It’s tempting to ignore ethics when you travel. In fact, it’s very easy to do so. When you don’t speak the language, when you don’t understand the cultural nuances, when you’re a stranger in a strange land it’s pretty simple to ignore any nagging doubts about whether you should actually be doing certain things. After all, the rules don’t always count when you’re away from home. You can do whatever you like when no one’s watching.

But the big question is: should you? Should you ignore cultural sensitivities because they’re not your own? Should you stomp all over the planet in the name of having a nice holiday? Some of the following activities are no-brainers: travellers should not being doing these things. Others are harder to argue; there are ethical grey areas that will always attract differing opinions. Some, meanwhile, are a lot of fun. But still, you probably shouldn’t be doing them.

Riding elephants:

Five years ago this was a standard activity on any tour of South-East Asia. Now, however, word is beginning to spread that riding elephants is not exactly the best idea. See, for any wild animal to be ridden by humans it has to be “broken”, which is not a process many people would be comfortable if they actually saw it taking place. Elephants in captivity are also poorly treated, and travellers are far better off not taking part in the industry that has been created around them.

Clambering all over temples and ruins:

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are a case in point: visitors are currently allowed to walk pretty much wherever they want, trampling all over these centuries old ruins. That’s fine if it’s one or two people. But we’re talking millions of visitors a year now, all leaving their mark. Same goes in many other locations, too – castles, temples and ruins around the world. It has to stop, and it might be up to individual travellers to make that happen.

Voluntourism:

There have been a few great articles around recently about the rise of “voluntourism” – using your holiday to help build a school, or teach kids, or look after animals – and whether it’s actually beneficial. Two excellent things to consider before you sign up for any volunteer work overseas is whether you’d still be doing it if there was no such thing as Facebook and Instagram, and whether you actually possess skills that suit the project (are you qualified as a builder or teacher?). If the answer is no to either of those, and you haven’t thoroughly researched the organisation you’re planning to give your money to for this experience, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.

Giving to child beggars:

It’s understandably heart-breaking to say no to a child in need, to refuse to give even a few cents to a kid who looks like he or she hasn’t been fed in days. But travellers who give to child beggars are supporting an industry, encouraging the idea that parents would be better off sending their kids out to guilt tourists into giving them money than to, say, go to school. Poverty is an extremely complex problem, but handing money to children isn’t the solution.

Climbing Uluru:

This is such an obvious one that it makes your head hurt just thinking about why some people still insist on clambering all over the big red rock even after they’ve been politely asked by the traditional owners not to. What’s the point? Travel is about respect for the people you’re coming to visit. If you can’t just enjoy the Uluru experience from ground level, maybe you shouldn’t go.

Getting really drunk:

This isn’t a holier-than-thou sermon. At some point, however, and in some countries, you as a visitor probably should consider that drinking to excess is either culturally insensitive, or just plain annoying for the locals to have to put up with. It’s not just a party venue you’re hanging out in – it’s someone’s home.

Haggling too hard:

Maybe you’re a total badass who can haggle a Bangkok tuk-tuk driver out of almost every baht. But you should ask yourself: is that really a good thing? It’s easy to get swept up in the game of the haggle and forget that you’re arguing over what equates to just a few cents. A few cents you probably don’t need.

Boycotting countries:

There are plenty of people who believe that ethical travel means refusing to visit countries whose politics and system of government and human rights records they disagree with, and that’s fine. But to me, that’s punishing the wrong people. When you travel you not only put money into the hands of locals who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to earn it, but, purely by visiting, you also open up those countries to the rest of the world. That is surely important.

Visiting orphanages:

Here’s the deal: if you visit an orphanage, or even a school, in a developing country and you bring along presents for the kids, you play games with them, you sing a few songs, you pay your money to someone for the experience, and then you disappear forever, you’re not doing those children any long-term good. You’re pleasing yourself, sure. But you’re also creating an industry that encourages parents to put their kids into orphanages for the gifts, and the long-term effect on the children of these brief brushes with visitors is not positive. If you want to give, by all means do – but research the facility thoroughly, and don’t feel you have to visit in person.

1. When booking your appointment at the travel clinic, tell us that the appointment is for children. That way we can ensure we allow plenty of time for discussion, distraction and preparation.
2. If they are old enough to understand, it is important to tell your child that they’re going to have an injection. Not too far in advance so that they worry, don’t wait until you get to the clinic to do it, or leave it to the doctor or nurse to break the news.
3. Don’t lie – injections can hurt, but only a little and only for a very short time, and much less than grazing knee. We often say it feels similar to a small pinch.
4. When it comes to injection time, the doctor or nurse will explain how to hold smaller children in your lap. Don’t squeeze too hard as this can make children anxious. Keep calm and cool, even if you don’t feel it inside – children will look to you for reassurance.
5. Distraction techniques can work well. Blowing bubbles is good, or watching a favourite cartoon on a smartphone or tablet.
6. Afterwards a reward will soon make children forget what just happened. So bring a small treat or a new toy. (We keep a stash of lollies at the clinic for these occasions – sometimes adults need them too!)
7. Praise your child for being so good!

We hope these tips help prepare your children for vaccines, but do contact us at Worldwise if you have any questions relating to overseas travel.

Travel vaccines, just like childhood vaccines are generally very safe and are worth considering before travel. So do talk to a travel health specialist before planning any overseas trip with your children.

TYPHOID FEVER

Typhoid fever, so-called enteric fever, has been reported more and more recently to be in ‘our Pacific neck of the woods’: Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. The disease is caused by a bacterium called Salmonella enterica (serotype Typhi), has a totally different presentation from that of the more common kinds of salmonellosis that we have in New Zealand. Epidemiologically, usually spread by contaminated food or water, typhoid is not a zoonosis ( A disease of a non-human animal that is capable of being transmitted, infecting and replicating within humans) like the more commonly seen types of salmonellosis.

THE SYMPTOMS OF CLASSICAL TYPHOID FEVER typically include fever, anorexia, lethargy, malaise, dull continuous headache, non-productive cough, vague abdominal pain, and constipation. Despite the often-high fever, the pulse is often only slightly elevated. During the 2nd week of the illness, there is protracted fever and mental dullness, classically called coma vigil.

Clinically, vomiting and diarrhoea are typically absent; indeed, constipation is frequently reported. As it is a systemic illness (affecting the whole body) , blood cultures are at least as likely to be positive as stool in enteric fever, particularly early in the course of the infection, and bone marrow cultures may be the most sensitive.

Diarrhoea may develop but usually does not. Many patients develop hepatosplenomegaly [both liver and spleen enlarged]. After the 1st week or so, many cases develop a fine (maculopapular) rash on the upper abdomen. These lesions (“rose spots”) are about 2 cm in diameter and blanch on pressure. They persist for 2-4 days and may come and go. Mild and atypical infections are common.

PREVENTION:

How can I avoid Typhoid Fever?

The disease is spread by the oral and anal route. Two basic actions can protect you from typhoid fever:

1. Avoid risky foods and drinks.
2. Get vaccinated against typhoid fever.

Avoiding risky foods will also help protect you from other illnesses, including travellers’ diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis A.

“COOK IT, PEEL IT, BOIL IT or AVOID IT”

• If you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute before you drink it.
• Bottled carbonated water is safer than uncarbonated water.
• Ask for drinks without ice unless the ice is made from bottled or boiled water.
• Avoid ice blocks and flavored ices that may have been made with contaminated water.
• Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming.
• Avoid raw vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled.
• Vegetables like lettuce are easily contaminated and are very hard to wash well.
• When you eat raw fruit or vegetables that can be peeled, peel them yourself.          (Wash your hands with soap first) Do not eat the peelings.
• Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is generally quite difficult for food to be kept clean on the street, and many travellers get sick from food bought from street vendors.

TYPHOID OR TYPHUS? The word typhoid (as in typhus-like) reflects the similarity of the louse-borne rickettsial disease epidemic typhus and that of typhoid fever; in fact, in some areas, typhoid fever is still referred to as abdominal typhus.