Travelinfo, on the sail from Thailand to Hawaii.

* Health Notes

There is no yellow fever or malaria concerns on our route unless we make a stop in the Philippines. This said please inform your doctor of the trip and request that you get properly prepared. You will be away from immediate medical treatment for several months and should bring with you your own personal first aid kit. Your kit should be able to handle the normal day to day cuts, sun protection, and tropical skin infections that should be anticipated. The sailing vessel does carry an emergency first aid kit, however, it is really for emergency purposes and not general day to day use.

If you are arriving in Thailand, it is possible to get antibiotics over the counter. They will likely be cheaper then any copay your insurance company requests. Be sure to bring to my attention any skin rash or blister you may get on the trip. Staph infections are very common in the tropics and easily spread. They are also easily prevented by washing with deodorant soap and staying dry. Wearing wet clothing for long periods of time is exactly the best way to get infections like staph, diaper rash, and heat rash. If you go swimming, and we have frequent swim stops in the middle of the ocean, either don't wear big baggy clothes that stay soggy, or immediately dry and change. Do not bring wet towels or clothing back to your bunk area. Too much water in the sailing vessel leads to molds and ruins the bedding.

Antibiotics I recommend are two courses of Bactrim, one course of Clyndamycin, one course of Cipro, and one course of Amoxicillin. Some of these are very strong and your doctor may object. However, inform your doctor that I have seen MRSA infections aboard ships traveling in these waters. MRSA can survive in saltwater. You may not survive an MRSA infection unless you go on an antibiotic. MRSA moves very fast and one you might have what looks like a small pimple and the next it is the size of a golf ball. Again, show me any rash or skin bump that doesn't look normal immediately.

If you don't have them yet, get your shots for Hep A and Hep B, and update your tetanus if it is over 10 years old. There is no vaccine for Hep C. This shouldn't be an issue unless the next paragraph applies to you.

The absolute most dangerous thing you can do on this trip is to let your libido act more then your mind. I personally know people that were robbed and one guy that was knifed by a sex worker. The guy I met that was knifed was on his first day of holiday and lost all his money, cards, and passport. Fortunately these were not my crew members, and the guy had only a small wound. Under no circumstances are you to hire a local worker and bring that person back to the sailing vessel. Get a room in town, send your money, and cards back with another crew member, and wear protection. Consider anything you kept in the room with that worker to be part of the price you paid. Under no circumstances are you to hire a local worker and bring that person back to the sailing vessel. You are 1000 times more likely to be robbed or wounded by a local night worker then robbed by a pirate or attacked by a shark. I've never met anyone attached by the latter, however, met several attacked by the former. This absolutely and specifically includes people you chatted up on the Internet, or the ones that told you that they were not that type of worker. You will find out that is not true when the bill comes, and you better be able to pay it. Be prepared for a screaming and shouting match. It is part of the ride. Enjoy a soap shower before and after.

As long as you take these precautions, and steel yourself for a possible end battle, you should be fine. By the way, you now know the main reason Amoxocillin is in your recommended first aid kit.

I also recommend one course of Mebendazole. As long as you only eat cooked local foods or foods that are peeled like bananas and coconuts, you shouldn't need to find out what this drug is for. While we are on the subject of cooked food, uncooked vegetable drinks especially leafy greens is not recommended. When I had my appendix out the guy in the next room was still in a coma from having one of these in Hawaii. I can explain the details if you want and probably know far more about tropical diseases then your local doctor. I had one Pharmacist in Michigan tell me a particular drug was no longer used anymore. He obviously never lived in a tropical climate like Hawaii.

If you have any medical conditions, or are on any prescriptions, please advise me of the situation.

* Soda Pop, Alcohol, Smoking and Drugs

You are aboard a sail boat that has limited resources. It also needs to be kept fairly light. If you bring drinks aboard, please buy them in cans. The fridge is not unlimited in size and it is not efficient when it is being opened every 15 seconds. Therefore, there is a no drinks in the fridge policy. I personally bring a few cans of Guiness along. It is supposed to be consumed at room temperature. If you bring beers aboard, please limit consumption to no more then 2 beers per day. If you drink wines or other spirits that is fine, just please limit it to the equivalent of 2 beers per day. The last thing I need is a drunken sailor. An old famous song asks “What can you do with a drunken sailor?” I think the right answer is inform him that he is no longer a sailor, and just a drunk.

There is no smoking anywhere on the sailing vessel. This especially includes marijuana. There is the death penalty for transport of any illegal drugs in two of the countries we are going to. Any marijuana or other illegal drug aboard a ship is considered a very serious offense and you will get jail time and I may lose my sailing vessel. Therefore, there is zero tolerance at anytime, and you will be sent packing immediately if any is found. Drugs include all drugs including PNP materials.

* Food

In general food aboard tends to be low fat, high protein, and complex or low carb. In regards to meat, unless there is fresh fish, we generally thrive on canned tuna in water, salmon in water, and breast of chicken in water. Once in a while someone usually wants to make a meal using the canned roast beef. Breakfast is typically simply oatmeal, raisin bran in skim milk, or if I'm motivated, I will bake fresh bread. Problem is I bake fresh bread very well and like to eat it too. We will be sharing cooking duties. If you are not a good cook, you will assist someone that is more confident in the galley. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a yes when in port, and unfortunately most have to be eaten soon after leaving port. The one exception is good old healthy squash. Squash keeps well! Squash Thai style is very nice, and I will bake it in the oven with just a tiny bit of brown sugar.

Help when we get to town to buy and bring back fresh items is greatly appreciated. So if you coming back from town empty handed, something is wrong.

* Accommodations

The sailing vessel has a variety of bunks to select from. Your assigned bunk is yours and you will not have to share it or hot bunk with another crew member. There are basically 12 different possible places to sleep on the sailing vessel.

There are two inside heads with shower and toilet. There is the outside head too. The sailing vessel is stable enough that I don't prohibit leaning over the side. This said, please hold on.

There are three permitted eating areas. They are they salon table, the table in the pilot house, and above deck. Eating in sleeping areas is not allowed. Also I have just installed a brand new Yamaha 320 touch sensitive keyboard. You are welcome to play it, however, do not put any drinks around it please.

* Communications

I will provide you with my cell phone after I confirm you on the trip.

Most ports we go to have Internet cafes. This said the ones in the Pacific Islands have proved to be slow and very expensive. I was paying $5 per hour in the Marshall Islands to read just a few e-mails per hour. They were installing a fiber optic link when I was there last, and it should be running soon.

While aboard the sailing vessel there may ..MAY..and did I happen to mention May be a chance we will be able to get limited text only e-mails to and from the sailing vessel. This is not yet set up and I can't guarantee it will be set up before we leave Thailand. Therefore, for all intents and purposes you should consider yourself to be in a no communication zone when between ports. In FSM I do make radio contact with friends in the Marshall islands and can have you on a list that gets a very short e-mail. Usually it would say something like we are all okay and current position is …......

If you need to be in voice contact with the outside world the entire trip, there are places you can rent a satellite phone and air time.

In an emergency the sailing vessel can activate a device that will broadcast location.

* Insurance

At a minimum I recommend that you purchase a medical evacuation insurance policy. This will fly you back home in the event you have a medical emergency. It typically will only cover your costs after you arrive at a “primary treatment facility” It doesn't cover flying a helicopter out to meet the sailing vessel in the middle of the ocean. There really are no policies that will cover that. If you have a health condition that may require an emergency trip to the hospital, this trip really isn't for you.

* Visa

We will be stopping in one Country that requires you to have a visa if you are not a citizen. You will not be allowed to continue on the trip when we go to this Country unless you have obtained this visa in advance. You can apply for the visa now, or wait until it is very stressful and apply for the visa in Singapore or Palau. What I mean by stressful, is if you wait till Singapore or Palau, you will be worried most of the trip that you might get denied entrance into this Country. You will also lose a full day of enjoyment when you go and sit at this Country's embassy. You may have been to this Country before. You probably didn't require a visa in the past, however, this Country has special rules regarding arrival by sea. If you arrive by sea at this Country you must first obtain a visa. Everyone, without exception, that is not a citizen of this Country must first obtain this visa. Unless the law of this Country was changed in the last 6 months, this fact still holds true.

A lot of crew members spend time researching this issue and find all kinds of websites that indicate you can get into this Country for 30 days without a visa. That is only true if you arrive be air or land. This Country again has special rules for people arriving by sea. Further, before someone asks me the same old questions, no you will not be allowed to hide on the boat when we arrive at this Country. No you cannot swim ashore and avoid immigration. Yes, there is a chance this Country will deny your visa request.

Visa requests from Western countries, and Russia, are typically rubber stamped provided you can show you have a bank account in that country with more then a few dollars, and you can show a reason for your return to your home Country. Valid reasons include a home, job, and schooling. Information you send to this Country doesn't come to me. Yes it is very intrusive that this Country wants to see your personal information. However, this Country is the USA.

The USA, as usual. decides how it wants to operate even if it is different then the rest of the world. Hawaii is part of the USA. You cannot continue onto Hawaii on this trip unless you are either a USA citizen, hold a valid visa for more then 6 months, or obtain a visa before we leave on our last leg of the trip.

Also lets prevent all the e-mails before you send them. You will certainly find websites that say you do not need a visa. These sites don't know you are arriving by sea. Unless you find a USA government website that shows me the laws have changed, mail out an application for a visa to the Country before you arrive on the boat.

* Items to Bring and Items To Leave At Home

We don't have dive tanks and a compressor aboard. These are very heavy items and not compatible with a light weight planning trimaran. For this reason we use local operators in places described above. Dive operators rent very high quality gear at a low price. They also have it checked out and ready to go. Therefore, it is your call if you bring scuba gear or not

Personal snorkel fins and mask is recommended. I have a vision correction mask. You can also buy these things in Thailand or other major ports of call.

A folding bike is okay.

Toothpaste, brushes, soaps, lotions, moisturizers, etc. Many are cheaper here in Thailand, however, more expensive in places like Singapore.

Good quality sandals..recommend TEVA. There is no need for shoes, long pants, or warm jacket. TEVA sandals are fine for both the mountain and rainforest hikes. I've been carrying around hiking boots now for years without putting them on.

I highly recommend one or two UV blocking shirts. I buy them on EBAY. I was the only crew member on a different large boat that didn't get sunburned. I came prepared.

Two pairs shorts, work shorts, two work shirts, and maybe two nicer shirts. In Singapore and Thailand you can buy nice shirts and jeans. Shorts tend to be low quality.

Hats, sunglasses, and a rain coat. A rugged north sea weather coat is an overkill. I have two harness vests if conditions are really bad, but most likely we will not need them.

Musical instruments are welcome with a couple exceptions. Church organs, bag pipes, gongs, drum sets, and billy bongs. These are difficult to fit in.

Small private stocks of food are allowed. If you happen to have a particular food, like chocolate, you may bring it aboard and store in your area. It must be sealed up and bug free.

I have various types of bunks of different sizes. I have some bedding aboard you are welcome to use. If you are picky about sheets and how soft your pillow is, shop for some bedding after you get here.

Ask me ahead of time before bring any other large or heavy items aboard