Surfing Costa Rica

Costa Rica was awesome. We stayed at Hotel Las Tortugas in Playa Grande on the Nicoya Peninsula, just north of Tamarindo (Pacific Coast). This area is a preserved beach for the nesting of leather-back turtles, thanks to the owner of the hotel. The hotel is set back far enough from the ocean as to not disturb the natural ecosystem, and the staff was fabulous (Note: this isn’t a hotel geared for the tourist, but rather the traveler who isn’t looking for a pool or beach side service, or room service), and the room offered a view of the jungle. We awoke most mornings to the sounds of howler monkeys, which was pretty sweet.

Playa Grande has one of the most consistent waves for surfing in the areas. The locals were friendly and deserve respect. The waves were as high as or higher than your head most of the week, and it’s best around high tide. There are nearby beaches within 20-30 minutes hike that offer complete seclusion, but with a small price. You have to cross over an estuary with crocodiles around, which is only a problem at high tide. During low tide, you are safe. There is a black sand beach about 45 minutes north and is only accessible by hike (Playa Carbon), with awesome little tide-pools for a quick cool down dip. Make sure to time it right, because if high tide comes in, you might get stuck!

Between surfing, two “day trips” into the jungle for some waterfalls, canopy tours and the variety of animals we got to see, we had an amazing 10-day adventure; most of the days we were up by sunrise and in bed by 8:30pm. There isn’t much of a night life unless you want to hang outside with some friendly locals and learn their customs. But there is so much nature to enjoy and plenty of good surf.

The main tourist spot is Tamarindo, just south of Playa Grande, if you want fancy hotels and a busy nightlife. But if you want to relax and be somewhat secluded, then Playa Grande is the right place. We also met some really nice travelers from Wales, Montreal, France, Spain, Texas and California; mostly surfers and surf families. One of the benefits being a traveler (and not a tourist) is the chance to meet people from all over the world. I would definitely recommend this spot.

Written by: Ricardo Khan, client of Passport Health

Colorado Flu Report

It has been reported that Colorado is the #1 state in the country for Widespread Influenza Outbreaks, with the highest number of hospitalized flu being reported in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Jefferson Counties. Here is a map depicting the peak of Flu Seasons and why it is still an optimal time for you to receive your Flu Shot.

Click here for the Denver News Channel’s report on Colorado’s Flu Season.

For more information or to keep up with the latest information, please see the CDC’s Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report (CDC Flu View).

For the latest map of outbreaks, please see this site from the CDC as well.

Finally, the CDC has put together a great resource for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that may be helpful in answering any concerns you might have.

You also may want to be on the lookout for the symptoms associated with Influenza, which usually have a sudden onset and may include the following:

• Fever (usually high)
• Headache
• Tiredness (can be extreme)
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Body Aches
• Diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children rather than adults)

Having these symptoms does not always mean you have the flu. Many different illnesses, including the common cold, have similar symptoms. Generally the common cold comes on gradually over time, you will “feel” yourself getting sick before actually coming down with increased symptoms.

Please call Passport Health at: 303-442-8728 or 719-387-5528 to set up your appointment for the Flu Vaccine in any of our 4 offices along the Front Range. We offer the Flu Vaccine for $25.

Photo of the Week

This photo was taken by Kitty Brigham in Africa.

 

Congratulations for winning the $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com, Kitty!

You can be a part of the contest as well by submitting any photos of your travels to community@passporthealthco.com

Timing of Flu Vaccination

Here at Passport Health, we want to be available to help the public be as protected as possible when it comes to being immunized for common illnesses, such as Influenza. That’s why we think it’s important to let you know that it is not too late to get your Flu Shot for this season! In fact, 60-70% of recorded diagnosed flu in the general public happens in the months of January and February.

In addition, the duration of the Flu Season can last up to several months, as long as October – April, and may not even appear in some areas until February and March. Some people who get immunized in October, may want to receive a second vaccination 3-4 months later so they are protected against influenza for the entire season. It is also recommended that frequent travelers get vaccinated for flu routinely.

We still have the Flu Vaccine available for $25 at any of our office locations. If you’d like more information regarding the frequency and timing of the Flu Vaccine, please read this article from the CDC. Feel free to call us at: (303) 442-8728 or (719) 387-5528 to set up an appointment to receive your flu shot!

Botswana: Vervet Monkey Adventure

 

One of the first things they tell you when you arrive at camp is to make sure to close your doors tight or the monkeys will get in your room and haul away your clothes, etc. Since my husband, Joe, was busy taking 7000 photos of the trip, he didn’t realize when he came back into the room carrying his huge camera, that the door was closed… but not tightly!

So, off we go, with our guide, Gift, to the elephant hide. Kings Pool was the first camp we stayed at and they have buried a container with 4 windows in it next to a man-made watering hole that they pumped water into. It’s a short drive from camp and we arrived there with our friends Jane and Steve. Within 2 minutes a large group of elephants arrived to drink, bathe and play in the watering hole. We were watching and taking photos, they were just a couple feet from our hide. They were aged between 1 month and 30 years old, it was mind blowing to say the least. What a treat! We watched them for an hour and then they slowly wandered off.

We then headed back to camp for a little siesta before taking off for our 4:30pm drive. When Joe opened the door to our room, he saw, in a flash, at least 5 Vervet Monkeys scatter right out the door they had come in. Our vitamins and malaria pills were sprayed all over the room, they ate all the herbal vitamins! Needless to say we had to throw everything out in case the monkeys had tasted our malaria pills, but we borrowed enough from our friends to make it back to Passport Health to purchase more. We took all the precautions advised but really had no mosquitoes or tsetse flies; the government of Botswana sprays for the tsetse fly.

If you look up the description of the Vervet Monkey in the Wildlife Book of the Okavango, it says “Inquisitive, agile primate. Often enters camps“. Live and Learn!

Written by: Peggy Romano, Passport Health Client