Shopping! Peru Prep

Should you? Could you?

[Camo Coll Mosquito Net/Hat, $12.99, available on amazon.com. Eyelashes optional.]

You can grab most of your Peru essentials at CVS or Walgreens, particularly travel sizes.

• All of your basic toiletries: Shampoo, soap, razor, etc.
• All of your Peru OTC needs: Imodium, Tylenol (or your preferred headache medicine), Benadryl, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, travel-sized clothing detergent.

Some things, however--and these are ESSENTIAL--can't be found at basic drugstores. You can find these at a specialty sporting/camping store (REI, Dick's Sporting, etc.) or order on Amazon.com:

• Insect repellent that is a minimum of 35-40% DEET (for skin application)
• Permethrin (insect repellent for clothing)

I always have questions about chemicals like DEET, and I offer you the CDC fact sheet on it:
http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/toolkit/DEET.pdf

Here's the key for DEET: The higher concentration (50% DEET vs 7% DEET) is not more effective. It is longer-lasting. Do you want to spray once in the morning? Or do you want to spray every 20 minutes (and miss all the fun)? The Penn Travel Medicine specialist insisted I purchase a minimum of 35-40% DEET.

Curious about the "natural" insect repellents (eucalyptus sprays) or gadgets (bracelets or belts that repel insects)? Me too. But honestly: try them stateside if you want to experiment, not in yellow fever terrain.