I’ve just come back from seeing the travel nurse. It seems that I’m going to have to get a fair few injections before heading off to the Himalayas. The nurse advised me to have a diphtheria/tetanus/polio booster and a meningitis jab, and also one for Hepatitis A/Typhoid. She gave me a map of Nepal and showed me how some of the country is considered to have high risk of Malaria, whilst in other parts there is a low or no risk at all. I need to see whereabouts in the country I’ll be travelling through as even if I’m on a train going through a “malaria zone” I’ll have a high chance of catching it because of the crowded conditions.

She also told me that I should perhaps consider a rabies injection. I was told that the possibilities of me getting bitten by a rabid animal are very small, especially as I’ll be travelling with an organised group trek, but even so, it only takes one bite or scratch to get rabies and if there’s no advanced medical help within 24 hours you will die!! I’m not sure what to do as I’ll have to have 3 separate rabies vaccinations costing £40 each, and it may not even be necessary; I think I’ll have a word with the tour company/charity and see what they advise.

The nurse gave me a selection of leaflets to read with health advice for travellers, so I’ll have to get reading up on those. I haven’t had any of the jabs yet as I was told that especially with the Hep A/Typhoid my arm will get extremely numb and I’ve got a four hour music rehearsal to sit through tonight  - I don’t fancy attempting to try to play the flute with a deadened arm/fingers. Apparently I can’t be injected into my bum as it’s not effective enough there!