leeches

ikimasho

just when i thought i had heard it all.....am i going to be covered in leeches in monsoon season??

i am heading to kerala.

also, i have a small mosquito net that covers me (like a pup tent). has anyone has good results with these???

between rabies, malaria, typhoid, mosquitoes, dissentary, leeches and creatures i havent even begun to imagine - i am wondering how i will manage!!!!

oh yeah i forgot heat stroke, dehydration and runny bum!!!

if india doesnt kill me it will definetly make me stronger!!
i am laughing more every day that i get closer to my departure date....what have i signed up for ?!!! hee hee hee

12 days and counting

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dreamsyndicate

Well, the leeches are 'bloody' annoying, though holding a cigarette close to them is enough for them to let loose .
I would worry more about the (monsoon-army)mosquitos.
Deet is what you need !

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DianeN.

Ikimasho,

Since you live in Japan, you might want to bring a bottle of "unakoa" that comes in a small blue bottle for mosquito itches. It's the best I've ever come across. I brought a bottle of the yellow "unakoa" to spray on that was pretty good at repelling mosquitos from my arms and feet, too. Japanese people also swear by "serogan", an herbal pill for diarreah, though I have never used it. My American friend still has me bring some for her when I visit the USA because she used it. I packed some powdered Polcari Sweat in case we got sick (to add to mineral water) but never used it.

If you are Japanese--you probably already know all this. And if you have been in Japan much time, you probably know it all, too.

Good luck!

Diane (aka "Ikimashita")

ikimasho

thanks dianeN...i have the pocari....

i am not japanese but the mozzies here dont seem to mind the white meat.....in fact they feast on me!!!! last year i had my best reults with a combination of one of those electric things that makes a noise they dont like and burning lemongrass essential oils in my sleeping room...i was still bit, but much less than previous years....

any ideas on how to keep these leeches off me????...

is it painful or just gross?? will i faint?? i am pretty sqeamish.

i had decided to skip malaria meds but i am re-thinking it now.....geesh....11 days to go and i still cant make up my mind!

DianeN.

I have no idea about leeches....just the thought makes me squeemish. But wouldn't you only have a problem if you are wading in a swamp or something? (perhaps I've seen too many Tarzan movies).

sudheer poppa

You need to worry about leeches only if you are heading for a trekking into the forest ( like periyar tiger trail).

I have travelled for years all over south india and done a fair bit of trekking into the forests but never seen a leech till today let alone getting biten by one. But in the forests, they are a real possibility as I always get warned about them before I go into the the forest.

As you are planning to study ( I researched your old posts) you hardly need to worry about the climate. Only when you are heading for site seeing and being adventurous be mindful of the climate. First two weeks in Kerala concentrate on studies and by then you will have a good feel of the place and the later period explore the place to your hearts content.

Monsoon starts only by the first half of June, so if you reach there in end April you still have a month plus before the rains. So that is again something you need not worry too much.

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Bryan

Buy an electric mozzie tablet heater thingy
you know the thing...and have this on along with your net over your bed
Citronella anti mossie cream is really good and works just as effectively as deet products i found
For bites ...buy some tiger balm and rub it on the bite
the itching will vanish in a couple of minutes.

I wouldnt worry so much about malaria if you take the ususal precautions ...remember malaria cannot be caught from one bite ...you ahve to be bitten repeatedly by infected mossies so if you follow the guidlines you'll be fine.

Bryan

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jenh28

Salt is the best thing to get rid of leeches, plain old table salt. Just pour the salt onto the leech and it will fall off.

At least this is what we do in Northern Australia.

ikimasho

i dont know what you mean...i do have this thing that i plug in to the electrical socket. it takes these little discs that last about a month. the idea is that it emits some sound/smell??? that the mozzies dont like.

it seemed to work last summer.....it is now in the "maybe" pile. i dont know if it will do much good in india.

is this what you mean brian?

indiaguide

You cann't keep away leeches. But if you find in your body just give some salt.