I've now got all my necessary vaccination and inoculation cover done. This leaves only getting anti-malarial medication and long term supplies of my regular medication. Both of these will be got much nearer my leaving date. Apart from this task, I have now done all my pre-trip tasks related to health - my travel insurance is in place and I am not aware of anything else to be done. Most of my financial arrangements are in place, so most of my planning that can be done this early is now complete. The remaining things I need to do all need to be done much closer to my start date, so fall into next year.
Travel Planning
Got to doing odds and ends that will be needed for my trip - getting a Rabies jab; buying bits and pieces of equipment that I need, confirming insurance and so on. Nothing major, but it does give a continued feeling of progress.
Travel Planning
Now starting to put some basic building blocks of detailed plannng in position. I have booked up an appointment with a travel clinic, to sort out my vaccination schedule and anti-malarial medication. Looking at application forms for currency cards and international SIM cards. I am looking to get both a Mastercard and a Visa currency card - the acceptability of these differs depending on where exactly I am going to be. Have printed out the tickets that I have received as e-tickets (flight from Bangkok and hotel in Beijing). Have also got my European Health Card and am booking up various eye, dental and medical checks. I have investigated getting an international driving licence, but this is something that is valid only for a year; is not valid for China; and generally does not seem worth while.
Travel Planning
Now got to the stage of looking at travel insurance and am finding that I am old enough to start encountering substantial price increases because of my age; and that the travel insurance included with my banking arrangements does not cover such an extended trip as I am making. So it's quote hunting, and policy comparison time.
I am also trying to find out if there are any problems for a UK citizen and resident obtaining a Vietnamese visa whilst in China. I am likely to be leaving the UK about four months before entering Vietnam, so may not be able to obtain such a visa before leaving the UK.
I have now put my booking for the Trans-Mongolian railway tickets in a queue, for when the tickets become available. I have also booked my air flight back from Bangkok; and my hotel in Beijing, for my first stay there.
Next on the list is sorting out some of the activities I want to do in Amdo and Kham.
I am also trying to find out if there are any problems for a UK citizen and resident obtaining a Vietnamese visa whilst in China. I am likely to be leaving the UK about four months before entering Vietnam, so may not be able to obtain such a visa before leaving the UK.
I have now put my booking for the Trans-Mongolian railway tickets in a queue, for when the tickets become available. I have also booked my air flight back from Bangkok; and my hotel in Beijing, for my first stay there.
Next on the list is sorting out some of the activities I want to do in Amdo and Kham.