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Hi all. My name is cheap meat. I'm here to shag girls on the cheap. I travel for long stretches of time, so I need to keep costs down. I'm interested in mongering in the Philippines, but I'm in need of some budget accomodation. By budget, I mean $12 or less a night. I know that's low, but I'd be staying for at least a month, so I could rent an apartment or condo perhaps. Anybody know if there are any cheap places to stay like that in angeles city or manilla? I've stayed in Pattaya and phnom penh and they have loads of cheap places to stay at. Thanks all.

Cheap meat

Hi to all!

Been looking at a list of vaccinations as I am going to be in Cebu and Visayas next March!The recommended list looks a bit excessive!Do any of you guys have any advice on what I should get and what I dont really need?I will be out in some of the provinces for some of the time!Also is there any point to anti malarials!Had those in Thailand this year and guess what - I did not need them as I did not get a single mossie bite!Even though I was out in some of the national parks for a bit in between stooling around Sukhovit and Pattaya to see what was on offer!

Someone in Angeles for a beer?

I will stay at Pacific Breeze

[QUOTE=Iainmore]Do any of you guys have any advice on what I should get and what I dont really need?[/QUOTE]
All you really need is Hepatitus because it is endemic in the Philippines. Forget the rest unless your going to spend weeks in the bush. Hopefully, you will be concentrating on the other bush. :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Iainmore]Also is there any point to anti malarials!Had those in Thailand this year and guess what - I did not need them as I did not get a single mossie bite![/QUOTE]
I just got back from 7 months in the Visayas and I know of two Americans who caught Dengue Fever from mosquitoe bites while I was there. They lived, but they were really sick for about two weeks. I took Doxycycline seven days before I left and continued until I returned and I had no problems.
On the other hand, I spent 40 days in 2005 and 30 days in 2006 in Bataan/AC/Manila and I didn't take anything and I didn't get sick.

Robb

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for Dengue. I prefer to play it safe and go with a thorough menu of vaccines, which will give me some peace of mind for years to come. See the CDC and WHO sites for info about the prevalence of diseases in various countries. Note, it is difficult to make a blanket statement about any particular disease "being rampant". This is a very regional thing within each country and often depends on recent weather patterns.

I live by the motto "Only the Paranoid Survive", so here is what I go with:

1. Twinrix - Hep A & B in one vaccine. Need 3 doses. Two are sufficient prior to travel.

2. Oral Typhoid - 4 capsules over 8 days.

3. Flu Shot - Based on world standard.

4. Tetanus Booster - If more than 10 years since last booster.

5. Adult Polio Booster - Yes polio still exists. One shot.

6. Japanese Encephalitis - Two or three shots (I forget). Very nasty disease with swelling of the brain.

7. Rx for Cipro.

8. Rx for Doxy/Tetracycline.

9. Rx for Malarone - Taken before and during stay in areas known to have moderate to high malaria rates.

I went to a specialist at UCLA Medical Center who deals strictly with Travel & Tropical Medicine. I figure I'll go through this once and be done with it. My travel plans include long term stays and multiple visits. Plus you get a small booklet, International Certificate of Vaccinations for handy record keeping.

If I were just going on a short trip I might not go with everything. The HEP A&B is a *must*, especially given our hobby.

Mistalava:

Excellent recommendations, my only comment would be to consider substituting #7 & 8 cipro & dox/tetracy with zithro (1 gm or 2 gm) :)

And a box of condoms.....LOL

My two cents only guys and that is probably what it is worth though I do have some medical background - there are side effects to many vaccinations and though serious ones are rare so are many of the diseases you are considering vaccination from. I spent about 3 years all up in Philippines and traveled throughout the islands and took antimalarials for only the first three weeks! That was because the drug - in combination with dehydration due to the climate etc - had caused my kidneys to have severe impairment of function and actually almost killed me! Have no fear that drug is no longer on the market having killed several people. In a similar vein I met a French guy who was paranoid as hell and took every vaccination/drug known to man. Spent three weeks in Palawan, long sleeved shirts, mosquito nets, etc and arrived back in Manila with malaria. Around the same time I met a Norwegian guy who took no antimalarials and had just spent 6 weeks in Palawan sleeping on beaches dressed in shorts and t-shirt and drinking his way around the island as Norwegians generally do and he was fine. I agree you need to investigate it thoroughly but remember drug companies are businesses and they will always use scare tactics in an attempt to sell their products. So just make sure you get the best unbiased info and weigh up the risks. Ok, that'll be two cents, pay my receptionist! :)

[QUOTE=Mistalava]Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for Dengue. I prefer to play it safe and go with a thorough menu of vaccines, which will give me some peace of mind for years to come. See the CDC and WHO sites for info about the prevalence of diseases in various countries. Note, it is difficult to make a blanket statement about any particular disease "being rampant". This is a very regional thing within each country and often depends on recent weather patterns.

I live by the motto "Only the Paranoid Survive", so here is what I go with:

1. Twinrix - Hep A & B in one vaccine. Need 3 doses. Two are sufficient prior to travel.

2. Oral Typhoid - 4 capsules over 8 days.

3. Flu Shot - Based on world standard.

4. Tetanus Booster - If more than 10 years since last booster.

5. Adult Polio Booster - Yes polio still exists. One shot.

6. Japanese Encephalitis - Two or three shots (I forget). Very nasty disease with swelling of the brain.

7. Rx for Cipro.

8. Rx for Doxy/Tetracycline.

9. Rx for Malarone - Taken before and during stay in areas known to have moderate to high malaria rates.

I went to a specialist at UCLA Medical Center who deals strictly with Travel & Tropical Medicine. I figure I'll go through this once and be done with it. My travel plans include long term stays and multiple visits. Plus you get a small booklet, International Certificate of Vaccinations for handy record keeping.

If I were just going on a short trip I might not go with everything. The HEP A&B is a *must*, especially given our hobby.[/QUOTE]


With the greatest respects I think in my professional opinion you should re-oroder the list as follows.

1) condoms, Condoms!, CONDOMS!!!!

2) Tropical strength Mosquito repellant & if you are staying away from the cities, Mosquito Nets for sleeping.

3) Doxycline capsules. 50mg once daily will give protection from Malaria AND coincidentally Chalmydia. Caution : long term use is harmful to your liver. Take AFTER food or you will have severe stomach discomfort.

4) All pertinent vaccinations as per the list above.
J.E. is likely in provincial mosquito infested areas around where pigs are kept.

As a travel kit, you can take a small supply of Rulide for respiratory infectons. Fasgyn for amobeic tummy infections. A small supply of Immodium for diarrhea, maxolon for vomiting. Some oral rehydration tablets for reconstituting into water.

I strongly advise you NOT to go carrying around boxes of Ciprofloxacin or Azithromycin unless you are medically trained. If you are THAT sick go to a doctor or go home & go to a doctor. Inappropriate use of Antibiotics can do more harm than good.

Any competeant GP can set you up with vaccinations & a travel kit.

Happy mongering
Amavida

Well, three years in Phil., I hope you'll be posting more stuff. This one is pretty good info...and I tend to agree. Of course maybe some of us are healthier than others. I've been abusing my body for nearly half a century and I'm still in pretty good shape.

If anyone has been to Taal volcano (south of Manila), you are strongly encouraged to rent a horse/guide for the ride up the hill. Hell with that, I hiked up to the Taal Volcano viewpoint...and had to slow down so that my 24 yr-old Filipina could catch up. Had two fat foreigners coming down the trail on their horses tell me it's way too difficult...rent a horse. It might have been the same guy here at ISG who recommended taking a taxi from Mango Hotel to the Cebu nightlife.

Neverhtheless, the comments here got me to research a bit about hepatitis. Some web sites say it is highly contagious, others say it's very unlikely to contract it thru sexual intercourse. I'll guess I'll have to keep reading.

X Man


[QUOTE=Been There]My two cents only guys and that is probably what it is worth though I do have some medical background - there are side effects to many vaccinations and though serious ones are rare so are many of the diseases you are considering vaccination from. I spent about 3 years all up in Philippines and traveled throughout the islands and took antimalarials for only the first three weeks! That was because the drug - in combination with dehydration due to the climate etc - had caused my kidneys to have severe impairment of function and actually almost killed me! Have no fear that drug is no longer on the market having killed several people. In a similar vein I met a French guy who was paranoid as hell and took every vaccination/drug known to man. Spent three weeks in Palawan, long sleeved shirts, mosquito nets, etc and arrived back in Manila with malaria. Around the same time I met a Norwegian guy who took no antimalarials and had just spent 6 weeks in Palawan sleeping on beaches dressed in shorts and t-shirt and drinking his way around the island as Norwegians generally do and he was fine. I agree you need to investigate it thoroughly but remember drug companies are businesses and they will always use scare tactics in an attempt to sell their products. So just make sure you get the best unbiased info and weigh up the risks. Ok, that'll be two cents, pay my receptionist! :)[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Traveler1234]Mistalava:

Excellent recommendations, my only comment would be to consider substituting #7 & 8 cipro & dox/tetracy with zithro (1 gm or 2 gm) :)

And a box of condoms.....LOL[/QUOTE]

Co-sign on the condoms... Doh! An oversight on my part because they are SOP for me, as is a good slathering of DEET insect repellent. I also carry a Zithromax dose-pack, as you suggested.

I just want to let everybody know I met a german guy on the bus to AC from Manila who contracted some kind of rare deisease which people get from eating half cooked chickens. No it is not Bird flu. He said he lives in some province and settled in PHI. This has severely disabled him and he goes often to Germany to get treated for this.
The moral is not to eat at unsanitory hotels and roadside stalls.

[QUOTE=Sammon]I just want to let everybody know I met a german guy on the bus to AC from Manila who contracted some kind of rare deisease which people get from eating half cooked chickens. No it is not Bird flu. He said he lives in some province and settled in PHI. This has severely disabled him and he goes often to Germany to get treated for this.
The moral is not to eat at unsanitory hotels and roadside stalls.[/QUOTE]
Seems like he might have got Guillain-Barre syndrome and now has the chronic form CIDP. The Campylobacter jejuni bacteria which gives you food poisoning can be found in chicken meat and bottled water you can get this in any country.

FYI
[QUOTE][B]Campylobacter jejuni is now recognised as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries. [/B]

Campylobacter is a type of bacteria found in the intestines of many of our pets, barnyard animals, birds, and some humans. Bacteria pass through their intestines and cycle through the environment. Campylobacter is the leading cause of diarrhea here in the United States. It is easily destroyed by cooking foods thoroughly and drinking treated water.

It takes only a small number of these bacteria to cause an illness in some people. Illness from contaminated food or water produces symptoms within 2 to 5 days and can last for 7 to 10 days. Twenty-five percent of all people who get this illness have a relapse. Symptoms include fever, headache, and muscle pain. These symptoms are followed by diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea. Most cases are self limiting and don’t need to be treated with antibiotics. But, in severe cases of diarrhea, antibiotics are needed. Complications include: meningitis, urinary tract infections, arthritis, and Gullian-Barre syndrome.

The most common sources of Campylobacter are contaminated water, raw milk or meat, and undercooked meats. And, it might also be found on your pet’s coat so wash your hands after petting your animals. About 20% or more of chicken found in grocery stores is contaminated with Campylobacter. And, 50% of diarrhea is caused by eating improperly cooked chicken or recontaminated chicken.

Other sources of contamination include drinking untreated water from lakes and streams or drinking unpasteurized milk and other dairy products. Always use proper food handling procedures for raw foods. Refrigerate meat at 40° F or freeze it. Cook meat and poultry to 160° F to kill bacteria. Avoid cross contamination of raw meat with cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Place your cooked poultry or meat on a clean plate using clean cooking utensils. Don't use the ones that you used with the raw poultry or meat without washing them in hot, soapy water first.

The lesson here to avoid this illness is to refrigerate your meat or poultry properly, avoid cross-contamination, and cook it thoroughly.
Campylobacter infects about 50,000 people a year in England and Wales, far more than better-known organisms such as salmonella. Yet until the mid-Seventies it was virtually unheard of. epidemiologist Dr Meirion Evans.
"Drinking bottled water has not previously been recognized as a risk factor. But it is biologically plausible and could explain a substantial number of infections."

Campylobacter causes stomach pains and diarrhea. But [B]one in 1,000 sufferers develops Guillain-Barre syndrome,[/B] which can lead to total paralysis. One in 20,000 dies. [B]Most cases had been linked with eating undercooked chicken, or uncooked foods contaminated by raw chicken.[/B]

Scientists from the University of Wales in Cardiff investigated more than 200 cases of food poisoning. The results, in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, reveal that [B]up to 12 per cent of cases could be attributed to bottled water, 30 per cent to contaminated chicken and 21 per cent to salad.[/B][/QUOTE]

Now on a happier note my doctor says if I'm going to the Philippines I'll need a rabies shot how important is this?

[QUOTE=X Man]Well, three years in Phil., I hope you'll be posting more stuff. This one is pretty good info...and I tend to agree. Of course maybe some of us are healthier than others. I've been abusing my body for nearly half a century and I'm still in pretty good shape.

X Man[/QUOTE]

Yes m8 I will post anytime I feel I have something to contribute. But I haven't been in PI for a decade and I know that often old info is worse than no info at all because of the preconceptions it can create. Thats the beauty of this forum, being able to get the latest info and as I am going to be arriving there early January it has already been of some assistance.

And I can relate to the 'abusing your body' comment m8. Almost 50 summers here too and I have led an. Interesting and full life. And until now I have been known to climb a volcano or two! Hibok-Hibok was fun in the rain! I believe if you don't use it you lose it. LOL. That's why so many Aussie, European and American guys got no balls! Pussy whipped by their wives!

As to Hep A and B sexual contact is definetely a risk. Especially B. A is more commonly male to male as it is faeces borne. Enough said! But you need several months and 3 shots for maximum protection against Hep B and anyway I'm thinking. Without a certificate of virginity and a full medical screening. Bareback is, unfortunately, out of the question. And I wouldn't confine that to the Philippines but anywhere I was considering a one off one night stand with a girl I didn't know really well. In the 80's I screwed bareback all around Australia and Asia and never got a disease. Had a few bargirls in there but mostly GF's. Then came back to Australia, met a nice country girl who gave me chlamydia! Like pissing razorblades! LOL

These days you are risking too much going bareback. Antibiotic resistant strains of gonorrheoa are known in PI also. Difficult and expensive to treat. And AIDS hasn't gone away, particularly in Thailand. I would definetely recommend bringing your own supply of condoms to be sure you got the thinnest, most comfortable possible to enjoy the experience. Not sure what the local supply is like but going from other products available there they are probably Russian Army surplus from the Cold War!

[QUOTE=Sammon]I just want to let everybody know I met a german guy on the bus to AC from Manila who contracted some kind of rare deisease which people get from eating half cooked chickens. [/QUOTE]When I was mongering in the PI in the mid-1980s, I contracted NSU twice. Its a slow drip of yellow fluid from the penis similar to VD. Lab tests can confirm which one. You can get it from poorly cooked food, water (swimming pools) and sex. My boss at the time was faithfully married and got it from the beer (I believed him). Tetrycycline for two weeks knocked it out. Only problem, no alcohol while taking the cure. My two doses had two things in common. Sidewalk BBQs and hotel pool.

Slim