Ready Or Not... Here we go!

Yep, it started with an e-mail... an e-mail that was an answer to prayer. Through my Bible Study group I had recently discovered that my Spiritual Gifts included traveling while helping others so this trip came at a perfect time. Throw in the fact that we were leaving on Valentine's Day and I literally could not say "Sign Me Up!" faster :).

I'm excited for this adventure and can't believe that it is here already. And I love that I am going with Abigail for not only do we travel well together, but we have the same love of adventure and sense of humor. Its going to be a great trip!

And for those of you who haven't read about my experience "preparing" for this trip, below is a blog I posted last week for your enjoyment:

"3 Shots You're Out!"

An e-mail about Immunizations was sent out from our team leader for the Costa Rica trip... 10 days before we were to leave. And as anyone knows, this did not go over well for the planner in me. The list said Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, and Malaria. Since my mother is an avid record keeper, and since I get my amazing organizational skills and love of all things travel from her, I smiled smugly to myself in response to this e-mail for I could already prove that I had both of the Heps taken care of. So a simple Typhoid Shot was all that I would need.

I found a place that could give me a Typhoid Shot for $99 so off I went... literally not remembering the last time I had gotten a shot. I get there and proudly hand over my records while explaining that I will be leaving for Costa Rica in 8 days and that I need a Typhoid Shot. He looks at my records and says, "Hhhhmmmm."

"What?"

"Well, it says here that you had the Hep A booster, but did you have a follow up shot?"

"What? I needed a follow up shot? I don't know. That was over 10 years ago. I don't remember?"

And neither did my mother which meant that a $95 Hep A shot was added to my list.

And then, "When was the last time you had a tetanus shot?"

"What?"

"Well it says here that you had one in '95. And they are good for 10 years, so do you remember having one in the last 3 years?"

"Um, no..."

Add another $55 for that shot.

"And you will need to take malaria pills 2 days before you leave and 7 days after you get back and they are $7 a piece, so..."

Add another $133 for bloody mosquito bites.

"And have you heard of Traveler's Diarrhea?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

So 3 shots, 2 prescriptions, and $400 later I am now ready to go to Costa Rica... and any other place on the planet I'm pretty sure, except not really. I have to go back in 6 months for my follow up $95 Hep A shot which they assure me will be good for life.

An hour later I'm ready to leave but before doing so ask about the malaria pills:

"So do I have to take these at a specific time of day or with food or anything?"

"Well, I like to take mine with a glass of red wine..."

"First thing in the morning?"

"YES!"

No kidding.

And P.S. 3 shots makes your arm hurt for 3 days :(

Hasta Luega!