Jabs and pills

First thing of concern: are my vaccinations up-to-date? I've been to India once before for two weeks about one and a half years ago. For that trip I had taken two Twinrix shots, but of course missed the third booster shot 6 months after the first one. Thankfully it is possible to just get the booster shot after longer period of time and get the same protection so I should be set with it now. At least according to my doctor. No word from GlaxoSmithKline when I inquired about it.

I also had to renew my polio shot and get medication for malaria as I intend to do a bit more extreme stuff than just stay in luxury hotels under the mosquito net and hang around at the beach. I'm going with Lariam on the latter as it is quite inexpensive compared to Malarone and I didn't get any notable side-effects the last time apart from a little more dreaming activity (an effect that I actually kind of like since normally I don't remember 99% of my dreams).

Medical things are now taken care of and I've already started taking Lariam as you must begin the course one week prior getting to the malaria zone. If you are looking for last-minute protection, Malarone is started one day before so it's not totally lost yet.

Doxycycline would also have been an option, but due to the risk of getting photothermaditis (burned skin that is) quite easily under that medication was kind of a turn-off. And there has been reports of some forms of malaria being quite resistant against that drug and therefore at least the finnish national public health institute has upgraded their recommendation to Lariam or Malarone when in northern Goa. Better to be safe than sorry.