Seeking the Exotic
I knew I was onto something when I learned that I needed to be vaccinated for Japanese Encephalitis before going to Southeast Asia. Hepatitis A & B vaccines didn’t hold a candle to how foreign and fabulous Japanese Encephalitis sounded. Maybe it was the inordinate number of syllables in the name or the fact that it was named after a mysterious country that made it sound so extraordinary and well, exotic. Let’s face it – Missouri Encephalitis doesn’t have quite the same ring. Or maybe it was the fact that the vaccine was so rare that Fort Lauderdale’s health clinic didn’t carry it and I was forced to go to a private facility that specialized in travel vaccines … and pay a whopping $600 for it!
Apparently my friends deemed the JE vaccine equally extraordinary because one began claiming that he was also being vaccinated for JE for his upcoming trip to Iraq. For travel to Iraq, the CDC suggests receiving yellow fever and typhoid vaccinations and the use of malaria pills for certain areas – all of which are admittedly creepy things to take into your body – but JE was not on the CDC list for Iraq. I held the exotic trump card … and my friend knew it.
This meant I was definitely on the right track. This place was exotic by anyone’s definition. I’d narrowed my first stop down to a place where the main road through town was called Monkey Forest Road. No doubt about it. I had found what I was looking for. Ubud, Bali and Southeast Asia were calling my name. I had no trouble understanding them through the funny accent. “I’m coming! I’m coming!” I shouted across the oceans. I’m sure my accent sounded equally funny to them but they understood me too.
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If you wanted to visit an exotic monkey place, Monkey’s Eyebrow is down the road from you!!
Hope you have a great time. We’ll be praying for you.
Love you,
John
FROM BEVERLY: Gosh John! I sure wish you’d suggested that sooner! Just think of all the money I could have saved … not to mention the 10+ needle jabs I could have avoided!
Although I shouldn’t knock it since I haven’t actually tried it, somehow I don’t think visiting Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky would really do the trick for me. As I think about it now though, I think I have to put it on my “place I must visit” list when I return just to do a compare and contrast! Do you and Maria want to come along?
Gosh, now I am scared for you! Just don’t contract “Montezuma’s Revenge”, course I guess you would have got that while you were in Mexico!
FROM BEVERLY: Hey Valerie! Great to hear from you! Yeah, I think it’s more “Ho Chi Minh Revenge” that I would need to worry about!
But I’m sure I’ll be just fine …
I wouldn’t be so sure about not having to have shots to visit Monkey’s Eybrow.
And I believe they call it ‘Ow me bow uls Revenge’ over there.
Have a spectacular time! We’ll all be living vicarously through you and your adventures. Can’t wait to start seeing the pictures!
FROM BEVERLY: Thanks Karen. So glad you and Steve will be “along” for the journey!
I am looking forward to the pictures you will post!
Take Care! Enjoy every minute!
Hello!!!!! from Memphis. I hope you have the best time, thank you so much for sharing this experience!!!!! Really nice to hear from you!!! BUEN VIAJE
My fellows mentioned this blog to me and I really treasured it, I look forward to other stories you post!