Travel
How to Deal with Scabies While Traveling
****Warning: If you’re squeamish about bugs (or more specifically, skin-tunneling parasites) DO NOT READ ON.****
According to the website medicinenet, scabies is a “contagious skin disease marked by itching and small raised red spots, caused by the itch mite.” Another all-too-honest site I visited mentioned that scabies is “not an infection, it’s an infestation.” Of your skin. Translation: scabies are SUPER GROSS. If you have scabies that means a parasite – or multiple parasites – is burrowing in your skin, causing super itchy welt-like rashes. You’re probably thinking, “Wow, that’s foul. Why are we talking about this?” Well, dear readers, it is because I myself was recently plagued by scabies. At the time, I didn’t find much helpful info online and thought I’d do my best here to help anyone who might be looking for help like I was back then.
How do I even get scabies?
Unlike what I first suspected, scabies are NOT like bed bugs. You can get them from bedding and clothing but you primarily get scabies from prolonged person to person contact. In my case, I think I got scabies after holding hands with some new toddler friends on the beach in Vanuatu.
What does scabies look like?
Well, you are in luck. As I mentioned above, I personally had scabies back in August. Here’s what it looked like on me:
Yeah, you’re welcome for those gross close-up shots of my arm and stomach. As you can see, scabies is a rash-like spread of welts. My stomach was where I first noticed it and, as you can tell from the righthand picture, there was a big cluster of welts that the others seemed to spread from. My arm and stomach weren’t the only places I got the welts, either. I got welts all over my buttcheeks, “underboob” area, and on the soles of my feet. Yep, all convenient to scratch while on the job. NOT. Apparently, the most common areas for scabies mites to tunnel into your skin (excuse me while I shudder) are warm, moist areas of your body such as your butt, groin, and armpits.
FYI: It’s important to note that you may not see the tell-tale scabies “rash” until about at least two weeks after your first encounter with a scabies mite. That means if you have scabies now, you’ve got to think back to at least two weeks prior in order to determine who/where/what the source of your scabies could be. Some people don’t notice scabies symptoms until 6 whole weeks after contact with mites! Lesson here: don’t write a nasty review of some place you stayed where you think you got scabies unless you can be sure.
Ok, I definitely have scabies. What do I do now? How can I get rid of them ASAP?
STEP ONE: SLATHER YOURSELF IN SCABIES CREAM
There is really only one way to definitively get rid of scabies mites and that is by covering yourself head-to-toe in a scabies cream. Scabies cream is any ointment from the pharmacy that contains permethrin, usually 5%. In the UK and here in Australia, permethrin creams are available over the counter (OTC) at pharmacies – aka “chemists”. Back home in the US, the internet consensus is that they are prescription only. (Though some sketchos say you can order it on ebay from Sri Lanka??) Even though I was in Australia where it’s available OTC, I chose to go to a walk-in clinic because I wanted to confirm for sure that I had scabies. The doctor gave me a prescription for two tubes of Lyclear brand scabies cream. One to use immediately, and another to use exactly one week later.
I wish he’d prescribed more, however, because I barely had enough. You see, I had to cover myself in the ointment and SO DID EMMETT. That’s right: if you sleep in the same bed with a partner or friend, they HAVE TO put the ointment on too. Otherwise, they’ll also get the scabies infestation and you two will just keep giving it back to each other – like a gross game of prolonged, itchy tag. You might also want to notify anybody else that you could have been in close personal contact with so they’re aware/can preventatively use scabies cream themselves.
Using the scabies cream is relatively straightforward, if not time-consuming. First, take a shower before bed and then dry off really well. Then spread the ointment all over your skin from the neck down. Leave the ointment on overnight (8-10 hours), then shower again in the morning. Be sure to clean all of the ointment off of your body because the key ingredient is actually an insecticide that can damage your kidneys if left on too long. Yikes. Lastly, if (like I did) you notice more welts appearing afterwards, apply the ointment a second time using the same process exactly one week after the first time you used it.
STEP TWO: WASH EVERYTHING YOU OWN
Okay, maybe not EVERYTHING you own. But everything that you came into contact with while infested. (Jeez, just writing “while infested” makes me cringe with discomfort). That means you need to wash bedding, towels, clothes… Everything you touched for more than a few minutes at a time. I recommend a hot water cycle for comfort. Although apparently one regular warm – or even cold – wash is enough to kill scabies mites.
See Also: How to Live in Your Car in New Zealand
STEP THREE: RELIEF
Take antihistamine pills or use an itch relief cream to help curb the insane itchiness that you will have for as long as the rash lasts. For me that was only about a week and a half after the second Lyclear treatment. Thank goodness I always pack Benadryl with me on trips.
How can I avoid scabies?
As a general rule, maybe don’t come into close contact with people who have intensely itchy rashes OR as in my case, little kids who have itchy “bites” around their hands and feet. That being said, as I mentioned earlier you can also get them from linens or clothing. If you buy something from a shop, another good rule of thumb (for many reasons, not just scabies) is to wash products before using them. Clothes, bedding, pillows, etc.
It may be unavoidable to get scabies from a hotel or hostel, however. You can only hope that you wouldn’t stay somewhere with low cleaning standards… but it happens. I know a lot of places that don’t wash their comforters (called “doonas” here in Aus) or bedspreads between each guest. If you’re hyper-paranoid about it, remove those covers from the bed. Overall though, like bed bugs, scabies mites just might find their way to you. If they do, have no fear. You can get rid of them if you find yourself some scabies cream and try not to think too hard about the reality of what’s happening to you.
That’s it folks! I hope you learned something from this! Please feel free to comment below with any scabies-related questions or concerns. I’ll do my best to help you with the knowledge I gained through personal experience. Also, if you’re reading this because it happened to you… Just know that I feel your pain. Or rather, your discomfort. It’s a really gross and itchy problem to have. I’m sorry that it’s happening to you.
Travel
Why I Travel Journal And You Should Too
I like to journal. In fact, I’ve been writing about my life with regularity since I was nine years old. And I make no exception when I travel. In fact, I journal even more while I’m on a trip than I do at home. Even though it can take up a lot of my time, I feel compelled to journal about my experiences on the road. Here are five reasons why:
See Also :A Few Days In Asheville, NC
You Are Writing for Your Future Self.
As with any journal I’ve kept, I love being able to read about something I did and see it through the eyes of my past self. It not only brings me joy to relive a tip but re-reading old journals also helps me recall details I never would remember otherwise. It’s been three years since my trip to Costa Rica and I don’t think I could have remembered the names of all of the village tiendas if I hadn’t been journalling about it.
While I tend to generally write about the details of the day, I also jot down other things that I’d like to remember. Things like pronunciation guides, songs I heard in specific places, the history of a site I visited, a little map of the area I walked in, or some interesting facts I read in a book. I’m always learning a lot of information about the new places I visit that I know would normally just disappear from my memory. Once it’s on the page, the information won’t get lost.
2. Writing is Cathartic.
When I’m having a crappy time somewhere, I will feel a lot better about it if I can write down every little thing that’s bothering me. A drunk guy peed on the floor of the dorm room? The airline lost my luggage? I’m covered in ultra-itchy bed bug bites? You can bet I wrote some angry words about all of those things in my journals. It was much easier to let go of my frustrations once they were all written on the page.
3. It’s a Scrapbook.
I don’t know about you, but I like to hold onto every little ticket stub, brochure, map, paper with traveler contact info, business card, or flier that finds it’s way into my hands. I always seem to end up with a pile of travel memorabilia in the bottom of my backpack – even after only a few days. Instead of just periodically throwing all of that nostalgia in the bin or keeping it in a messy pile somewhere, I long ago decided that the best thing to do with it is put it all in one accessible place. So: I glue them into that day’s journal entry. Now my journals are like little diary-scrapbook hybrids. I like that pasting papers and tickets into my journal visually breaks up the pages upon pages of my sloppy handwriting. Not only that, but the scraps I paste in can further jog my memory back to a specific time or place.
4. Waste Waiting Time.
Waiting is an inevitable part of traveling. Waiting for a flight/bus/train
to leave? You can catch up on journaling. Not only that but I’ll write once I get on that train, plane, or bus I’d waited for. Sometimes I’ve even found myself sitting & waiting for a hostel to open or a dorm room to be ready. That’s journal time. I can always find the time to to write at least a little bit.
5. Your Journal Becomes a Reference.
The more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve had relatives and friends ask me for information on places I’ve visited. All I have to do is flip through my journal from that trip to find names, locations, or directions. Oftentimes I’ll also write down advice given to me by other travelers about places I haven’t even been to yet. For example, when I was planning the New Zealand trip I remembered that I’d met a guy in Prague who’d done aWorking Holiday. I then looked through my journals from Europe and found his recommendations.
All in all, I highly recommend journaling while you travel. Even if you’ve never journaled before, traveling is honestly the best time to do it. A travel journal is a unique and personal souvenir that will preserve your trip forever.
Travel
A Few Days In Kathmandu
Kathmandu is a dusty, chaotic, and incredibly fascinating capital city. From the ancient architecture of Bhaktapur to the cafes & shops of Thamel to the religious sites that the Buddha himself visited, there is so much to do and see in Kathmandu. Emmett and I spent a month in Nepal, with Kathmandu being both the first and last place we visited. There is so much to see in the city and I know that we only scratched the surface. Check out our five favorite places in Kathmandu below.
+ Shopping & Dining in Thamel – 1 Day
+ Swayambunath, Boudhanath, & Pashupatinath – 1 Day
+ Bhaktapur – 1 Day
If you have more than 3 days, you could always add an extra day to exploring Thamel or Bhaktapur and throw in a side trip to the town of Nagarkot to see a view of the Everest range. (Just check the weather forecast before going to Nagarkot because it was very cloudy when we made our attempt).
See Also :Two Days In Malaysia’s Tea Country
1. Thamel
Thamel is the primary tourist district in Kathmandu. It has the widest variety and most affordable choices for accommodation in the city. I love Thamel. It’s very much a touristic place but there’s something so endearing about all the alleyways and shops. The best thing to do in Thamel is Shop for Souvenirs. A lot of the shops will sell the same sorts of items, so make sure you ask the price of the product you want at each shop first to compare deals. And don’t forget to barter a little because that’s the expectation most vendors will have of you as a tourist.
On each of our visits to Kathmandu, we stayed at the dorm in the top of the cozy and very friendly Hotel Silver Home for 1,000 NPR ($10 USD) per person per night.
Swayambhunath
Also known as the Monkey Temple due to it’s population of rhesus macaques, Swayambhunath is one of the oldest religious sites in all of Nepal. The whole site is comprised of a set of very steep steps leading up to a hilltop complex of Buddhist temples and shrines surrounding a large stupa. In addition to it’s historical and spiritual significance, Swayambhunath is a great place to do people-watching. There are souvenir touts, locals in prayer, women feeding the monkeys and stray dogs, and plenty of other tourists.
Entry for tourists is 200 NPR per person (about $1.80 USD) and Swayambhunath is about a 30 minute walk from Thamel.
Boudhanath
Along with Swayambhunath, Boudhanath is one of the most significant sites for Buddhists in Nepal. The huge stupa is said to be built around the remains of Kassapa Buddha and is surrounded by a circular courtyard which must be walked in a counter-clockwise fashion as one circles the stupa. It may be difficult to see in photos, but Boudhanath is a maginificent sight to behold. The top of the stupa is estimated to be 118 feet (36 meters) high – if that gives you any indication of the scale. We walked both of the lower rungs of the stupa, taking our time and listening to the tinny sounds of a stereo playing the Buddhist chant “Om Mani Padme Hum.” The stupa is, like most historic sights in Kathmandu, surrounded by a series of shops selling souvenirs and religious artwork.
Entrance to walk the lower level of the stupa is 400 NPR per person (about $3.60 USD).
Pashupatinath
If you’re anything like me, you may be under the assumption that Nepal is a Buddhist nation. Maybe it’s the plethora of Buddhist prayer flags to be found in every souvenir shop in Nepal? Or maybe it’s the fact that the Buddha himself was born in the country? Either way, you maybe be surprised to learn that the majority of Nepali people (a whopping 81.3%!!) follow Hinduism!
Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and is located on the outskirts of Kathmandu. I have a confession to make: Emmett and I were running low on Nepalese rupees and did not purchase passes to enter the complex. Instead, we wandered around the outskirts and watched a Hindu funereal procession from a respectful distance. We spent a while just watching some stray cows eat from a garbage pile as monkeys played in the dirty river that ran through Pashupatinath’s center. The shops surrounding the temple were full of Hindu souvenirs and piles of very photogenic powdered dyes.
Entrance to the Pashupatinath temple complex is 1,000 NPR (about $9 USD) per person.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is an incredible ancient city about 8 miles (13 kilometers) outside of Khatmandu proper. In fact, Bhaktapur is the most well-preserved ancient town in all of Nepal and is full of beautiful and ornate architecture. However, even after three years, the whole of the city is definitely still reeling from the effects of the 2015 earthquake. . In fact, I have so many good things to say about it that I plan to make a post solely about Bhaktapur very soon.
Entrance to Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square is 1,500 NPR (approx. $15 USD) per person.
Travel
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
1. What countries have you visited?
Other than my home country of the United States, I’ve been to Costa Rica, Panama, China, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu, Singapore, Malaysia, & Nepal. (Also see the Google Map at the bottom of this page).
See Also :Being Vegetarian in Singapore & Malaysia
2. What are your favorite countries?
3. how old are you?
I just turned 30 in Summer 2021! Wow, that sounds old to me. Most of my international traveling was done at 21 (Central America), 23 (China & Europe), & 25/26 (Everything Else).
4. How do you afford to travel?
I work and save money. I’ve been a teacher, a kitchen hand, a sales associate, a social media manager, a receptionist, and a tutor in the US; a fruit-packing factory worker in New Zealand; and a painter, receptionist, and assistant manager in Australia.
5. How much do you spend when you travel?
When my partner Emmett and I spent ten months living and working in New Zealand, our expenses amounted to 31, 000 USD for TWO people. That basically breaks down to $50 per day per person. But that’s in one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world. Some days we spent $0 and on others, we did something extravagant like drop $900 for both of us to heli-hike a glacier.
6. What’s your photography gear?
A Nikon D3300 (currently with just the kit lens) and a GoPro Hero Silver 4.
7. What’s Your Favorite Piece of Travel Gear?
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