it.

Made by Stephanie in Elementary School

Travel Advisories

We signed up for travel advisories from the Canadian and the Danish ministries of foreign affairs to keep an eye on what might be going on in the countries we were going to visit. The travel insurance will not cover us if we go to a country or a region in a country, which the government has advised against going to. We also registered our itinerary with the two governments, so they can get in touch with us should trouble break out in the country we are in. 

The key is to be informed, not paranoid

- Anonymous

Travel Insurance
We do, of course, have world wide medical and theft coverage, as well as emergency air lift, so we are covered when hiking in the mountains.

Banking

All bills were set to automatic payment, and we can easily keep track online along the way. The respective banks and credit card companies were informed of our itinerary in order to avoid not being able to use the cards as the institutions might think they were stolen.

Personal Items

Since we have been lucky to rent out our home while we are away, we rented a small storage locker for our heirloom, personal documents and things of sentimental value. The 'crown jewels' are stored int the safety deposit box in the bank.

Luggage

We will be bringing safety pins of varying sizes to 'lock' the zips of the backpacks when carrying them as they then will be much more difficult to open for possible thieves, as well as a padlock with wire, so we can secure the backpacks anywhere, if necessary. We are also bringing water purification tablets, head lamps, whistles, rain covers, bed liners, emergency blankets and blister packs!

Documents

We have scanned and uploaded copies of important documents such as passports, birth certificates, travel insurance, bank and credit card numbers, e-tickets, itinerary and contact information to Google Drive as they are kept safe and easy to access offline.

You are only as safe as the last person, or fly, to handle your food 

- Mark Wise

With Us In Spirit

Many different events, experiences and dreams assisted us in making the decision and finding the courage to do this trip, and we are especially overwhelmed by all the loss we and so many people we care about have experienced in the last couple of years due to cancer. For all of you our heart aches.

For Andy, it was especially the passing of a lifetime friend, Bryan Kelly in May 2012 after a brief struggle with a brain tumor. Bryan was 54. We met in 1972 at Regina High School in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, had a blast through university at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland, stayed in touch through the years, and visited each other several times. Bryan started off as a front line social worker in child protection, and eventually moved on to become a Senior Manager with Alberta Human Services. Bryan loved cooking, reading, walking, a good red wine and last, but not least, travelling. Bryan and his wife Carol had many plans for their retirement, but unfortunately it never was to be.

We would like to dedicate this trip to Bryan and the family members and friends having succumbed to cancer. May their spirit be with us!