My Last Fear: Mosquitos and Mosquito Nets

googieschlot

I really am stressing out about mosquitos and mosquito nets and am seeking advice about them. My name is Greg and I will be taking a 42-day "vacation" in India in January and February (mostly then northern half of India, including Kolkata and Puri, but four days down in Chennai and Pondicherry) and I have had plenty of advice that the experience could be overwhelming and I think I can handle everything I've been made aware of and the final frontier is fear of mosquitos and feeling helpless because I think erecting an effective mosquito net is something I'll have a mental block on.

I am trying to imagine that most places I go in India will be unbearably swamped with mosquitos and I will be deeply suffering; and hopefully when I am actually there I'll be pleasantly surprised that the mosquitos are not that much worse than they are in tropical areas I've been in down in Latin America. I am trying to think of how I could "embrace" mosquitos and look forward to them being a part of a powerful and comprehensive experience in India but I am afraid mosquitos could seriously taint my judgments and make me cranky.

Secondly, I have "emotional intelligence" but NO mechanical ability, NO physical coordination and NO Boy-Scout sense of how to hang things, tie knots or effectively enclose any area with any net-like thing, and therefore I feel like I won't be able to actually get a mosquito net to work for me. Does anyone have any advice on how I could mentally process the idea of hordes of mosquitos around me and how I can approach the problem of dealing with mosquitos at night if I feel confident that I won't be able to put a mosquito net together?

I am so excited about India for so many reasons, and if I can get help overcoming the sense of dread I feel about mosquitos and not being one of the clever kids who can whip together a mosquito net, I think I will have run out of fears about the trip.......perhaps nothing could be as frustrating as figuring out how to order train tickets online and find a way to have them held for me, and perhaps since I have achieved that, there is a possibility I can create a plan to deal with inevitable, painful mosquitos whenever I am trying to sleep during my trip.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Greg in New York

seventies'hippy

Hi Greg,
My advice is don't worry, Though I think you've summed it up already,
In the north of course there will be some but certainly not enough to distress you, keep arms & ankles covered after dark & early morning, use a spray/roll-on on these parts,perhaps leave a coil in your room when you go out in the evening or use a swift shoe on your return just to get one or two rogues out your room. By the time you go down south you won't even be thinking about mosquito's,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
If you take these precautions you won't even need a net if your room is of a decent standard.

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devonlasses

Hi Greg, I also have amortal fear of mozzies as when I get bitten i get an allergic reaction that means what would be a pin prick on anyone else would be a huge eruption on me (not that any mozzie would bite anyone else when tasty old me is anywhere within 5 miles). I actually not too many in rajasthan last month...but in one hotel i got 12 bites over one night and then no more. having sprays, coils in my room helped but i was stil worried enough to not sleep. I beleive the most effective thing i used was wrist and ankle bands that you can buy impregnated with insecticide. put them on each day at dusk and leave til morning and it was only when they were wearing out tha i got the bites. only problem is they only last about two weeks and you are going for 7. well worth it tho for peace of mnd. good luck and happy travels.

nicky from sussex

quick tip that works for me (as I too suffer from the great big red eruptions from every tiny bite) I take one a day anti histamine tablets starting 3 or 4 days before I go so it's in my system and ready to tackle the first attack!! it really helps

jam_mac_jam

It depends, I get eaten by them so I have to have a net. I couldnt live without one, my boyfriend rarely gets bitten so he could live without one. So if you suffer from then liking you then I would take one. They are only small to carry.

I dont find the sprays work, covering up does but i dont find the coils or sprays of much use at all.

There is also a wonderful thing i got last year from boots(sorry I dont know where you are from I am sure they have something similar) which is a buzzer that when you get bitten it stops the Itch, its a small electical thing. not very good for diseases i realise but excellent for the itch.

But dont get too worried I get eaten in Italy it all depends on how much they like you, as I said my boyfriend hardly got bitten at all

Vespar

Hi Devonlasses

What brand of wristbands did you have and how long did they last. I haven't seen this product before but can you get it in India.

Thanks

john.sw

Antihistamine tablets are a good idea - one a day! They are available in pharmicists all over India for a fraction of the price we pay in the UK.

DEET is also a good idea for exposed parts of your body - but don't wear plastic clothes, as Deet melts plastic!

Put a mosquito coil in your room - you can buy the simple coil or an electric version.

A good insect spray is also a good idea - it clears the room of the little blighters!

Then, put up your mosquito net during the day. If you leave it until evening, the mosquitos may have hidden inside the net ready to drink your blood!

If you are worried about the practicality of erecting a mosquito net, why not practice at home - you'll be an expert by the time you arrive in India.

Also, there are "frame" mosquito nets on the market. They are really easy to erect, and may be the answer if you are all thumbs!

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jeamland

I'm in the north and have used my mozzie net once, in Tattapani. I just use lots of bug spray, long sleved shirts and take the medication.

Nick-H

I got about seven bites on my foot today.

Bastard things, mossies

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devonlasses

Hi Vespar, the mozzies bands came of all places from my high street post office's travel accessories section, cost about £4 and i will never go to a mozzie zone without them again, best £4 i ever spent. they must be in outdoor leisure shops as well tho. they are just inch wide black elastic with a round plastic disc and they stink of deet type stuff. marvellous things!

Nick-H

5:30am: Woken up by bites itching.

Oh how one conveniently forgets such things when dreaming of coming back!

Anyway, they responded well to the Zanza click and I had dosa for breakfast...

Vespar

Anybody in Oz found these!!!!!

Muss

Hi, i've been looking in to this over the last few weeks, in ready ness for a few months in tamil Nadu.... Apparently lemon grass is one of the best deterants, they neither like the plants or the oil extraction, you can use a stem of lemon grass, mash the end in some vodka (or some such alchohol) and aply like a roll on stick.... my friend has tried this before and said it did work for him, but his girlfriend didnt like the smell.....I'm not totally convinced so i'm loading up on Deet as well as some lemon grass extract.... might see if i can find a plant for my room... will compare the number of bites to last years trip, as i spent the first week in the south being feasted on by the little sods..... and my journal is full of bite counts and squashed mossies.... got alittle carried away with it....

devonlasses

Vespar take a look at this http://shop.interhealth.org.uk/produ...b6929059425915 is that how you put a link?

Vespar

Thanks devonlasses.
But I am going for 3 months so the cost will probably be out of reach but a great idea.

Has anybody else got any great ideas.

I think I have read that some Vitamins can help. Anybody heard of this.

Thanks