Beginner needing a few tips

Hi

I know that I am about to sound very girly but I have an issue...me and my partner are traveling for 9 weeks next year around Asia and we have read lots of tips on here and other sites about travelling light. Well I am allergic to practically everything- I read a good tip about a silk linner to sleep in which was a good idea. But I have to use specific moisturiser (E45) and shampoos (aussie) and shower gel (palmolive). I was wondering whether I would have to take enough with me or whether I could buy them whilst we were there? We are mainly hitting cities in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kaula Lumpa, Penang, Phuket, Bangkok and some places less on the beaten track in between.
I know this sounds very girly but any advice would be appreciated!
Steph

You ask a good question. However, I'm not entirely sure you've come to the right place. We're all about backpacking, which in the UK is known as "wilderness trekking". However, we've got members all over the world, or who have been all over the world, and someone may just be able to answer that question.

Good luck to you, and welcome to the forums!

I wouldn't count on being able to find specific products in different countries. Even if the same products are available, they may go by a different name, and no one local may know what aussie or palmolive is. What you COULD do is contact the manufacturers and try to find out who sells your products in what countries, and where they're available. To me that would be too much hassle-I'd just pack extra.

Matt

Hi Steph,

The silk liner is definitely the way to go.

Allergies; As far as your other items, you will need to do your research or bring everything with you. Even if they carry those brands in the areas you are going, there is often different ingredients in the item. If you can't verify what is inside from where you are now, I would bring everything and make it last the 9 weeks. Do you have food allergies as well? If so same thing. I have a friend who is allergic to peanuts. If something is cooked in peanut oil and she eats it, it is a trip to emergency. Its that dire. In the areas you are going, I am not too sure I would want to end up in some random hospital. On one occasion, we actually snuck into one hospital to grab a buddy and fly him back to California because we were worried about his care. This was on Guam too. (the military has good hospitals, he was not in one though). In many parts of Bali, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Thailand there is not great access to what we would call good health care.

As I am thinking about this, you might want to look up medical facilities in the areas you are going just to see what is available.

Good luck with the trip. It sounds all time!

sK

Hi everyone,

Thank you ...some good advice. I think you are right, having a massive allergy in a foreign country would probably not be that great! (as for the Californian friend, hope he was ok!). I think we will just have to take it and be safe.

We are really excited,will let you know how it goes.

Steph

Since, as already pointed out, this forum isn't for travel but for wilderness trekking, you will probably get better advice on a forum such as Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree. They have forums for specific areas of Asia.