Page 10 of 11
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 28 Nov 2020, 4:13pm
by npcarey
by st599_uk » 28 Nov 2020, 1:36pm
I also keep a copy of my WHO vaccine certificate which I got in Tanzania.
Perhaps another essential item? Back in the day I was cycling in Malawi, heading for the Tanzanian border and discovered that a yellow fever jab was required. As I had an official WHO vaccine booklet with various entries in it I just whipped out my ‘John Bull, Printing Outfit’ out from a pannier, made up an official looking stamp and job, rather than jab done. Some wise soul had suggested that I carry one. I know that I used it a least once more perhaps for some other traveller needing an ‘official’ stamp.
by Bmblbzzz » 28 Nov 2020, 3:53pm
So they just happen to have a vaccination point at the border crossing?
Entering Malawi at the border post I was told that I had to have a cholera jab. The immigration officer did it using the same needle he did the rest of the people in the queue. This was a few years prior to AIDS.
[img]
iu.jpeg
[/img]
Neil.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 28 Nov 2020, 4:49pm
by st599_uk
Bmblbzzz wrote:So they just happen to have a vaccination point at the border crossing? Handy!
All the border posts in Africa have a medic. Those that rely on exporting food have huge phytosanitary operations too. In Botswana they have them every 50 km or so on the roads and you and your vehicle need to be disinfected.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 28 Nov 2020, 4:50pm
by st599_uk
npcarey wrote:by st599_uk » 28 Nov 2020, 1:36pm
I also keep a copy of my WHO vaccine certificate which I got in Tanzania.
Perhaps another essential item? Back in the day I was cycling in Malawi, heading for the Tanzanian border and discovered that a yellow fever jab was required. As I had an official WHO vaccine booklet with various entries in it I just whipped out my ‘John Bull, Printing Outfit’ out from a pannier, made up an official looking stamp and job, rather than jab done. Some wise soul had suggested that I carry one. I know that I used it a least once more perhaps for some other traveller needing an ‘official’ stamp.
by Bmblbzzz » 28 Nov 2020, 3:53pm
So they just happen to have a vaccination point at the border crossing?
Entering Malawi at the border post I was told that I had to have a cholera jab. The immigration officer did it using the same needle he did the rest of the people in the queue. This was a few years prior to AIDS.
[img]
iu.jpeg
[/img]
Neil.
Not anymore, it's got a QR code sticker issued online via WHO
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 28 Nov 2020, 7:38pm
by nsew
npcarey wrote:by st599_uk » 28 Nov 2020, 1:36pm
I also keep a copy of my WHO vaccine certificate which I got in Tanzania.
Perhaps another essential item? Back in the day I was cycling in Malawi, heading for the Tanzanian border and discovered that a yellow fever jab was required. As I had an official WHO vaccine booklet with various entries in it I just whipped out my ‘John Bull, Printing Outfit’ out from a pannier, made up an official looking stamp and job, rather than jab done. Some wise soul had suggested that I carry one. I know that I used it a least once more perhaps for some other traveller needing an ‘official’ stamp.
by Bmblbzzz » 28 Nov 2020, 3:53pm
So they just happen to have a vaccination point at the border crossing?
Entering Malawi at the border post I was told that I had to have a cholera jab. The immigration officer did it using the same needle he did the rest of the people in the queue. This was a few years prior to AIDS.
[img]iu.jpeg[/img]
Neil.
A Canadian couple introduced me to the John Bull kit in Greece in the early 80s. They were using it for practically all their travel, changing visa stamps, discarded bus, rail and ferry tickets. I was most impressed. That couple also told me how to join the Hungarian Communist Youth Party to facilitate a £15 ticket for the Trans Siberian Express. Made me chuckle every time I filled out the entry form entering the States - Are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 29 Nov 2020, 12:25pm
by Bmblbzzz
st599_uk wrote:Bmblbzzz wrote:So they just happen to have a vaccination point at the border crossing? Handy!
All the border posts in Africa have a medic. Those that rely on exporting food have huge phytosanitary operations too. In Botswana they have them every 50 km or so on the roads and you and your vehicle need to be disinfected.
From what little I know of Botswana (an uncle worked there in the early 70s) it has a somewhat more 'sophisticated' state organisation than most of sub-Saharan Africa.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 29 Nov 2020, 1:39pm
by Vorpal
Much of Africa is much more sophisticated than how most people think about it.
Charities use pictures of starving children and dessicated farm land to appeal for money, so that is the image people have of Africa, but the truth is that it is thriving towns and cities, world reknown universities, thousands of years old historic sites, verdant plains, wildlife reserves, and mountains and jungle, as well as desert and and dessicated farmland. It is a huge and varied continent, moreso even than Europe.
Most African countries have not had significant problems with COVID, and even those that have seen some spread have not seen as many deaths (per million) as the UK. Why? They are prepared for pandemics, even in countries that have much lower spending on public health per person than the UK. They had track & trace infrastructure in place. They are simply not as unsophisticated as most people think.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 29 Nov 2020, 1:53pm
by st599_uk
Vorpal wrote:.
Most African countries have not had significant problems with COVID, and even those that have seen some spread have not seen as many deaths (per million) as the UK. Why? They are prepared for pandemics, even in countries that have much lower spending on public health per person than the UK. They had track & trace infrastructure in place. They are simply not as unsophisticated as most people think.
I think that I read that there was some evidence that endemic parasitic illness also helps with CoVid, but yeah, they have extensive experience in dealing with local outbreaks and checking travellers. Certainly I've only ever seen mass disinfection of passengers and cabins on African buses and flights.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 29 Nov 2020, 1:58pm
by Psamathe
st599_uk wrote:Vorpal wrote:....Certainly I've only ever seen mass disinfection of passengers and cabins on African buses and flights.
Happens SE Asia flights as well (at least did in my experience).
Ian
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 29 Nov 2020, 5:40pm
by Bmblbzzz
I've seen it in NZ, other Pacific, and India.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 21 Aug 2021, 1:25am
by Cowsham
A small pocket radio cos most smart phones now omit the FM radio tuner bit. Plus the radio player app on my phone would run the battery down quite quickly.
Has to have digital tuning but I don't mean dab just not a manual tuner.
The other thing is for me it has to have a speaker and earphone socket.
I found one that is almost perfect -- the sound is first class for such a small radio. The only thing you could complain about is the way one set of buttons do the volume and tuning selected by long press to differentiate between the two. Once you get used to that it's fine.
Mine has AM as well as FM for getting some particular local stations that aren't on any other network.
It charges up via USB and runs for 5 hours on a single charge.
My son came in this evening and couldn't believe the quality of the sound coming from a radio that would fit in the palm of your hand. He couldn't find where the sound was coming from it's so small.
Earphones for night time in the tent in a campsite and you don't want to disturb anyone.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JBSXVRW/ ... ZCA1KC1VG3
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 21 Aug 2021, 9:44am
by Jdsk
Cowsham wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 1:25am
Earphones for night time in the tent in a campsite and you don't want to disturb anyone.
Bluetooth speaker headbands are now cheap, reliable and of adequate quality for my purposes. Advantages and disadvantages compared to headphones are obvious.
Jonathan
PS: Despite having Radio 4 playing most of the time in the kitchen and the car which has a radio I don't listen to broadcast radio when I'm touring or otherwise on holiday. But that reminded me of years of using a shortwave radio in other European countries.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 21 Aug 2021, 1:31pm
by Cowsham
Jdsk wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 9:44am
Cowsham wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 1:25am
Earphones for night time in the tent in a campsite and you don't want to disturb anyone.
Bluetooth speaker headbands are now cheap, reliable and of adequate quality for my purposes. Advantages and disadvantages compared to headphones are obvious.
Jonathan
PS: Despite having Radio 4 playing most of the time in the kitchen and the car which has a radio I don't listen to broadcast radio when I'm touring or otherwise on holiday. But that reminded me of years of using a shortwave radio in other European countries.
I generally don't like wearing headphones/headbands Bluetooth or wired -- I do enough of that in the studio.
If I'm at an event like a road race and action relayed by radio I like to have the commentary coming from my handlebar bag as I cycle around. Earphones are a bit dangerous while cycling in my view although lots of people wear them.
I also like having the radio on while I'm busy around the campsite as long as I'm not too close to others camping so not to annoy them. Like you John I'm a big radio 4 fan and that annoys the wife.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 21 Aug 2021, 5:02pm
by Sweep
Cowsham wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 1:25am
A small pocket radio cos most smart phones now omit the FM radio tuner bit. Plus the radio player app on my phone would run the battery down quite quickly.
Has to have digital tuning but I don't mean dab just not a manual tuner.
The other thing is for me it has to have a speaker and earphone socket.
I found one that is almost perfect -- the sound is first class for such a small radio. The only thing you could complain about is the way one set of buttons do the volume and tuning selected by long press to differentiate between the two. Once you get used to that it's fine.
Mine has AM as well as FM for getting some particular local stations that aren't on any other network.
It charges up via USB and runs for 5 hours on a single charge.
My son came in this evening and couldn't believe the quality of the sound coming from a radio that would fit in the palm of your hand. He couldn't find where the sound was coming from it's so small.
Earphones for night time in the tent in a campsite and you don't want to disturb anyone.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JBSXVRW/ ... ZCA1KC1VG3
mm - built in battery? why not use one that uses rechargeable AAs or AAAs?
Not going to be massive is it?
looks like landfill in waiting to me.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 21 Aug 2021, 8:55pm
by Cowsham
Sweep wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 5:02pm
Cowsham wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 1:25am
A small pocket radio cos most smart phones now omit the FM radio tuner bit. Plus the radio player app on my phone would run the battery down quite quickly.
Has to have digital tuning but I don't mean dab just not a manual tuner.
The other thing is for me it has to have a speaker and earphone socket.
I found one that is almost perfect -- the sound is first class for such a small radio. The only thing you could complain about is the way one set of buttons do the volume and tuning selected by long press to differentiate between the two. Once you get used to that it's fine.
Mine has AM as well as FM for getting some particular local stations that aren't on any other network.
It charges up via USB and runs for 5 hours on a single charge.
My son came in this evening and couldn't believe the quality of the sound coming from a radio that would fit in the palm of your hand. He couldn't find where the sound was coming from it's so small.
Earphones for night time in the tent in a campsite and you don't want to disturb anyone.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JBSXVRW/ ... ZCA1KC1VG3
mm - built in battery? why not use one that uses rechargeable AAs or AAAs?
Not going to be massive is it?
looks like landfill in waiting to me.
How many AAA batteries will you throw away during your radios lifetime ? At least most of my radio will go via WEEE recycling.
Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit
Posted: 22 Aug 2021, 6:45am
by Sweep
Cowsham wrote: ↑21 Aug 2021, 8:55pm
How many AAA batteries will you throw away during your radios lifetime ? At least most of my radio will go via WEEE recycling.
well I did say rechargeable cowsham.
As you may have guessed I try to minimise my use of built-in batteries - unavoidable with a lot of tech of course.